Can you see the mistakes? 27/03/09

Each class I have with a client I document their mistakes as they speak. The following session I print out the mistakes and ask the client to correct them. I thought it would be useful to put together a collection of these on a weekly basis and publish them, so others can try and correct them. I have collected them by first language, because each language group makes it’s own mistakes.

So, the following are all WRONG, if you want to download this as a document, with answers, you can do that here – Can you see the mistakes? 27/03/09.

French Speakers

… yes and it don’t sound correct to me …

… they thought the crisis was going to be bad, but not so much …

… but I think it’s not helpful …

… there is a lot of value destruction which is not taking into account in the market price …

… I’ll just take my glasses …

… obviously the market has not a strong view on …

German Speakers

… we talked about the birthday of my neighbour …

… when I would change my German licence to a British licence …

… I think the other reason I make this wrong is because …

… because I use have really a lot …

… that’s something what I just have to learn …

… I were commuting between the offices …

… because my sister and me we grown up in …

… he was no a boyfriend for my mum …

… my manager asked me how my English is …

… and my sister had on the loud speaker …

… and why is it you have to check everything …

… could you please stop to say sorry …

… a lot of the 3^rd and 4^th generation speak not quite Turkish …

… no, I grown up close to …

… but I’m still working on that for nine years …

… oh, next year I do my licence and …

… with my German licence I can drive until 50 cc …

… my professional training were as a bank clerk …

… and I have not really a specific …

… thanks god …

… my personal opinion is going better in Q3 …

… I want that you help me …

… everything is for them in English …

… I don’t want my children to translate me …

… and so I hadn’t any time to focus …

… I had really myself problems in the beginning …

… because I knew that I have problems …

… I will make my certificate in XXX from April to October …

… I had not so much a problem …

… I don’t know why, but I haven’t felt …

… so I avoided to speak English …

… so we were teached that we have to learn English …

… it’s getting crazy and more crazy …

… the problem is funny is the first day, and it’s getting better and better …

… my in-laws were over here on Christmas …

… the teacher for my husband …

… that she started to speak with him German …

Czech Speakers

… I will probably get used to the way how they ask the questions …

… if I have the window open at night it’s completely a nonsense …

… she was really a classical mother-in-law …

… I had one shot before the service because I was shaking …

… this is just a chaos, I’ve been fighting with this for ten years …

Spanish Speakers

… I had an allergic reaction, I didn’t know what was that …

… he understands very well business …

… they could put in trouble anyone …

… they send you one CD, so you can …

… I’m going to explain you where I am with that …

… I was studying a lot for this, to be honest …

… so I’m going to see this again to practice …

… but let me explain you this …

You can download this article, with answers, here – Can you see the mistakes? 27/03/09.