Common English Mistakes by Mandarin Chinese Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Mandarin Chinese speakers from Taiwan when writing in English.

Category:ESL Writing
Writing for English as a Second Language learners improving their skills.
Common Users:Non-native speakers, Language learners.
Mistake Example #1

ESL Writing / Email Practice

Misuse of singular/plural nouns ('There are much people here' instead of 'There are many people here')

Subject: Inquiry About English Course Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this email finds you well. I am interested in your English course and have some questions. There is somanye information on your website, but I am not sure about the schedule. Are there any classes available in the evening? Also, I heard there are muchany students in each class,. iIs ithat true? Thank you for your help, and I look forward to your reply. Best regards, Wei Lin

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

"Your ideas were clearly expressed. I just adjusted a few words to agree with the singular and plural nouns in some of the sentences."

Subject: Inquiry About English Course Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this email finds you well. I am interested in your English course and have some questions. There is some information on your website, but I am not sure about the schedule. Are there any classes available in the evening? Also, I heard there are many students in each class. Is that true? Thank you for your help, and I look forward to your reply. Best regards, Wei Lin

Subject: Inquiry About English Course Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this email finds you well. I am interested in your English course and have some questions. There is many information on your website, but I am not sure about the schedule. Are there any class available in the evening? Also, I heard there are much student in each class, is it true? Thank you for your help, and I look forward to your reply. Best regards, Wei Lin

Mistake Example #2

ESL Writing / Essay Writing Practice

Misuse of singular/plural nouns ('There are much people here' instead of 'There are many people here')

In Taiwan, there isare many beautiful places to visit. OnSome of the most popular destinations isare the night markets, where you can finda variety of foods and goods. People enjoy tospending time there because there are muchany interesting things to see and try.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"This was very good! Just a few small changes were needed to make the sentences consistent."

In Taiwan, there are many beautiful places to visit. Some of the most popular destinations are the night markets, where you can find a variety of foods and goods. People enjoy spending time there because there are many interesting things to see and try.

In Taiwan, there is many beautiful places to visit. One of the most popular destination is the night markets, where you can find variety of foods and goods. People enjoy to spend time there because there are much interesting things to see and try.

Mistake Example #3

ESL Writing / Grammar Exercises

Misuse of singular/plural nouns ('There are much people here' instead of 'There are many people here')

Please complete the following grammar exercises by identifying and correcting the errors in the sentences. There is many student in the classroom today, and each student have their own book. Also, there is much homework to do, so everyone need to focus on their task.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"The mistakes are intentional because this is a lesson."

Please complete the following grammar exercises by identifying and correcting the errors in the sentences. There is many student in the classroom today, and each student have their own book. Also, there is much homework to do, so everyone need to focus on their task.

Please complete the following grammar exercises by identifying and correcting the errors in the sentences. There is many student in the classroom today, and each student have their own book. Also, there is much homework to do, so everyone need to focus on their task.

Mistake Example #4

ESL Writing / Pronunciation Guide

Using overly formal or direct language

When you pronounce the word "schedule,"it is imperative to articulate each syllable with precision. The first syllable should be pronounced as "sked," and it is crucial toensureing that the "k" sound is clear and distinct. Please mMake sure to enunciate the second syllable as "jool," with emphasis on the "j" sound, which must be pronounced with utmostclearitly.

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

"I just removed some words to make the English sound more straightforward."

When you pronounce the word "schedule," articulate each syllable with precision. The first syllable should be pronounced as "sked," ensuring that the "k" sound is clear and distinct. Make sure to enunciate the second syllable as "jool," with emphasis on the "j" sound, which must be pronounced clearly.

When you pronounce the word "schedule," it is imperative to articulate each syllable with precision. The first syllable should be pronounced as "sked," and it is crucial to ensure the "k" sound is clear and distinct. Please make sure to enunciate the second syllable as "jool," with emphasis on the "j" sound, which must be pronounced with utmost clarity.

Mistake Example #5

ESL Writing / Sentence Structure Guide

Misuse of singular/plural nouns ('There are much people here' instead of 'There are many people here')

When writing sentences in English, it is important to use correct singular and plural forms. For example, in a busy market, you might say, "There are much people here," but it should be "There are many people here." Similarly, when describing a classroom, you might write, "There is many student," but the correct form is "There are many students." These small changes canhelpto make your writing clearer and more accurate.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Very good! Just a couple of changes to polish the text. "

When writing sentences in English, it is important to use correct singular and plural forms. For example, in a busy market, you might say, "There are much people here," but it should be "There are many people here." Similarly, when describing a classroom, you might write, "There is many student," but the correct form is "There are many students." These small changes can help to make your writing clearer and more accurate.

When writing sentences in English, it is important to use correct singular and plural forms. For example, in a busy market, you might say, "There are much people here," but it should be "There are many people here." Similarly, when describing a classroom, you might write, "There is many student," but the correct form is "There are many students." These small changes help make your writing clearer and more accurate.

Mistake Example #6

ESL Writing / Vocabulary Building Exercises

Omitting the subject in sentences ('Is important to learn English' instead of 'It is important to learn English')

Learning new words is fun and helpful. CYou can use flashcards to remember vocabulary better. Also, practiceing with friends isa good way to improve. It is important to use new words in sentences to understand meaning.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking to add missing sentence subjects."

Learning new words is fun and helpful. You can use flashcards to remember vocabulary better. Also, practicing with friends is a good way to improve. It is important to use new words in sentences to understand meaning.

Learning new words is fun and helpful. Can use flashcards to remember vocabulary better. Also, practice with friends is good way to improve. Is important to use new words in sentences to understand meaning.