Common English Mistakes by Spanish Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Spanish speakers from Mexico when writing in English.

Category:Government & Policy Writing
Writing used for policy-making and government communication.
Common Users:Government Officials, Non-profits, Public Policy Analysts.
Mistake Example #1

Government & Policy Writing / Government Memo

Direct translation of Spanish expressions ('I have 25 years' instead of 'I am 25 years old')

To: All Department Heads Subject: Annual Budget Review It haveis themy pleasure to inform you that the meeting for the annual budget review will take place on the 15th of November. It is important that all departments bring their reports and be prepared to discuss any adjustments. We have 10 yearsworkinged with the current systemfor 10 years, and it is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. Please confirm your attendance as soon as possible.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Good job! I just changed some of the phrasing to make the English sound more natural."

To: All Department Heads Subject: Annual Budget Review It is my pleasure to inform you that the meeting for the annual budget review will take place on the 15th of November. It is important that all departments bring their reports and be prepared to discuss any adjustments. We have worked with the current system for 10 years, and it is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. Please confirm your attendance as soon as possible.

To: All Department Heads Subject: Annual Budget Review I have the pleasure to inform you that the meeting for the annual budget review will take place on the 15th of November. It is important that all departments bring their reports and be prepared to discuss any adjustments. We have 10 years working with the current system, and it is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. Please confirm your attendance as soon as possible.

Mistake Example #2

Government & Policy Writing / Grant Application

Misuse of prepositions ('Married with' instead of 'Married to')

Our organization is applying for the grant with the aim tof improveing educational resources in rural areas of Mexico. We are committed witho providing high-quality materials and training for teachers, which will help inenhancinge the learning experience for students. By collaborating with local communities, we hope to achieve asignificant impact inthe educational outcomes and contribute witho the development of these regions.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking for proper use of prepositional phrasing."

Our organization is applying for the grant with the aim of improving educational resources in rural areas of Mexico. We are committed to providing high-quality materials and training for teachers, which will help enhance the learning experience for students. By collaborating with local communities, we hope to achieve a significant impact in educational outcomes and contribute to the development of these regions.

Our organization is applying for the grant with the aim to improve educational resources in rural areas of Mexico. We are committed with providing high-quality materials and training for teachers, which will help in enhancing the learning experience for students. By collaborating with local communities, we hope to achieve significant impact in the educational outcomes and contribute with the development of these regions.

Mistake Example #3

Government & Policy Writing / Legislative Report

Overuse of present continuous ('I am going to the school every day' instead of 'I go to school every day')

In the recent legislative report, we are analyzinged the impact of the new education policy. We areobservinged that the students are benefiting from the changes, andthey are attending the classes more regularly. The committee isrecommendings that we are implementing additional measures to ensurethat all schools are receiving the necessary resources.

Text corrected by:
Michele A., Boston, Massachusetts; United States

"I adjusted some of the verb tenses from present continuous to the simple past and present tenses."

In the recent legislative report, we analyzed the impact of the new education policy. We observed that the students are benefiting from the changes and attending the classes more regularly. The committee recommends that we implement additional measures to ensure that all schools are receiving the necessary resources.

In the recent legislative report, we are analyzing the impact of the new education policy. We are observing that the students are benefiting from the changes, and they are attending the classes more regularly. The committee is recommending that we are implementing additional measures to ensure all schools are receiving the necessary resources.

Mistake Example #4

Government & Policy Writing / Official Statement

Overuse of present continuous ('I am going to the school every day' instead of 'I go to school every day')

In response to recent events, I am addressing the community to asensure that we areworking on improving the public transportation system. We are implementing new measures to ensure that buses are arrivinge on time and thoadjust routesare being adjusted to better serve the needs of our citizens. I ammeeting with local leaders regularly to discuss these changes, and I aminvitinge feedback from all residents to make our city a better place for everyone.

Text corrected by:
Camille, Maryland, USA

"The ideas were all clear. I just refined the use of various tenses."

In response to recent events, I am addressing the community to ensure that we work on improving the public transportation system. We are implementing new measures to ensure that buses arrive on time and to adjust routes to better serve the needs of our citizens. I meet with local leaders regularly to discuss these changes, and I invite feedback from all residents to make our city a better place for everyone.

In response to recent events, I am addressing the community to assure that we are working on improving the public transportation system. We are implementing new measures to ensure that buses are arriving on time and that routes are being adjusted to better serve the needs of our citizens. I am meeting with local leaders regularly to discuss these changes and I am inviting feedback from all residents to make our city a better place for everyone.

Mistake Example #5

Government & Policy Writing / Policy Brief

Overuse of present continuous ('I am going to the school every day' instead of 'I go to school every day')

In recent months, I hamve observinged that the water scarcity issue is becoming more severe in rural areas of Mexico. The government is implementing new policies, but I amthinking that more immediate actions are necessary to effectivelyaddress the crisiseffectively. We are recommending that local authorities areincreasinge their efforts to educate communities about water conservation practices.

Text corrected by:
Michele A., Boston, Massachusetts; United States

"I adjusted the verb tenses to reflect proper English usage. Otherwise, the ideas in this text are clearly expressed."

In recent months, I have observed that the water scarcity issue is becoming more severe in rural areas of Mexico. The government is implementing new policies, but I think that more immediate actions are necessary to effectively address the crisis. We recommend that local authorities increase their efforts to educate communities about water conservation practices.

In recent months, I am observing that the water scarcity issue is becoming more severe in rural areas of Mexico. The government is implementing new policies, but I am thinking that more immediate actions are necessary to address the crisis effectively. We are recommending that local authorities are increasing their efforts to educate communities about water conservation practices.

Mistake Example #6

Government & Policy Writing / Public Notice

Misuse of prepositions ('Married with' instead of 'Married to')

Attention Residents: The local government is pleased to announce the opening of the new community park located in the downtown area. The inauguration ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 5th, starting at 10 AM. We invite all families to join us for this special event, where there will be activities for children and refreshments available. Please note that pets must be kept withon a leash at all times. We look forward to celebrateing this occasion with you.

Text corrected by:
Michele A., Boston, Massachusetts; United States

"I just replaced a preposition to make the sentence grammatically correct. Otherwise, the ideas in this text are clearly expressed."

Attention Residents: The local government is pleased to announce the opening of the new community park located in the downtown area. The inauguration ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 5th, starting at 10 AM. We invite all families to join us for this special event, where there will be activities for children and refreshments available. Please note that pets must be kept on a leash at all times. We look forward to celebrating this occasion with you.

Attention Residents: The local government is pleased to announce the opening of the new community park located in the downtown area. The inauguration ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 5th, starting at 10 AM. We invite all families to join us for this special event, where there will be activities for children and refreshments available. Please note that pets must be kept with a leash at all times. We look forward to celebrate this occasion with you.