The ten most common mistakes

Hello folks!

I read a very interesting article about the ten most common mistakes made by Spanish speakers a few days ago and I found it so revealing that I thought it would be quite interesting to write about some of these mistakes in my blog and share them with you.

• One common mistake made by Spanish students takes place when the students avoid using modal verbs. Modal verbs are far more popular in English than in Spanish and ESL students tend to use other forms that sound a bit less natural to native speakers. Example: I will possibly (might)  go to the party. The use of "would" for narrating past habitual actions is also very common in English and generally avoided by students. Example: I used to study a lot and I used to go swimming every day. I used to (would) dedicate a few hours a day to practise some sport and have a break from so much studying. 
• Another typical mistake is the overuse of the form "will" for future expressions avoiding using other structures that also express future like present continuous, future of going to or even present simple. The choice of which structure to use usually depends on the speaker´s act of speaking: making a prediction, talking about a plans or a decision, reading a timetable, etc. The use of "will" for any future expressions sounds unnatural and it shows a clear lack of fluency. Ex: I will (am getting) get married next summer and I will have a great day. 
• The verbs know and meet are quite distinctive in English and spansih speakers tend to misuse the verb "know" and use this verb as a translation of "conocer" regardless of its meaning. Example: Tracy is very friendly. I knew (met) her in a party a few weeks ago.
• Prepositions are also tricky for ESL students since there are three prepositions that mean "en" in English: at, in, on. It is very important to learn the prepositions with the words they go. Sometimes, using the wrong preposition can also change the meaning of the sentence. Example: My mother shouted to me at lunch time. (to get my attention) - My mother shouted at me at lunch time (because she was angry) 
• Phrasal Verbs are very common verbs in English and ESL students tend to avoid using them when speaking or writing. Their use is key to show fluency and command of the language. Students tend to use forms from Latin instead of using phrasal verbs which are far more common in natural English. Examples: I am going to investigate (look into) the matter. I won't tolerate (put up with) your behaviour any longer! 
• The repetition of the main verb instead of using the auxiliary is another typical mistake often heard in spanish speakers English and which sounds unnatural. Example: - Did you enjoy the film? - Yes, I enjoyed it. (Yes, I did)
• Regarding pronunciation and spelling,  one of the most common mistakes by spanish speakers is the insertion of an extra "e" before words beginning with an s + consonant. Example: (e)strange, (e)special, (e)stressing... The "h" is another sound that often causes problems to spanish speakers. It is often pronounced as a "j" when the correct English pronunciation is much softer than in Spanish. 
• False friends are words which are often confused with Spanish terms  because they look or sound similar but they have a different meaning. Spanish students of English may be tempted to use these false friends instead of using the proper word. Have a look at the following example with the real meaning in brackets.   I actually (currently) have two children. Other popular false friends are: embarrased (ashamed), argument (oral disagreement), conductor (public transport employee in charge of collecting fares or tickets), large (big), carpet (fabric for covering floors), bomber (airplane equipped to carry and drop bombs) or sensible (with good sense). 

So, what do you think? Do you think you make any of these when speaking or writing in English? I´d love to know your opinions if you do! Have a lovely week!