Common English Mistakes in Personal Essays by German Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native German speakers from Germany when writing a Personal Essay in English.

Mistake Example #1

Capitalizing all nouns (following German grammar rules)

When I was a Cchild, I always dreamed of visiting the United States. The Iidea of seeing the Statue of Liberty and experiencing theAmerican Cculture fascinated me. Last Yyear, I finally had the Oopportunity to travel there with my Ffamily, and it was an unforgettable Eexperience. We visited many famous Pplaces, including the Grand Canyon and Times Square, and I was amazed by the Ddiversity and Eenergy of the Ppeople.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"Only proper nouns should be capitalized. Capitals are not necessary for common nouns (non-specific people, places, things, or ideas)."

When I was a child, I always dreamed of visiting the United States. The idea of seeing the Statue of Liberty and experiencing American culture fascinated me. Last year, I finally had the opportunity to travel there with my family, and it was an unforgettable experience. We visited many famous places, including the Grand Canyon and Times Square, and I was amazed by the diversity and energy of the people.

When I was a Child, I always dreamed of visiting the United States. The Idea of seeing the Statue of Liberty and experiencing the American Culture fascinated me. Last Year, I finally had the Opportunity to travel there with my Family, and it was an unforgettable Experience. We visited many famous Places, including the Grand Canyon and Times Square, and I was amazed by the Diversity and Energy of the People.

Mistake Example #2

Incorrect word order in subordinate clauses

When I was a child, my family always went to the mountains for ourvacation,s because we loved the fresh air and the quietness. I remember that, whenever we arrived at the cabin, my father wouldalwayswould say how beautiful the view was. It was during these trips that I learned how important it is to appreciate nature, which my parents taught me from a young age.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I moved the word "always" in the second sentence and made some stylistic changes."

When I was a child, my family always went to the mountains for our vacations because we loved the fresh air and the quietness. I remember that whenever we arrived at the cabin, my father would always say how beautiful the view was. It was during these trips that I learned how important it is to appreciate nature, which my parents taught me from a young age.

When I was a child, my family always went to the mountains for vacation, because we loved the fresh air and the quietness. I remember that, when we arrived at the cabin, my father always would say how beautiful the view was. It was during these trips that I learned how important it is to appreciate nature, which my parents taught me from a young age.

Mistake Example #3

Overuse of passive voice

Growing up in a small town in Germany, my family cherished many traditionswere cherished by my family. Every Sunday,my mother prepared a big breakfast was prepared by my mother,andwe set the table was set with care. TWe always emphasized the importance of spending time together wandsalways emphasizred, and many storieswere shared during these meals.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking to remove instances of passive voice."

Growing up in a small town in Germany, my family cherished many traditions. Every Sunday, my mother prepared a big breakfast and we set the table with care. We always emphasized the importance of spending time together and shared many stories during these meals.

Growing up in a small town in Germany, many traditions were cherished by my family. Every Sunday, a big breakfast was prepared by my mother, and the table was set with care. The importance of spending time together was always emphasized, and many stories were shared during these meals.