Common English Mistakes in Personal Statements by Spanish Speakers

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

Mistake Example #1

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 #2

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

I am writing to express my interest in the Mmarketing Mmanager position at your company. I have always been passionate about marketing and I believe I can domake a significant contribution to your team. In my previous role, I was responsible for makeing strategic plans that increased our market share by 20%. I am eager to bring my skills and enthusiasm to your organization and make a positive impact.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking to address confusion between "do" and "make.""

I am writing to express my interest in the marketing manager position at your company. I have always been passionate about marketing and I believe I can make a significant contribution to your team. In my previous role, I was responsible for making strategic plans that increased our market share by 20%. I am eager to bring my skills and enthusiasm to your organization and make a positive impact.

I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Manager position at your company. I have always been passionate about marketing and I believe I can do a significant contribution to your team. In my previous role, I was responsible for make strategic plans that increased our market share by 20%. I am eager to bring my skills and enthusiasm to your organization and make a positive impact.

Mistake Example #3

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

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Mmarketing Sspecialist at your esteemed company. It has sbenslieto mve that my experience in digital marketing andmy passion for innovative strategies will contribute positively to your team. I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and ideas to your organization and help achieve its goals.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking to sound more native and natural."

I am writing to express my interest in the position of marketing specialist at your esteemed company. I believe that my experience in digital marketing and passion for innovative strategies will contribute positively to your team. I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and ideas to your organization and help achieve its goals.

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Marketing Specialist at your esteemed company. It has sense to me that my experience in digital marketing and my passion for innovative strategies will contribute positively to your team. I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and ideas to your organization and help achieve its goals.