COMMON CHALLENGES FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING LEARNERS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Modal verbs: can, might, will Spanish speakers sometimes have problems with the different uses of some modal verbs. We use can to express possibility or to speak about ability. However, it is not correct to use can with the function of deduction or interpreting evidence. For this function English uses may, might or could. To make predictions, promises, announce spontaneous decisions or offers, we use the auxiliary will. Mi hermana sabe tocar la guitarra. → My sister can play the guitar. NOT My sister knows to play the guitar. (Ability) Podemos ir en coche. → We can go by car. (It’s possible to go by car.) Puede que esté en la cocina. → It might be in the kitchen. NOT It can be in the kitchen. (Perhaps it’s in the kitchen) Te ayudaré con el proyecto. → I will help you with the project. (Spontaneous offer)

Questions with the verb to be It is important to remember that when we ask questions using the verb to be we don’t need to use an auxiliary verb. ¿Ella es de Italia? → Is she from Italy? NOT Does she is from Italy? ¿Estamos solos? → Are we alone? NOT Do we are alone? Grammar Extra Unit 1.1 Exercises 1 and 3.

Word order Word order in English is more rigid than in Spanish and the normal order is subject + verb + object. Tomo huevos para desayunar OR Para desayunar tomo huevos. I eat eggs for breakfast. → NOT I eat for breakfast eggs.

Grammar Extra Unit 4.2 Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 9.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3; Unit 10.2 Exercises 1 and 2.

Grammar Extra Unit 2.1 Exercise 3; Unit 3 Consolidation Exercise 1; Unit 8.3 Exercise 1.

Modal verbs: have to, should

Prepositions

It is important to remember that we use have to to speak about an obligation whereas the verb should is used to give advice or to recommend. No deberíamos gastar tanto dinero. → We shouldn’t spend so much money. Tenemos que comprar los billetes hoy. → We have to buy the tickets today.

English and Spanish prepositions do not correspond exactly and this is a major challenge for Spanish students. Nos vemos el lunes. → See you on Monday. NOT See you the/ in Monday. Te llamaré por la noche. → I’ll phone you at night. NOT I’ll phone you in the night. Grammar Extra Unit 2.3 Exercises 2 and 3.

Grammar Extra Unit 9.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3; Unit 11.1 Exercises 1 and 2.

Adverbs of frequency Spanish students are oen confused about the position of adverbs of frequency. In Spanish, we usually put these aer the subject and on some occasions at the end of the sentence. In English, the adverbs of frequency go before the verb but aer the verb to be. Carol nunca toma café. → Carol never drinks coffee. NOT Carol drinks never coffee. Normalmente, Eric está contento. → Eric is usually happy. NOT Eric usually is happy.

Countable and uncountable nouns Understanding the difference between countable and uncountable nouns can be difficult for Spanish speakers. Countable nouns can be singular or plural but uncountable nouns are always singular. We use a/an only with singular countable nouns; some in affirmative sentences with uncountable and with plural countable nouns; and any in negative and interrogative sentences with uncountable and with plural countable nouns. To ask Cuánto(s) we use How much before uncountable nouns and How many before plural countable nouns. ¿Puedes pasarme un tomate, por favor? → Can you pass me a tomato, please? Tenemos que comprar leche. → We have to buy some milk. No hay café. → There isn’t any coffee. ¿Cuánto queso compraste? → How much cheese did you buy?

Grammar Extra Unit 3.2 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

too and enough The position of too and enough in the sentence is oen confusing for Spanish speakers. In English, the structure is: too + adjective/adverb and adjective/adverb + enough but in Spanish the position of these words is demasiado/ suficiente + adjective/adverb. La mesa es demasiado grande. → The table is too big. La mesa es lo suficientemente grande. → The table is big enough.

Grammar Extra Unit 5.1 Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 5.2 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

Comparatives and superlatives Forming comparatives and superlatives in English can be more complicated than in Spanish and students must study the rules carefully.

Grammar Extra Unit 4.3 Exercise 2.

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Ana es la mejor profesora. → Anna is the best teacher. NOT Ana is the goodest teacher. Esta maleta es más grande. → This suitcase is bigger. NOT This suitcase is biger. Es la calle más sucia. → It’s the dirtiest street. NOT It’s the dirtyest street.

¿Quieres un helado? → Do you want an ice cream? NOT Do you want a ice cream? Vocabulary Extra Unit 1 Exercise 4.

Collocations Collocations are combinations of words which are frequently used by native speakers. Consequently, Spanish speakers could sound unnatural if they don’t know how to use them. For example, there are some fixed expressions with the verbs have and get or when talking about means of transport that can be confusing for Spanish speakers. ¿A qué hora tomas el desayuno? → What time do you have breakfast? NOT What time do you take breakfast? Los domingos me levanto tarde. → I get up late on Sundays. NOT I stand up late on Sundays. Voy al trabajo andando. → I go to work on foot. Iré a Londres en tren. → I’ll go to London by train.

Grammar Extra Unit 7.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3; Unit 7.2 Exercise 1.

Articles When we speak about something in general, in Spanish we use the definite article (el, la, etc.) but in English we omit the article. Another difference is that when we refer to a person’s profession, in English we use the article a/an. Quiero ser cantante. → I want to be a singer. Los cantantes viajan mucho. → Singers travel a lot. (Singers in general) NOT The singers travel a lot. Grammar Extra Unit 9.2 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

Vocabulary Extra Unit 2 Exercises 2 and 3; Unit 9 Exercise 3.

Adverbs

The time

The formation of adverbs can be difficult because the rules and exceptions can result in confusion and mistakes. Hiciste el examen muy bien. → You did the exam very well. NOT You did the exam very good. Reparó las gafas cuidadosamente. → He repaired the glasses carefully. NOT He repaired the glasses carefuly.

Telling the time can be difficult for Spanish students because the structures are different in English and Spanish. Son las siete menos cuarto. → It’s quarter to seven. NOT It’s seven to quarter. Son las cinco y diez. → It’s ten past five. NOT It’s five past ten. Vocabulary Extra Unit 2 Exercise 6.

Grammar Extra Unit 11.2 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

Time expressions

Present perfect and past simple

Some time expressions can cause confusion among Spanish speakers because of the tendency to translate literally. Iker va al gimnasio todos los días. → Iker goes to the gym every day. NOT Iker goes to the gym all the days. Visito a mi sobrina una vez al mes. → I visit my niece once a month. NOT I visit my niece one time a month.

Spanish students are oen confused about when to use the simple past and present perfect. In Spanish, but not in English, the present perfect is compatible with expressions of finished time, e.g. hace una hora. In English it is important to distinguish between saying when the action happened (simple past) and referring to an indefinite time in the past (present perfect). He visto a Sebastian hace una hora. → I saw Sebastian an hour ago. (Expression of finished time.) NOT I have seen Sebastian an hour ago. Ella ha ido a la biblioteca todos los días esta semana. → She has gone to the library every day this week. (Expression of unfinished time.) Maggie ha vendido su piso. → Maggie has sold her flat. (We don’t say when the action happened.)

Vocabulary Extra Unit 3 Exercise 5.

Prepositions Prepositions are oen problematic for Spanish speakers, sometimes because there isn’t a perfect match with Spanish prepositions or because we translate them word for word. El gato está debajo de la mesa. → The cat is under the table. NOT The cat is under of the table. Las llaves están en el sofá. → The keys are on the sofa. NOT The keys are in the sofa.

Grammar Extra Unit 12.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3; Unit 12.2 Exercises 1 and 2.

Vocabulary Extra Unit 4 Exercise 3.

Confusing words

VOCABULARY

Some words can be confusing for Spanish speakers because they look similar to Spanish words but the meaning is different. We call these words False Friends. Please buy a carton of juice. → Por favor, compra un cartón brik de zumo. I’d like a cup of tea. → Me apetece una copa taza de té.

The article a/an In English we use the indefinite article a before a noun beginning with a consonant sound, and an before a noun beginning with a vowel sound. Ayer compré un diccionario. → Yesterday I bought a dictionary. NOT Yesterday I bought an dictionary.

Vocabulary Extra Unit 5 Exercise 3.

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Dates

The schwa sound

There are many differences when expressing dates in English and in Spanish. It is important to remember that in English we express dates using ordinal numbers. Nuestro cumpleaños es el 22 de febrero. → Our birthday is on the 22nd of February. El 1 de abril es un día muy importante para la ciudad. → The 1st of April is a very important day for the city.

While Spanish vowels are always pronounced in the same way, unstressed vowels in English are usually pronounced with the weak form schwa /ə/. This sound is especially difficult to pronounce for Spanish speakers but necessary to sound natural as it is extremely common. El médico es de Escocia → The doctor/ˈdɒktə/ is from Scotland. /ˈskɒtlənd/ El profesor estaba esperando en la estación. → The teacher /ˈtiːtʃə/ was waiting at the station /ˈsteɪʃən/.

Vocabulary Extra Unit 6 Exercise 3.

Pronunciation Extra Unit 2 Exercises 2A, B and C.

Verbs + prepositions In English some verbs are followed by specific prepositions which do not correspond exactly with Spanish prepositions and this can be a challenge for Spanish students. Me gusta hablar contigo por teléfono. → I like talking on the phone with you. Esperamos a Sam en la parada del autobús. → We waited for Sam at the bus stop.

Weak forms In fast speech the pronunciation of many words may change a little and the vowels of some syllables are usually pronounced with the weak form /ə/. This can be a challenge for Spanish speakers because in Spanish sounds don’t change in fast speech. ¿Estudias aquí? → Do you /ˈdəjə/ study here? Nigel estaba viendo una película. → Nigel was /wəz/ watching a film. ¿Has visto la luna llena? → Have/həv/ you seen the full moon?

Vocabulary Extra Unit 8 Exercise 1.

The verb get This is one of the verbs which cause lots of confusion among Spanish speakers because it has multiple meanings and there isn’t a single verb in Spanish which can cover all the meanings. Coge el paraguas o te mojarás. → Take your umbrella or you will get wet. Nos perdimos en Venecia varias veces. → We got lost in Venice several times.

Pronunciation Extra Unit 2 Exercise 3A and B; Unit 6 Exercises 1A and B; Unit 12 Exercises 1A and B.

Similar but different vowel sounds In Spanish there is only one way to pronounce the vowel a. However, in English there are several sounds similar to the Spanish a – /æ/, /ʌ/ and /ɑː/. It is important to differentiate between these sounds to make our pronunciation sound more natural. Ayer compramos un ordenador portátil. → Yesterday we bought a laptop. /ˈlæptɒp/ ¿Tienes un hermano? → Do you have a brother? /ˈbrʌðə/ Este es mi coche. → This is my car. /kɑː/

Vocabulary Extra Unit 10 Exercise 3.

Vocabulary about health There are some expressions related to health that can be difficult to learn for Spanish speakers as the structure is different and can cause some confusion. El profesor tiene fiebre. → The teacher has got a temperature. NOT The teacher has got temperature. Estoy resfriado y me duele la garganta. → I’ve got a cold and a sore throat. NOT I’m cold and I have a sore throat.

Pronunciation Extra Unit 3 Exercises 1A, B and C.

The pronunciation of th The pronunciation of words containing th can be a major problem for Spanish students because it can be pronounced in different ways depending on the word. Martin está muy delgado. → Martin is very thin. /θɪn/ Aquellos edificios están abandonados. → Those /ðəʊz/ buildings are abandoned.

Vocabulary Extra Unit 11 Exercise 3.

PRONUNCIATION

Pronunciation Extra Unit 4 Exercises 1A and B.

Stress in numbers When saying numbers we have to be especially careful when pronouncing numbers which finish in -een or -ty to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. 13 /θɜːˈtiːn/ thirteen → 30 /ˈθɜːtɪ/ thirty 15 /fɪfˈtiːn/ fifteen → 50 /ˈfɪftɪ/ fifty

Long and short sound u In Spanish there is only one way to pronounce u. However, in English there is a long form /u:/ and a short form /ʊ/. It is important to differentiate between these sounds to make our pronunciation sound more natural. Me encanta la comida italiana. → I love Italian food. /fuːd/ El estadio está lleno. → The stadium is full. /fʊl/

Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 2A and B.

Pronunciation Extra Unit 5 Exercises 5A and B.

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Pronunciation of the past simple

Hay una botella de agua en la mesa. → There is a bottle of water on the table. Encienda la luz. → Turn on the light.

Pronouncing the past simple of regular verbs can be a problem for Spanish speakers because sometimes we pronounce an extra syllable but other times we pronounce only an extra consonant, so it is important to learn the pronunciation rules in order to pronounce these verbs correctly. Caminé durante dos horas. → I walked /wɔːkd/ (O) for two hours. Sam quería estudiar biología. → Sam wanted /ˈwɒntɪd/ (Oo) to study biology.

Pronunciation Extra Unit 3 Exercises 2A, B and C; Unit 4 Exercises 5A, B and C; Unit 5 Exercises 3A and B; Unit 7 Exercises 5A and B; Unit 8 Exercises 4A and B; Unit 12 Exercises 4A, B and C.

WRITING

Pronunciation Extra Unit 6 Exercises 3A and B.

Capitalisation Some rules about capitalisation are different in English and Spanish. For example, it is important to remember that in English nationalities, languages, days of the week, months of the year and the word I are capitalised. Mi profesor de karate es japonés. → My karate teacher is Japanese. En junio iré a Nueva Zelanda. → In June I’ll go to New Zealand. Todos los sábados voy a patinar. → Every Saturday I go rollerblading.

Intonation English intonation can be difficult for Spanish speakers but using the right intonation is essential to sound natural. For example, when a question begins with a Wh- word, the intonation falls at the end of the question but in questions where there is the option or, the intonation is different. ¿A qué hora fuiste a la playa? → What time did you go to the beach?

Writing Extra Unit 1 Exercises 1A, 1B, 2, 3 and 4.

¿Es verde o azul? → Is it green or blue?

Linkers

Pronunciation Extra Unit 6 Exercises 5A and B; Unit 8 Exercises 3A and B.

Linkers are important for making written language cohesive and more interesting. The linkers and, but and or are very commonly used and students should know how to use them. No toca ni la guitarra ni el piano. → He doesn’t play the guitar or the piano. NOT He doesn’t play the guitar and the piano. Soy de Sevilla pero vivo en Mallorca. → I’m from Seville but I live in Majorca.

Consonant clusters Pronouncing two or more consecutive consonant sounds (consonant clusters) is much more frequent in English than in Spanish and may require a lot of practice. Habló con ellos seriamente. → He talked /tɔːkt/ to them

seriously. ¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito? → What’s your favourite sport? /spɔːt/

Writing Extra Unit 2 Exercises 1, 2, 3 and 4.

apostrophes ’s

Pronunciation Extra Unit 7 Exercises 3A, B and C.

In written English the apostrophe can mean three different things. It is important to understand these to avoid confusion and mistakes. Es una tienda nueva. → It’s a new shop. → It is a new shop. Ha ido a la tienda nueva. → He’s gone to the new shop. → He has gone to the new shop. Es la tienda de Mary. → It’s Mary’s shop. (The shop belongs to Mary.)

Pronouncing the sound /j/ This sound is oen pronounced incorrectly by Spanish speakers because there is a tendency to pronounce it like the Spanish y. It is important to distinguish between /j/ and /dʒ/. Prefiero la chaqueta amarilla. → I prefer the yellow /ˈjeləʊ/ jacket /ˈdʒækɪt/ ¿Vendrás en enero? → Will you /jə/ come in January? /ˈdʒænjʊərɪ/

Writing Extra Unit 3 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

The use of commas

Pronunciation Extra Unit 11 Exercises 3A and B.

As in Spanish we use commas when writing a text and want to separate different items. It is important to use them correctly. Ayer compré tomates, patatas y cebollas. → Yesterday I bought some tomatoes, potatoes and onions. NOT Yesterday I bought some tomatoes, potatoes, and onions.

Linking Native English speakers join words together when speaking and this can make understanding difficult for Spanish speakers. ¿Puedo tomar un zumo de naranja? → Can I have an orange juice?

Writing Extra Unit 4 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

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because and so

Time sequencers

These linkers are important for making written language cohesive and more interesting. Consequently, students should know how to use them, for example using a comma before the linker so but not before because. Tenía hambre porque no había desayunado. → I was hungry because I didn’t have breakfast. Ayer llovió mucho, por eso están las sillas mojadas. → Yesterday it rained a lot, so the chairs are wet.

Using time sequencers to link ideas makes writing more ordered, cohesive and interesting to read. However, some mistakes can be made if students translate words literally or if the grammatical structures are different from those used in Spanish. Compramos el regalo y después nos fuimos a la fiesta de cumpleaños. → We bought the present and aer that, we went to the birthday party. NOT We bought the present and aer we went to the birthday party.

Writing Extra Unit 6 Exercises 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Writing Extra Unit 9 Exercises 1 and 2.

Common mistakes

too, also and as well

When writing text in English there are some mistakes that Spanish speakers make very frequently. These are called common mistakes and can refer to grammar, punctuation or spelling. Las gafas de Diana están en la mesa. → Diana’s glasses are on the table. NOT The Diana glasses are in the table. A mi madre le gustan estos vestidos. → My mother likes these dresses. NOT My mother like this dreses.

In Spanish the word order is less rigid than in English. The words too, also and as well correspond to the Spanish word también but knowing their position in a sentence can be difficult for Spanish students. Tengo un loro y también tengo un gato. OR Tengo un loro y tengo un gato también. I have a parrot and I have a cat too. I have a parrot and I have a cat as well. I have a parrot and I also have a cat.

Writing Extra Unit 7 Exercises 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Pronouns

Writing Extra Unit 10 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

Using personal pronouns to avoid repetition makes written language more natural and cohesive. It is important not to confuse them with other pronouns to avoid mistakes. Mi hermano estudia en la universidad, tiene 18 años. → My brother studies at university, he is 18. NOT My brother studies at university, his 18. El libro es muy interesante, es una novela policíaca. → The book is very interesting, it’s a crime novel. NOT The book is very interesting, its a crime novel.

Adverbs of manner Using adverbs of manner makes written work more impressive and interesting, and gives more complete information. It is important to remember how to form them and especially to pay attention to irregular adverbs. Daniel conduce rápido. → Daniel drives fast. NOT Daniel drives fastly. Hicieron la prueba muy bien. → They did the test very well. NOT They did the test very good.

Writing Extra Unit 8 Exercises 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Writing Extra Unit 11 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.

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