Common English Mistakes by Arabic Speakers

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

Category:Personal & Lifestyle Writing
Writing for personal expression and self-improvement.
Common Users:Bloggers, Life Coaches, Hobbyists.
Mistake Example #1

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Journal Entry

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

Today I waoke up early and decided to go for a walk in the park. The weather iwas nice, and I enjoyed the fresh air. After that, I meet my friend Ahmed, and we talked about our plans for the weekend. We agreed that wewill visit the new restaurant in town tomorrow.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Nice work! I just corrected a few problems with the verb tense."

Today I woke up early and decided to go for a walk in the park. The weather was nice, and I enjoyed the fresh air. After that, I met my friend Ahmed, and we talked about our plans for the weekend. We agreed that we will visit the new restaurant in town tomorrow.

Today I wake up early and decide to go for a walk in the park. The weather is nice, and I enjoy the fresh air. After that, I meet my friend Ahmed, and we talk about our plans for the weekend. We agree that we visit the new restaurant in town tomorrow.

Mistake Example #2

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Life Advice Column

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

Dear Advice Seeker,I understand you arefaceing difficulty with balancing work and family time. It is important you find time for both, but sometimes you mayfeel overwhelmed. I suggest you make a schedule that helps you organize your day better. When you do this, you will see that you have more time for your family and also for yourself. Remember, it is not about how much time you spend, but how you spend it.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Very good! I fixed some issues with the grammar, including the verb tense."

Dear Advice Seeker, I understand you are facing difficulty with balancing work and family time. It is important you find time for both, but sometimes you may feel overwhelmed. I suggest you make a schedule that helps you organize your day better. When you do this, you will see that you have more time for your family and also for yourself. Remember, it is not about how much time you spend, but how you spend it.

Dear Advice Seeker, I understand you face difficulty with balancing work and family time. It is important you find time for both, but sometimes you feel overwhelmed. I suggest you make a schedule that help you organize your day better. When you do this, you will see that you have more time for your family and also for yourself. Remember, it is not about how much time you spend, but how you spend it.

Mistake Example #3

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Motivational Speech

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

Dear friends, today I stand before you to remind you that every dream you have is possible. You just need to believe in yourself and take the first step. When I was young, I dreamed tof becomeing a leader, and I work hard every day to achieve it. Remember, success does not come overnight, but with patience and determination, you will reach your goals. Let us all strive to be the best version of ourselves and inspire others to do the same.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Just a few minor tweaks to the text :) Nice work! "

Dear friends, today I stand before you to remind you that every dream you have is possible. You just need to believe in yourself and take the first step. When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a leader, and I work hard every day to achieve it. Remember, success does not come overnight, but with patience and determination you will reach your goals. Let us all strive to be the best version of ourselves and inspire others to do the same.

Dear friends, today I stand before you to remind you that every dream you have is possible. You just need to believe in yourself and take the first step. When I was young, I dream to become a leader, and I work hard every day to achieve it. Remember, success do not come overnight, but with patience and determination, you will reach your goals. Let us all strive to be the best version of ourselves and inspire others to do the same.

Mistake Example #4

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Personal Blog Post

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

I just got back from honored to inform youabout my recent trip to the beautiful city of Jeddah. I—it was an delamazinghtful experience,. aOnde I am privileged tosharef the highlights wat Is visiteding the historic Al-Balad district. I am gratefultsohave had the opportuchanityce to taryste thome traditional Saudi cuisine, which was ahonestly exquisite experience that I shall cherishforgevttabler.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed tweaks throughout to reduce the overuse of formal expressions."

I just got back from a trip to the beautiful city of Jeddah—it was an amazing experience. One of the highlights was visiting the historic Al-Balad district. I also had the chance to try some traditional Saudi cuisine, which was honestly unforgettable.

I am honored to inform you about my recent trip to the beautiful city of Jeddah. It was a delightful experience, and I am privileged to share that I visited the historic Al-Balad district. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to taste the traditional Saudi cuisine, which was an exquisite experience that I shall cherish forever.

Mistake Example #5

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Personal Essay

Confusion between masculine and feminine pronouns

When I first met my friend Sara, she was very kind and welcoming. She invited me to her home, andhe showed me around ther beautiful garden. I was impressed by how much effort she put into maintaining it, and she even gave me some tips on how to care for my own plants.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Just a few minor tweaks to make pronoun usage consistent :) Nice work! "

When I first met my friend Sara, she was very kind and welcoming. She invited me to her home and showed me around her beautiful garden. I was impressed by how much effort she put into maintaining it, and she even gave me some tips on how to care for my own plants.

When I first met my friend Sara, he was very kind and welcoming. She invited me to her home, and he showed me around the beautiful garden. I was impressed by how much effort she put into maintaining it, and he even gave me some tips on how to care for my own plants.

Mistake Example #6

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Self-Help Article

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

In life, it is important to find balance between work and relaxation. Many people in Saudi Arabia often feel stressed because they work too much and forget to take time for themselves. If you want to improve your well-being, you should start by making small changes. For example, every day youwake up early every dayandyou spend few minutes tomeditateing. This practicewill help you to clear your mind and prepare for the day ahead. Remember, it is never too late to start taking care of yourself.

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

"I just made a couple of changes to the verb tenses. Otherwise, the ideas in this text are clearly expressed."

In life, it is important to find balance between work and relaxation. Many people in Saudi Arabia often feel stressed because they work too much and forget to take time for themselves. If you want to improve your well-being, you should start by making small changes. For example, wake up early every day and spend few minutes meditating. This practice will help you to clear your mind and prepare for the day ahead. Remember, it is never too late to start taking care of yourself.

In life, it is important to find balance between work and relaxation. Many people in Saudi Arabia often feel stress because they work too much and forget to take time for themselves. If you want to improve your well-being, you should start by making small changes. For example, every day you wake up early and you spend few minutes to meditate. This practice help you to clear your mind and prepare for the day ahead. Remember, it is never too late to start taking care of yourself.