typical english learning problems for arabic speakers

Typical English Learning Problems

For Arabic Speakers

PronunciationThe most typical problem connected with Arabic speakers’ pronunciation of English is that they usually can’t see the difference between /p/ and /b/. As a result, they often overuse the /b/ sound, like in the examples below:

/p/ vs /b/

‘pen’ sounds like ‘ben’‘pencil’ sounds like ‘bencil’‘potato’ sounds like ‘botato’

‘pray’ sounds like ‘bray’‘police’ sounds like ‘bolice’

© British English Online 2015

PronunciationThere is no /v/ sound in Arabic, so students also have problems with words which have this sound and very often use /f/ instead:

/f/ and /v/

‘fery’ instead of ‘very’‘fast’ instead of ‘vast’

‘aferage’ instead of ‘average’‘filla’ instead of villa

‘wafy’ instead of ‘wavy’


Pronunciation

Words in which there are a few consonants next to each other (e.g. /spl/, /ts/, /ps/ etc.) are also difficult, and learners avoid them by adding an extra vowel where it’s not needed:

‘milik’ instead of ‘milk’‘lengthes’ instead of ‘lengths’‘lipestick’ instead of ‘lipstick’

‘exepected’ instead of ‘expected’ ‘exeplain’ instead of ‘explain’

‘helep’ instead of ‘help’


Grammar and vocabulary

Verb ‘to be’

Arabic has no verb ‘to be’ in the present tense and no ‘do’ or ‘does’, which leads to mistakes such as:

Wrong CorrectMy country a beautiful country. My country is a beautiful country.He a very good friend. He is a very good friend.When you coming to visit me? When are you coming to visit me?Which film she like? Which film does she like?It made of paper. It is made of paper.If you above 18 years old. If you are above 18 years old.I really excited. I am really excited.



Statements and questions

A statement in Arabic becomes a question by putting a question mark when writing it and by changing your tone of voice when saying it. In English, this is not enough and we need to change the word order or add ‘do’, ‘does’, or ‘did’.

Wrong CorrectShe is nice? Is she nice?You go there very often? Do you go there very often?She went with you? Did she go with you?Your mother likes coffee? Does your mother like coffee?They can help me? Can they help me?Your friends do that? Do your friends do that?



Complete and incomplete actions

There is no difference in Arabic between complete and incomplete actions, so Arabic students have problems with the Present Perfect tense:

Wrong CorrectI wrote the email, so you can I’ve written the email, so you can check it. check it.She finished her homework yet? Has she finished her homework yet?Mohammad went to America. Mohammad has gone to America?I never saw this in my life. I’ve never seen this in my life.He already ate. He’s already eaten.



Adjectives

Adjectives in Arabic follow the nouns but in English they come before the nouns:.

Wrong CorrectIt’s a film beautiful. It’s a beautiful film.I have a shirt white. I have a white shirt.He bought a car fantastic. He bought a fantastic car.



Articles

In Arabic ‘the’ does not exist so students sometimes don’t use it when it’s needed.

Wrong CorrectI liked film at cinema yesterday. I liked the film at the cinema yesterday.She knows title of book. She knows the title of the book.Weather is good today. The weather is good today.This is entrance. This is the entrance.We know answer. We know the answer.


Writing

Spelling, punctuation and sentence length

In Arabic, texts are written and read from right to left. There is no difference between capital letters and lowercase letters, the sentences can be very long and punctuation is not used in the same way as in English. This is why Arab students have problems with spelling, punctuation and the length of sentences.

Wrong Correctmy country is saudi arabia and my My country is Saudi Arabia and my city riyadh, i have three brother and city is Riyadh. I have three brotherstwo sister, my father name rashed and two sisters. My father’s name isand my mother called fatima, my Rashed and my mother is called country very beautiful and hot Fatima. My country is very beautiful

and hot.


typical english learning problems for arabic speakers

Education