Common English Mistakes in Flash Fictions by Arabic Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Arabic speakers from Saudi Arabia when writing a Flash Fiction in English.

Mistake Example #1

Overuse of formal expressions ('I am honored to inform you...')

In the heart of the desert, where the sands whisper secrets of old,I am honored to inform you that a young boy named Khalid embarked on a journey of great significance. ItHere iswith utmost respect that I convey to you the tale of his encounter with a mystical falcon, which, I am privileged to declare, bestowed upon him the wisdom of the ancients. Khalid, with profound gratitefude,lly accepted this noble gift, and thus, his destiny was forever altered under the vast Arabian sky.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Very nice! I took out some of the overly formal expressions because they are not needed in a story like this one."

In the heart of the desert, where the sands whisper secrets of old, a young boy named Khalid embarked on a journey of great significance. Here is the tale of his encounter with a mystical falcon, which bestowed upon him the wisdom of the ancients. Khalid gratefully accepted this noble gift, and thus, his destiny was forever altered under the vast Arabian sky.

In the heart of the desert, where the sands whisper secrets of old, I am honored to inform you that a young boy named Khalid embarked on a journey of great significance. It is with utmost respect that I convey to you the tale of his encounter with a mystical falcon, which, I am privileged to declare, bestowed upon him the wisdom of the ancients. Khalid, with profound gratitude, accepted this noble gift, and thus, his destiny was forever altered under the vast Arabian sky.

Mistake Example #2

Confusion between masculine and feminine pronouns

In the quiet village of Al-Ula, a young girl named Layla found a mysterious old book in her grandfather's attic. She opened it and discovered that she could read the ancient script, which told tales of brave warriors and wise queens. As Layla read on, she felt as if the stories were speaking directly to himer, guiding her through the adventures of the past.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Very good! Just a couple of changes to make pronoun usage consistent. "

In the quiet village of Al-Ula, a young girl named Layla found a mysterious old book in her grandfather's attic. She opened it and discovered that she could read the ancient script, which told tales of brave warriors and wise queens. As Layla read on, she felt as if the stories were speaking directly to her, guiding her through the adventures of the past.

In the quiet village of Al-Ula, a young girl named Layla found a mysterious old book in her grandfather's attic. She opened it and discovered that he could read the ancient script, which told tales of brave warriors and wise queens. As Layla read on, she felt as if the stories were speaking directly to him, guiding her through the adventures of the past.

Mistake Example #3

Misuse of verb tense (e.g., 'He go to school' instead of 'He goes to school')

In the quiet village of Al-Ula, a young boy named Sami dreams of the stars. Every night, he climbs the tallest dune to watch the sky. One evening, he seeaw a shooting star and makde a wish to travel beyond the desert. His heart filled with hope, and he promised himself that one day, he wioulld touch the stars.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Nice job! I just made a few small changes to make sure suitable verb tenses are used."

In the quiet village of Al-Ula, a young boy named Sami dreams of the stars. Every night, he climbs the tallest dune to watch the sky. One evening, he saw a shooting star and made a wish to travel beyond the desert. His heart filled with hope, and he promised himself that one day he would touch the stars.

In the quiet village of Al-Ula, a young boy named Sami dream of the stars. Every night, he climb the tallest dune to watch the sky. One evening, he see a shooting star and make a wish to travel beyond the desert. His heart fill with hope, and he promise himself that one day, he will touch the stars.