Common English Mistakes in Reference Letters by Ukrainian Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Ukrainian speakers from Ukraine when writing a Reference Letter 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')

To Whom It May Concern,:I am writing to recommend Mr. Ivan Petrov for the position at your company. If he willreceives this opportunity, he will bring great value to your team. Ivan is a dedicated professional, and ifwhen hewill faces challenges, he willalways finds a solution.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Just a few small changes were needed. Otherwise it sounds great!"

To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to recommend Mr. Ivan Petrov for the position at your company. If he receives this opportunity, he will bring great value to your team. Ivan is a dedicated professional, and when he faces challenges, he always finds a solution.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to recommend Mr. Ivan Petrov for the position at your company. If he will receive this opportunity, he will bring great value to your team. Ivan is a dedicated professional, and if he will face challenges, he will always find a solution.

Mistake Example #2

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

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to recommend Ivan forthe position of software developer. Ivan has beena valuable member of our team for three years, consistently demonstrating strong skills in programming and problem-solving. His dedication to work and ability to collaborate with others make him anexcellent candidate for your company.

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

"I added the appropriate articles before certain nouns that require them. Otherwise, the ideas in this letter are clearly expressed."

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to recommend Ivan for the position of software developer. Ivan has been a valuable member of our team for three years, consistently demonstrating strong skills in programming and problem solving. His dedication to work and ability to collaborate with others make him an excellent candidate for your company.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to recommend Ivan for position of software developer. Ivan has been valuable member of our team for three years, consistently demonstrating strong skills in programming and problem-solving. His dedication to work and ability to collaborate with others make him excellent candidate for your company.

Mistake Example #3

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

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to enthusiasticallyrecommendhighly my colleague,Mr. Ivan Petrov, for the position of Ssoftware Ddeveloper. AIvan alwayshe demonstrates exceptional skills in problem-solving and teamwork. His dedication to projects and ability to learn quickly make him an assetinvaluableasset to any team.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking to correct word order problems, among other fixes."

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to enthusiastically recommend my colleague, Ivan Petrov, for the position of software developer. Ivan always demonstrates exceptional skills in problem-solving and teamwork. His dedication to projects and ability to learn quickly make him an invaluable asset to any team.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to recommend highly my colleague, Mr. Ivan Petrov, for the position of Software Developer. Always he demonstrates exceptional skills in problem-solving and teamwork. His dedication to projects and ability to learn quickly make him an asset invaluable to any team.