Common English Mistakes by Korean Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Korean speakers from South Korea 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

Confusion with prepositions ('in', 'on', 'at')

This modayrning, I went to the park. in the morning and iIt was so refreshing to see the flowers blooming. I met my friend at the park and we decided to have lunch onat a cafe nearby. We talked about our plans for the weekend and agreed to meet inat my house on Saturday.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I fixed a couple of issues with prepositions and made a few additional changes. Well done!"

This morning, I went to the park. It was so refreshing to see the flowers blooming. I met my friend at the park and we decided to have lunch at a cafe nearby. We talked about our plans for the weekend and agreed to meet at my house on Saturday.

Today, I went to the park in the morning and it was so refreshing to see the flowers bloom. I met my friend at the park and we decided to have lunch on a cafe nearby. We talked about our plans for the weekend and agreed to meet in my house on Saturday.

Mistake Example #2

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Life Advice Column

Confusion with prepositions ('in', 'on', 'at')

Dear Advice Column, I am feeling very stressed inat my job lately, and I don't know how to manage it. I often find myself working late at night and on weekends, which makes me feel exhausted in the morning. Can you give me some tips on how to balance mywork and personal life better? Thank you for your help in advance.

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

"I just replaced a word or two to make the English sound more natural. Overall, the ideas in this text are clearly expressed."

Dear Advice Column, I am feeling very stressed at my job lately, and I don't know how to manage it. I often find myself working late at night and on weekends, which makes me feel exhausted in the morning. Can you give me some tips on how to balance my work and personal life better? Thank you for your help in advance.

Dear Advice Column, I am feeling very stressed in my job lately and I don't know how to manage it. I often find myself working late at night and on weekends, which makes me feel exhausted in the morning. Can you give me some tips on how to balance work and personal life better? Thank you for your help in advance.

Mistake Example #3

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Motivational Speech

Incorrect word order in complex sentences

Ladies and gentlemen, today I want to share with youhow important ist its to believe in yourself. When you face challenges, remember that only by trying hard canyoucan achieve your dreams. In life, sometimes we forget that the power within us is stronger than any obstacle we mightface. So, always keep in mind that to succeed, you must first believe you can.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I fixed a few issues with word order and polished up the text a bit."

Ladies and gentlemen, today I want to share how important it is to believe in yourself. When you face challenges, remember that only by trying hard can you achieve your dreams. In life, sometimes we forget that the power within us is stronger than any obstacle we might face. So, always keep in mind that to succeed, you must first believe you can.

Ladies and gentlemen, today I want to share with you how important is it to believe in yourself. When you face challenges, remember that only by trying hard you can achieve your dreams. In life, sometimes we forget that the power within us is stronger than any obstacle we face. So, always keep in mind that to succeed, you must first believe you can.

Mistake Example #4

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Personal Blog Post

Incorrect word order in complex sentences

Last weekend, I went to the mountains with my friends, and ithe scenery was so beautifulthe scenery that I couldn't stop taking photos. We decided to hike early in the morning because the air is fresh thenand the sunrise to seeis amazingto see. After the hike, we had a picnic, and the food tasted better than usual because of the fresh air and good company.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Just a few minor tweaks to improve flow :) Nice work!"

Last weekend, I went to the mountains with my friends, and the scenery was so beautiful that I couldn't stop taking photos. We decided to hike early in the morning because the air is fresh then and the sunrise is amazing to see. After the hike, we had a picnic, and the food tasted better than usual because of the fresh air and good company.

Last weekend, I went to the mountains with my friends, and it was so beautiful the scenery that I couldn't stop taking photos. We decided to hike early in the morning because the air is fresh and the sunrise to see is amazing. After the hike, we had a picnic, and the food tasted better than usual because of the fresh air and good company.

Mistake Example #5

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Personal Essay

Confusion with prepositions ('in', 'on', 'at')

When I was in high school, I always dreamed about studying inabroad. I imagined myself walking oin the streets of New York, feeling the excitement in the air. Now, I am at university in Seoul, but I still hope to visit there one day and experience life oin a different country.

Text corrected by:
Miss E., Cyprus, Europe

"This is a good write-up overall. However, don't forget to use prepositions correctly in your sentences. For example, "I always dreamed about studying in abroad" should be "I always dreamed about studying abroad" and "experience life on a different country" should be "experience life in a different country"."

When I was in high school, I always dreamed about studying abroad. I imagined myself walking in the streets of New York, feeling the excitement in the air. Now, I am at university in Seoul, but I still hope to visit there one day and experience life in a different country.

When I was in high school, I always dreamed about studying in abroad. I imagined myself walking on the streets of New York, feeling the excitement in the air. Now, I am at university in Seoul, but I still hope to visit there one day and experience life on a different country.

Mistake Example #6

Personal & Lifestyle Writing / Self-Help Article

Omitting articles ('a', 'an', 'the')

Ina journey of self-improvement, it is important to set clear goals. Many people find that keeping ajournal helps withtracking progress and reflecting on daily experiences. When you wake up in morning, take amoment to visualize the day ahead and focus on positive thoughts. This practice can greatly enhance your mindset and lead to amore fulfilling life.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some corrections for missing articles."

In a journey of self-improvement, it is important to set clear goals. Many people find that keeping a journal helps with tracking progress and reflecting on daily experiences. When you wake up in morning, take a moment to visualize the day ahead and focus on positive thoughts. This practice can greatly enhance your mindset and lead to a more fulfilling life.

In journey of self-improvement, it is important to set clear goals. Many people find that keeping journal helps track progress and reflect on daily experiences. When you wake up in morning, take moment to visualize day ahead and focus on positive thoughts. This practice can greatly enhance your mindset and lead to more fulfilling life.