That’s Not What I Meant!: A Guide to Common Errors Amongst Saudi English Language Learners

By Kate Heath

This book promotes language awareness amongst both Arabic-speaking English language learners and teachers with Arabic-speaking ELLs/students. This book addresses some key linguistic differences between Arabic and English, includes notes explaining the roots of common errors, describes how these errors can lead to misunderstandings, and offers controlled and communicative practice in order to correct these typical mistakes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kate Heath
• Release date: Jun 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223660811

Book preview

2. Using There Is and There Are

Why is it a common problem?

Arabic uses the word there without a verb to describe availability. There is another verb used to describe existence/availability that is used less often.

Graphical user interface, application, table Description automatically generated

––––––––

Potential Misunderstanding/Incorrect Speech

There are cat. (How many cats are there?)

There students. (Do you mean there are or they are students?)

Notes

There is- used to describe a singular or uncountable item that is available

-There is a black sofa in the room.

-There is furniture in the room.

There are- used to describe plural items that are available

-There are two tables in the living room.

––––––––

Controlled Practice

Correct the mistakes in the sentences.

1. There is a lot of students in the class.

2. Are there any rice in the dish?

3. There are one TV in the living room

4. No, there isn’t any apples.

5. There is many engineers at the site.

Communicative Practice

Picture description: Set up a table at the back of the classroom where students cannot see it. Put a variety of classroom objects (e.g. pencils, pens, erasers) on a table. Have your students choose a partner and inform them that they need to choose who will be the describer and who will be the drawer. The describers will come to the back of the classroom and will have one minute to look at all of the objects on the table. They will return to their seats and describe the items to their partners, who will draw what is reported. Once finished, the drawers will show their pictures to the describers, and they can compare the drawings to the table of items.

3. Auxiliary Verbs with Questions and Negatives

Why is it a common problem?

Arabic has words that signal questions and negative statements. These are similar to auxiliary verbs in English, but these signal words do not affect the conjugation of the verb.

Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

Potential Misunderstandings/Incorrect Speech

Does she likes pasta? (Are you asking a question or giving a statement?)

No Ahmed plays football. (Does Ahmed play football or not?)

Notes

When there is an auxiliary verb and main verb, the auxiliary verb is conjugated while the main verb is not.

The Verb Talk in the Present Simple

Table Description automatically generated

Controlled Practice

Correct the mistakes.

1. Did you liked the movie?

2. Does Sara has a car?

3. No, they didn’t saw the series.

4.  We have tuna. Does it eats fish?

5. No, Ahmad doesn’t plays football.

Communicative Practice

Animal matching: Each student chooses an animal and makes a T chart. On one side, the student should write what the animal does (It roars. It eats meat). On the other side, the student should write what the animal doesn’t do (It doesn’t fly. It doesn’t eat plants). The students shouldn’t include the name of the animal on the chart. After the students finish, they should exchange their charts with a partner, and the partner has to guess the animal.

4. The Present Continuous and the Present Simple

Why is it a common problem?

In Arabic, there is no continuous tense. Current actions are expressed by using the present simple or an adjective.

Text, table Description automatically generated

Potential Misunderstandings/Incorrect Speech

She drinking black coffee. (Is she only drinking it now, or does she drink black coffee every day?)

Notes

The Verb Talk in the Present Continuous

Graphical user interface, table Description automatically generated

Some verbs aren’t typically used with continuous tenses: Examples: know, Like, feel, to be

The present continuous is used to show actions that are happening now, at the same time in the present times, or that will happen in the near future. The present simple shows habitual/everyday actions and true statements.

Controlled Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the present continuous or the present simple.

1. _____ she ______(speak)  English?

2. The sky _____________(to be) blue today.

3. No, it ____________________(rain) outside.

4.  I _________________(travel) to Jeddah this weekend.

5. _______ you _____(go)_ to the mall after school?

Communicative Practice

Find Somebody Who: Write a variety of statements using the present simple and the present continuous on the board. These statements should match some of your students’ regular habits, actions, and plans (e.g. I drink coffee everyday in the morning. I am wearing yellow today. I am going to the park this weekend.). Give your students a bingo sheet and have them fill the sheet with the statements. After, they will need to get signatures for each statement by finding students who match the statements. To do this, they need to mix with the class and ask/answer questions (e.g. Do you drink coffee in the morning?). The first person to fill the sheet wins.

5. The Past Simple with the Verb Have

Why is it a common problem?

The past tense of the construction for have in Arabic uses the verb to be before the verb have. This construction causes the past simple to look like the past continuous.

Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

Potential Misunderstandings/Incorrect Speech

I was having a nap today. (What happened that interrupted your nap?)

Notes

The Verb Have in the Past Simple

Graphical user interface, application, table, Excel Description automatically generated

––––––––

Controlled Practice

Correct the mistakes in the sentences.

1. I was having a bath before I slept.

2. I was having a good day today.

3. I had a nice time until he arrived.

4. I was having a sandwich for lunch.

5. I had a chat before the fire alarm sounded.

Communicative Practice

Reflections: Have your students form groups of three or four and. Assign each group a different decade starting with the 1960s. The groups will need to research the technology, appliances, and devices that people had in that decade. They should prepare a poster giving information about five common appliances/devices and hang them around the room. Students should visit the posters and ask the main group questions about the appliances/devices.

6. The Past Simple and the Present Perfect

Why is it a common problem?

Similar to auxiliary verbs in English, Arabic has different participles for expressing the present perfect and past simple. In Arabic, these tenses are use more fluidly.

Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

Potential Misunderstandings/Incorrect Speech

I didn’t travel to Madrid yet. (Is this trip in your plans or is this a goal for the future?)

Notes

Present Simple tenses- used to show a true statement or repeated action.

-I drink coffee everyday.

-The sky is blue.

Present Perfect - used to show an action hasn’t been started yet or a series of actions that have not been completed

-I haven’t drunk my coffee yet.

-I have visited the park many times before.

Controlled Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the past simple or the present perfect verb.

1. I _________(go) to the bakery yesterday and bought the croissants.

2. We ____________(travel) to Spain many times before and hope to travel there again.

3. ___________ you _______(finish) your homework yet? It’s due tomorrow.

4. No, I __________ (clean) the car yesterday. Sorry! I’ll wash it today.

5. They __________ (visit) their parents since they moved to Jeddah.

Communicative Practice

Never Have I Ever: Have students create groups of four. Give each student five bingo tokens, and give each group a cup. Each student needs to take a turn saying something (appropriate) that they have never done (e.g. I have never visited Disney Land.). If any student has completed this action, he/she must put a token into the cup. The last student left with tokens wins the game.

7. The Present Simple and the Present Perfect Continuous

Why is it a common problem?

Arabic speakers often use the present simple is often used to express an action that started in the past but continues to this day. In English, the present perfect continuous is more applicable.

Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

Potential Misunderstandings/Incorrect Speech

I live in Jordan since I was born. (Do you still live in Jordan now?)

Notes

The Verb talk in the Present Perfect Continuous (used to show interruptions/unfinished actions)

Graphical user interface, text, application, table Description automatically generated

Present Simple- Used to describe facts, daily routines/repeated actions

Present perfect continuous- Used to described actions that started in the past but are still not complete; usually a duration is given

Controlled Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in the present