Common English Mistakes in Personal Essays by Ukrainian Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Ukrainian speakers from Ukraine when writing a Personal Essay in English.

Mistake Example #1

Using 'will' incorrectly in conditionals ('If it will rain, I will stay' instead of 'If it rains, I will stay')

When I think about my childhood in Ukraine, I remember the summers spent at my grandmother's house. If it willrained, we wioulld stay inside and listen to her stories about the old times. But if the sun willas shineing, we wioulld run through the fields, feeling the wind in our hair and the freedom in our hearts.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some adjustments to fix the incorrect use of "will.""

When I think about my childhood in Ukraine, I remember the summers spent at my grandmother's house. If it rained, we would stay inside and listen to her stories about the old times. But if the sun was shining, we would run through the fields, feeling the wind in our hair and the freedom in our hearts.

When I think about my childhood in Ukraine, I remember the summers spent at my grandmother's house. If it will rain, we will stay inside and listen to her stories about the old times. But if the sun will shine, we will run through the fields, feeling the wind in our hair and the freedom in our hearts.

Mistake Example #2

Skipping articles ('I bought car' instead of 'I bought a car')

When I wasa child, I always dreamed of visiting Paris. Last summer, I finally had thechance to go there with my family. We walked along theSeine River and sawthe Eiffel Tower shining in thenight. It wasan unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever.

Text corrected by:
Miss E., Cyprus, Europe

"This is fairly well-written. However, don't forget to use articles in your sentences: for example, "When I was child" should be "When I was a child" and "I finally had chance" should be "I finally had the chance"."

When I was a child, I always dreamed of visiting Paris. Last summer, I finally had the chance to go there with my family. We walked along the Seine River and saw the Eiffel Tower shining in the night. It was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever.

When I was child, I always dreamed of visiting Paris. Last summer, I finally had chance to go there with my family. We walked along Seine River and saw Eiffel Tower shining in night. It was unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever.

Mistake Example #3

Confusion with word order ('Always I go to the store' instead of 'I always go to the store')

When I was a child, IalwaysI dreamed of becoming a famous artist. Every day after school, I would goto the parkI would go with my sketchbook, drawing everything I saw. Now, as an adult, IstillI find inspiration in the simple things around me, and IalwaysI carry a small notebook to capture ideas whenever they come.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I just fixed a few issues with the word order. Nice work overall!"

When I was a child, I always dreamed of becoming a famous artist. Every day after school, I would go to the park with my sketchbook, drawing everything I saw. Now, as an adult, I still find inspiration in the simple things around me, and I always carry a small notebook to capture ideas whenever they come.

When I was a child, always I dreamed of becoming a famous artist. Every day after school, to the park I would go with my sketchbook, drawing everything I saw. Now, as an adult, still I find inspiration in the simple things around me, and always I carry a small notebook to capture ideas whenever they come.