Common English Mistakes in Admission Essays by Arabic Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Arabic speakers from United Arab Emirates when writing a Admission Essay in English.

Mistake Example #1

Overuse of passive voice

As a student who has always been fascinated by the world of engineering, it wasI decidedby me to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at your esteemed university. The challenges faced byengineersface in the UAE are seen as opportunities for innovation and growth, and it isI believed by me that your program will provide the skills needed to contribute to this field.

Text corrected by:
Vince, United States

"Your ideas were clear :) I just made a few small changes to reduce the use of passive voice."

As a student who has always been fascinated by the world of engineering, I decided to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at your esteemed university. The challenges engineers face in the UAE are seen as opportunities for innovation and growth, and I believe that your program will provide the skills needed to contribute to this field.

As a student who has always been fascinated by the world of engineering, it was decided by me to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at your esteemed university. The challenges faced by engineers in the UAE are seen as opportunities for innovation and growth, and it is believed by me that your program will provide the skills needed to contribute to this field.

Mistake Example #2

Misuse of articles ('I have car' instead of 'I have a car')

I am very excited to apply for admission to your university. I have astrong passion for engineering andI believe that your program will help me achieve my goals. In my country, I have participated in many science competitions and I havewon first place inat the national level.

Text corrected by:
Gregg, Los Angeles, CA

"This needed some tweaking to add missing articles ("the," "an," etc.), among other fixes."

I am very excited to apply for admission to your university. I have a strong passion for engineering and believe that your program will help me achieve my goals. In my country, I have participated in many science competitions and won first place at the national level.

I am very excited to apply for admission to your university. I have strong passion for engineering and I believe that your program will help me achieve my goals. In my country, I have participated in many science competitions and I have won first place in national level.