Common English Mistakes by Spanish Speakers

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

Category:Job Applications & Professional Development
Writing for job applications and career growth.
Common Users:Job Seekers, Career Coaches.
Mistake Example #1

Job Applications & Professional Development / Career Portfolio

Misuse of present continuous ('I am having 30 years of experience' instead of 'I have 30 years of experience')

I am writing to present my career portfolio for your consideration. I ambeing a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in marketing and communications. Currently, I am working as a marketing manager at a leading firm in Madrid, where I amhavinge the responsibility of overseeing multiple projects and leading a team of talented individuals.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Great job! I just made some minor corrections to the verb tense."

I am writing to present my career portfolio for your consideration. I am a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in marketing and communications. Currently, I am working as a marketing manager at a leading firm in Madrid, where I have the responsibility of overseeing multiple projects and leading a team of talented individuals.

I am writing to present my career portfolio for your consideration. I am being a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in marketing and communications. Currently, I am working as a marketing manager at a leading firm in Madrid, where I am having the responsibility of overseeing multiple projects and leading a team of talented individuals.

Mistake Example #2

Job Applications & Professional Development / Cover Letter

Misuse of present continuous ('I am having 30 years of experience' instead of 'I have 30 years of experience')

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Manager position at your esteemed company. I amhavinge 15 years of experience in the marketing field, and I ambelievinge that my skills are a perfect match for this role. I amlooking forward to discussing how I can contribute to your team.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Just a few small changes were needed to correct the verb forms used. Great job! "

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Manager position at your esteemed company. I have 15 years of experience in the marketing field, and I believe that my skills are a perfect match for this role. I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to your team.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Manager position at your esteemed company. I am having 15 years of experience in the marketing field, and I am believing that my skills are a perfect match for this role. I am looking forward to discuss how I can contribute to your team.

Mistake Example #3

Job Applications & Professional Development / Interview Follow-Up Email

Direct translations from Spanish ('It makes sense' vs. 'It has sense')

Dear Mr. Smith,I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my gratitude for the opportunity to interview for the position last week. It has been a pleasure to meet with you and learn more about the company. I am very interested in the role and believe it haswe should furthense tor discussfurther how my skills align with your team’s needs. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I just changed a few words to make the English sound more natural. Nice work!"

Dear Mr. Smith, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my gratitude for the opportunity to interview for the position last week. It has been a pleasure to meet with you and learn more about the company. I am very interested in the role and believe we should further discuss how my skills align with your team’s needs. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Dear Mr. Smith, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my gratitude for the opportunity to interview for the position last week. It has been a pleasure to meet with you and learn more about the company. I am very interested in the role and believe it has sense to discuss further how my skills align with your team’s needs. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Mistake Example #4

Job Applications & Professional Development / LinkedIn Profile

Direct translations from Spanish ('It makes sense' vs. 'It has sense')

Experienced marketing professional with over five years of experience in digital campaigns. I have strong skills in creating content that it hmakes sense for diverse audiences and itallows fortohe increaseof engagement. Passionate about innovative strategies and eager to contribute to a dynamic team where my skills can be developed further.

Text corrected by:
Miss E., Cyprus, Europe

"Just a few small changes were needed. (p.s.: "in creating content that it has sense" should be "in creating content that makes sense")"

Experienced marketing professional with over five years of experience in digital campaigns. I have strong skills in creating content that makes sense for diverse audiences and allows for the increase of engagement. Passionate about innovative strategies and eager to contribute to a dynamic team where my skills can be developed further.

Experienced marketing professional with over five years of experience in digital campaigns. I have strong skills in creating content that it has sense for diverse audiences and it allows to increase engagement. Passionate about innovative strategies and eager to contribute to a dynamic team where my skills can be developed further.

Mistake Example #5

Job Applications & Professional Development / Personal Statement

Misuse of present continuous ('I am having 30 years of experience' instead of 'I have 30 years of experience')

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Marketing Manager at your esteemed company. I amhavinge 10 years of experience in the marketing field, and I ambelievinge that my skills and background make me a strong candidate for this role. I am looking forward to contributeing to your team and helping to achieve the company's goals.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"Very good! It just needed a couple of changes to make verb tense consistent."

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Marketing Manager at your esteemed company. I have 10 years of experience in the marketing field, and I believe that my skills and background make me a strong candidate for this role. I am looking forward to contributing to your team and helping to achieve the company's goals.

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Marketing Manager at your esteemed company. I am having 10 years of experience in the marketing field, and I am believing that my skills and background make me a strong candidate for this role. I am looking forward to contribute to your team and help achieve the company's goals.

Mistake Example #6

Job Applications & Professional Development / Reference Letter

Confusion between 'do' and 'make' ('I make a mistake' instead of 'I made a mistake')

To Whom It May Concern,:I am writing to highly recommend Maria for the position at your company. During her time with us, she consistently makedid an excellent job and madoe significant contributions to our projects. I am confident that she will dobe a great addition to your team and make a positive impact.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Overall your writing was very professional; it just needed a few tweaks to make things consistent. Good job!"

To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to highly recommend Maria for the position at your company. During her time with us, she consistently did an excellent job and made significant contributions to our projects. I am confident that she will be a great addition to your team and make a positive impact.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to highly recommend Maria for the position at your company. During her time with us, she consistently make an excellent job and do significant contributions to our projects. I am confident that she will do a great addition to your team and make a positive impact.

Mistake Example #7

Job Applications & Professional Development / Resume

Confusion between 'do' and 'make' ('I make a mistake' instead of 'I made a mistake')

JuanUAN MartinezARTINEZ Calle Mayor, 15 Madrid, Spain Email:juan.martinez@email.com Phone:+34 600 123 456 **Objective** I am seeking the opportunity to make a significant contribution in the field of marketingwith a dynamic companyin the marketing field. I have a strong ability to domake strategic plans and mcreakte effective campaigns that increase brand awareness. **Experience** Marketing Specialist ABC Corp, Madrid, Spain June 2018 - Present -• MakeConduct market research to didscoventifyr new opportunities and identifyconsumer preferences. -• Do peliveresentations to clients and stakeholderpresentations to communicate campaign strategies.• - Make cCollaborationse with cross-functional teams to ensure project success. **Education** Bachelor of Marketing University of Madrid, Spain Graduated: 2017 **Skills** -• Ability to do dData analysisand make, reports. generation -• Proficient in dDigital marketing tools and platforms.• - Strong cCommunication and interpersonal skills.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"Changes I made were mostly to improve fluidity and readability. "

JUAN MARTINEZ Calle Mayor, 15 Madrid, Spain juan.martinez@email.com +34 600 123 456 **Objective** I am seeking the opportunity to make a significant contribution with a dynamic company in the marketing field. I have a strong ability to make strategic plans and create effective campaigns that increase brand awareness. **Experience** Marketing Specialist ABC Corp, Madrid, Spain June 2018 - Present • Conduct market research to discover new opportunities and identify consumer preferences • Deliver client and stakeholder presentations to communicate campaign strategies • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure project success **Education** Bachelor of Marketing University of Madrid, Spain Graduated: 2017 **Skills** • Data analysis, report generation • Digital marketing tools and platforms • Communication and interpersonal skills

Juan Martinez Calle Mayor, 15 Madrid, Spain Email: juan.martinez@email.com Phone: +34 600 123 456 **Objective** I am seeking to make a significant contribution in the field of marketing with a dynamic company. I have a strong ability to do strategic plans and make effective campaigns that increase brand awareness. **Experience** Marketing Specialist ABC Corp, Madrid, Spain June 2018 - Present - Make market research to identify new opportunities and consumer preferences. - Do presentations to clients and stakeholders to communicate campaign strategies. - Make collaborations with cross-functional teams to ensure project success. **Education** Bachelor of Marketing University of Madrid, Spain Graduated: 2017 **Skills** - Ability to do data analysis and make reports. - Proficient in digital marketing tools and platforms. - Strong communication and interpersonal skills.