Common English Mistakes in Legislative Reports by Cantonese Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Cantonese speakers from Hong Kong when writing a Legislative Report in English.

Mistake Example #1

Overuse of 'very' to emphasize adjectives

The legislative report on the recent housing policy changes is very important for the community. It is verynecessary to address the concerns of the citizens, as the impact on the housing market is verysignificant. The government isvery committed to ensuring that the policy isvery effective in providing affordable housing solutions for all residents in Hong Kong.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I kept the first "very" but took out the others to make the text sound less repetitive."

The legislative report on the recent housing policy changes is very important for the community. It is necessary to address the concerns of the citizens, as the impact on the housing market is significant. The government is committed to ensuring that the policy is effective in providing affordable housing solutions for all residents in Hong Kong.

The legislative report on the recent housing policy changes is very important for the community. It is very necessary to address the concerns of the citizens, as the impact on the housing market is very significant. The government is very committed to ensuring that the policy is very effective in providing affordable housing solutions for all residents in Hong Kong.

Mistake Example #2

Overuse of direct translations from Cantonese

The Legislative Council hasdiscussedabout the new housing policy yesterday. We think that the policy is very good, and it will help many people to havefind a place to live. However, some members say that the policy is not enough, and they suggest toadding more resources to imakprove itbetter.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Nice job! I just made a few changes so it will read more smoothly."

The Legislative Council discussed the new housing policy yesterday. We think that the policy is very good, and it will help many people find a place to live. However, some members say that the policy is not enough, and they suggest adding more resources to improve it.

The Legislative Council has discussed about the new housing policy yesterday. We think that the policy is very good, and it will help many people to have a place to live. However, some members say that the policy is not enough, and they suggest to add more resources to make it better.

Mistake Example #3

Confusion with countable vs. uncountable nouns ('She has much friends')

The Legislative Council has discussed the proposal for the new housing policy, and there ihasbeen much feedback from the community. Many residents expressed concern about the availability of affordable housing, and there isare muchany suggestions on how to improve the current situation. The committee will review theise input and provide theirrecommendations in the next session.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I fixed some issues with nouns and made a few additional changes to improve the flow."

The Legislative Council has discussed the proposal for the new housing policy, and there has been much feedback from the community. Many residents expressed concern about the availability of affordable housing, and there are many suggestions on how to improve the current situation. The committee will review this input and provide their recommendations in the next session.

The Legislative Council has discussed the proposal for the new housing policy, and there is much feedback from the community. Many residents express concern about the availability of affordable housing, and there is much suggestion on how to improve the current situation. The committee will review these input and provide recommendation in the next session.