Most commom mistakes in English

Confusing Words There are many words that sound similar but have different meanings and are spelled differently. Then there are other words that even sound exactly the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Here are some examples: 1) custom vs. costume: Custom refers to repetitive, traditional activities e.g. The celebration of the Day of the Dead is a typical Mexican custom. A costume is something that you wear e.g. The costumes in Shakespeare in Love are very well made. 2) loose vs. lose: Loose is the opposite of tight. It's an adjective. Imagine Michael Jackson in Pavarotti's clothes. Lose is a verb and refers to objects that have disappeared. Example: "I can't find my wallet, I have lost it." 3) guy vs. gay This one can cause a lot of confusion. The mistake normally occurs in writing only, because students know the difference in pronunciation between guy and gay. They also know the difference in meaning: guy = boy/ young man as in: he's a very nice guy. gay = homosexual (it used to mean something like: lively or bright, but that's old fashioned and common in the works of, say, Charles Dickens. 4) earn vs. win The problem with these two is that they are both translated into Spanish with ganar. Thus, you get questions like: "How much do you win?" when referring to your salary. However, you win money in the lottery and you earn (or make) money at your job. 5) I am agree A common error among Spanish speakers is the translation 'I am agree for Estoy de acuerdo. One should keep in mind that agree is a verb, whereas de acuerdo, as in estoy de acuerdo, is an adjective. Therefore, one should say: - I agree - He agrees - We agree

And in past for example: - I agreed 5 Common Errors Spanish Speakers Make Learning English These five mistakes are some of the most common errors Spanish speakers make when learning and practicing English. English teachers in Spain should come ready to correct these mistakes and make sure to reinforce their correct usage. 1. Pronunciation Spanish speakers make a lot of errors with pronunciation. Some advanced students know English grammar quite well, but can barely hold a conversation due to their incorrect pronunciation of key words. The following are some of the most common pronunciation errors that Spanish speakers make in English:

Adding an e sound before words that begin with s. For example, a Spanish speaker would pronounce special as especial. Pronouncing a y as a j. For example, a Spaniard may say jam when reading the word yam. Pronouncing a j as an h. For examples, a student might pronounce the name Jerry as Herry.

2. Directly translating a preposition Prepositions are tricky because they often change a lot between English and Spanish. Here are some specific examples of confusing prepositions.

A Spanish speaker may say, It depends of instead of It depends on A Spanish student might say, Call to someone instead of Call someone (in English there is no preposition). Spaniards often incorrectly say, Marry with somebody instead of Marry somebody (in English there is no preposition).

3. False Cognates Also known as false friends, false cognates are words that appear to have the same meaning in both English and Spanish, but in reality are quite different. Here are three wellknown false friends between English and Spanish:

Embarazada: Looks like embarrassed but means pregnant. Actualmente: Looks like actually but means currently. Carpeta: Looks like carpet but means folder.

4. Order of adjectives and nouns

In Spanish, the noun generally comes before the adjective, while in English it is usually the opposite. Example:

Spanish: La casa verde (Direct translation: The house green) English: The green house

5. Confusion between to do and to make In Spanish hacer is the verb that represents both to do and to make in English. It is often difficult for native Spanish speakers to remember which verb to use when speaking English. Some common mistakes include:

I need to do my bed instead of I need to make my bed. Can I do a suggestion? instead of Can I make a suggestion? Could you make me a favor? instead of Could you do me a favor?

These are only some of the most common mistakes Spanish speakers make in English. Teachers should definitely come prepared to face these and other common errors, and should place great importance on correcting them in addition to learning new skills and concepts.