Common English Mistakes in Script Treatments by Italian Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Italian speakers from Italy when writing a Script Treatment in English.

Mistake Example #1

Overuse of passive voice

In the quiet town of Bellagio, the townspeople were planninga mysterious event. was being planned by tThe elderstownspeople.d Tthe ancient legend of the lake monster, was being toldby the talelds captivaters, and the childrenwere being captivated by the tales. Meanwhile, thMaria was overseeing preparations for the annual festival. wAll admired here being overseen by Maria, whose passion for traditionwas admired by all. As the sun set,the streets were being filled with the aroma of freshly baked focacciafilled the streets, and everyone felthe excitemend aboutfor the festivitieswas being felt by everyone.

Text corrected by:
Camille, Maryland, USA

"When possible, active voice is generally preferred. I have changed passive-voice constructions to use the active voice instead. "

In the quiet town of Bellagio, the townspeople were planning a mysterious event. The elders told the ancient legend of the lake monster, and the tales captivated the children. Meanwhile, Maria was overseeing preparations for the annual festival. All admired her passion for tradition. As the sun set, the aroma of freshly baked focaccia filled the streets, and everyone felt excited about the festivities.

In the quiet town of Bellagio, a mysterious event was being planned by the townspeople. The ancient legend of the lake monster was being told by the elders, and the children were being captivated by the tales. Meanwhile, the preparations for the annual festival were being overseen by Maria, whose passion for tradition was admired by all. As the sun set, the streets were being filled with the aroma of freshly baked focaccia, and the excitement for the festivities was being felt by everyone.

Mistake Example #2

Using direct translations from Italian (e.g., 'We see us tomorrow' instead of 'See you tomorrow')

In the bustling streets of Rome, we find our hero, Marco,who is a young artist with dreams as big as the Colosseum. He has a plan to meet with his muse, Sofia, at the café where they always go."WeI'll see yous at the café," he tells her, his eyes full of excitement.As the sun sets, painting the sky with colors of a Renaissance masterpiece, Marco knows that tonight is the night he will finally tell Sofia about his feelings, hoping she will understand his heart like no one else.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"It just needed a few tweaks to make the English sound more natural. Well done!"

In the bustling streets of Rome, we find our hero, Marco, a young artist with dreams as big as the Colosseum. He has a plan to meet with his muse, Sofia, at the café where they always go. "I'll see you at the café," he tells her, his eyes full of excitement. As the sun sets, painting the sky with colors of a Renaissance masterpiece, Marco knows that tonight is the night he will finally tell Sofia about his feelings, hoping she will understand his heart like no one else.

In the bustling streets of Rome, we find our hero, Marco, who is a young artist with dreams as big as the Colosseum. He has a plan to meet with his muse, Sofia, at the café where they always go. "We see us at the café," he tells her, his eyes full of excitement. As the sun sets, painting the sky with colors of a Renaissance masterpiece, Marco knows that tonight is the night he will finally tell Sofia about his feelings, hoping she will understand his heart like no one else.

Mistake Example #3

Confusing singular and plural nouns

In the bustling city of Rome, a young artist named Luca is preparing for his first exhibition. He is nervous about the detail of his painting, hoping each brushstroke conveys the emotion he feels. As the gallery fills with people, Luca's heart races with anticipation, wondering if his work will resonate with the audience.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking for singular vs. plural noun usage."

In the bustling city of Rome, a young artist named Luca is preparing for his first exhibition. He is nervous about the detail of his painting, hoping each brushstroke conveys the emotion he feels. As the gallery fills with people, Luca's heart races with anticipation, wondering if his work will resonate with the audience.

In the bustling city of Rome, a young artist named Luca is preparing for his first exhibition. He is nervous about the detail of his painting, hoping each brushstroke convey the emotion he feel. As the gallery fill with people, Luca's heart race with anticipation, wondering if his work will resonate with the audience.