COMMON CHALLENGES FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING LEARNERS
OF ENGLISH
GRAMMAR
Modal verbs
Spanish speakers oen have problems with modal verbs. For
example, there is a tendency to use can with the function
of deduction or interpreting evidence but in English the
verbs commonly used are may, might or could. To make
predictions, promises or offers, or to announce spontaneous
decisions we use the auxiliary will.
Hay mucho tráfico, puede que llegue tarde. → There’s a lot of
traffic, he may/might/could be late. NOT There’s a lot of traffic,
he can be late.
Creo que será un día soleado. → I think it will be a sunny day.
Also, the difference between have to and must is oen
confusing for Spanish speakers as both can express tener
que hacer algo. English uses the verb must to impose an
obligation and have to to speak about an obligation.
Puedes ir pero tienes que estar en casa antes de las 11. → You
can go but you must be home before 11. NOT You can go but
you have to be home before 11.
Tengo que comprar queso mañana. → I have to buy some
cheese tomorrow.
Question forms
Spanish students oen make mistakes when forming
questions that begin with question words such as Who or
What. Remember that when Who or What is the subject, we
do not use the interrogative form of the verb. When Who or
What refers to the predicate, we must use the corresponding
auxiliary verb.
¿Quién ganó el premio? → Who won the prize? NOT Who did
win the prize?
¿Con quién fuiste de vacaciones? → Who did you go on holiday
with? NOT Who you went on holiday with?
It is also important to remember to use the correct word
order when using auxiliary verbs to form questions.
¿A dónde vas los sábados? → Where do you go on Saturdays?
NOT Where you do go on Saturdays?
Grammar Extra Unit 1.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
Word order
Grammar Extra Unit 4.2 Exercises 1, 2 and 3; Unit 6.2
Exercises 1 and 2.
Word order in English is more rigid than in Spanish and the
normal order is: subject + verb + object.
Me encanta la comida italiana OR La comida italiana me
encanta.
I love Italian food. NOT Italian food I love.
Verbs followed by –ing or infinitive
In English some verbs are followed by the -ing form of the
verb and some by the infinitive. This can be a problem
for students because there is no rule. Some of the most
important verbs followed by the -ing form are: mind, enjoy,
like, hate, love, avoid, finish.
Terminé de trabajar pronto y me fui a nadar. → I finished
working early and I went swimming.
Evito tomar café por la tarde. → I avoid drinking coffee in the
aernoon.
Grammar Extra Unit 2.1 Exercise 1; Unit 4.1 Exercise 2;
Unit 6.3 Exercise 1; Unit 7.3 Exercise 1; Unit 8.2 Exercise 2;
Unit 9.1 Exercise 2; Unit 10.2 Exercise 1; Unit 11.2 Exercise 1.
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.
Ella nunca llega tarde. → She is never late. NOT She never is
late.
Ella siempre come verdura OR Ella come verdura siempre. →
She always eats vegetables. NOT She eats vegetables always.
OR She eats always vegetables.
Grammar Extra Unit 5.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
Present perfect + for/since
The use of for and since with the present perfect can be
confusing because in Spanish desde can express both. It is
important to remember that we use the present perfect +
since if we refer to when an action began and we use the
present perfect + for if we refer to the duration of the action.
Helen vive en Londres desde el año pasado. → Helen has lived
in London since last year.
Helen vive en Londres desde hace un año. → Helen has lived in
London for a year.
Grammar Extra Unit 2.2 Exercise 2.
The present continuous and be going to
In English be going to can be used to speak about decisions
we have taken about the future. However, the present
continuous is used to speak not only about something
happening at this moment but also to speak about
something that is organised in the future. This can cause
confusion among Spanish students.
Voy a ordenar la estantería pronto. → I’m going to tidy up the
bookcase soon.
He quedado con mi amiga a las 5. → I’m meeting my friend at 5.
Grammar Extra Unit 6.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.
used to
Spanish speakers tend to confuse used to and be used to.
The grammar structures are different: we use used to +
infinitive to speak about past habits, especially when the
present situation is different. However, we use be used
to + gerund when we want to express something that we
normally do and it is like a routine for us.
Grammar Extra Unit 3.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
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Solía beber mucho café cuando era joven. → I used to drink a
lot of coffee when I was young.
Estoy acostumbrado a beber mucho café. → I’m used to
drinking a lot of coffee.
before the past participle to say something has happened
before this moment. We put yet at the end of a negative
sentence to say something has not happened but will
probably happen later. We also put yet at the end of a
question to ask if something has happened before now or if
it will happen later.
Ya he hecho los deberes así que ahora puedo ver la tele. → I’ve
already done my homework so I can watch TV now.
Tenemos hambre porque no hemos comido todavía. → We’re
hungry because haven’t had lunch yet.
¿Ya te has comprado el vestido de novia? → Have you bought
your wedding dress yet?
Grammar Extra Unit 7.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
Relative clauses
In Spanish we can use que as a relative pronoun both for
people and for inanimate objects. In English, however, we use
who or that for people and which or that for inanimate objects.
When the relative pronoun refers to a place, we use where.
Alex es un chico que nunca llega tarde. → Alex is a boy who/
that is never late.
Necesito un ordenador que tenga un procesador rápido. → I
need a PC which/that has a fast processor.
Esa es la tienda donde compré los pantalones. → That’s the
shop where I bought my jeans.
Grammar Extra Unit 11.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
Future time clauses with when.
Expressions of time which refer to the future oen produce
mistakes because where Spanish uses the subjunctive,
English uses the present simple.
Cuando tenga tiempo, te llamaré. → When I have time, I’ll
phone you.
Cuando ella termine, empezaré yo. → When she finishes, I’ll
start.
Grammar Extra Unit 8.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
enough
It is a very common mistake to put the word enough in an
incorrect position in a sentence. Remember that in English,
enough always goes before the noun. However, in Spanish the
corresponding word suficiente can go before or aer the noun.
No tengo suficiente dinero/dinero suficiente para comprar un
coche. → I don’t have enough money to buy a car. NOT I don’t
have money enough to buy a car.
Grammar Extra Unit 11.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
Reported speech
One major difficulty in reported speech is that English has
two verbs that express the Spanish verb decir. Use the verb
say if we do not include the listener in the sentence and the
verb tell when we include the listener.
Dijo que era una persona agradable. → He said that he was a
nice person.
Me dijo que era una persona agradable. → He told me that he
was a nice person.
Grammar Extra Unit 8.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
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.
El café me pone nerviosa. → Coffee makes me excitable. NOT
The coffee makes me excitable.
Me gustan los animales. (En general) → I like animals. NOT
I like the animals.
Grammar Extra Unit 12.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
VOCABULARY
Grammar Extra Unit 9.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
make and do
There are some fixed expressions with the verbs make and
do that oen cause confusion because there isn’t a rule that
explains which verb to use.
Van a hacer negocios juntos. → They are going to do business
together. NOT They are going to make business together.
Tengo que hacer una llamada. → I have to make a phone call.
NOT I have to do a phone call.
Uses of like
The word like has several different functions in English
which are expressed in Spanish by different words and this
can be very confusing for Spanish students.
¿Cómo es tu profesor de lengua? → What’s your language
teacher like?
¿Qué tiempo hace hoy? → What’s the weather like today?
Le gusta pasar el verano viajando. → She likes spending the
summer travelling.
¡Es como ir a la luna! → It’s like going to the moon!
Vocabulary Extra Unit 4 Exercises 1 and 2.
Dependent prepositions
English and Spanish prepositions do not correspond exactly
and this is a major challenge for Spanish students.
Creo que me voy a mudar a Paris. → I think I will move to Paris.
Estoy pensando en salir luego. → I’m thinking about going out
later.
Grammar Extra Unit 10.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.
Present perfect + already/yet
Spanish students make a lot of mistakes with yet and
already. When using the present perfect, we put already
Vocabulary Extra Unit 7 Exercise 1.
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Confusing words
State education in the UK
Some English words can be confusing for Spanish students
because although they are very similar to Spanish words,
the meaning or the grammatical structure required is
different from Spanish.
No te olvides de guardar el ticket del vestido. → Don’t forget
to keep the receipt for the dress. NOT Don’t forget to keep the
ticket for the dress.
Compramos dos entradas para el concierto. → We bought two
tickets for the concert. NOT We bought two entrances for the
concert.
Because the educational systems of the UK is not identical
to that of Spain, this can produce vocabulary problems for
Spanish speakers.
Cuando termine el Bachillerato, iré a la universidad. → When I
finish sixth form, I’ll go to university.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 4 Exercise 3 and 4.
Compound words
Sometimes Spanish speakers don’t know how to form
compound words because Spanish and English don’t
correspond exactly, or because we can make mistakes in the
word order.
En el aeropuerto puedes comprar perfumes exentos de
impuestos. → At the airport you can buy tax-free perfumes.
NOT At the airport you can buy free tax perfumes.
¡El guía turístico sabía todo sobre el museo! → The tour guide
knew everything about the museum! NOT The guide-tour knew
everything about the museum!
Vocabulary Extra Unit 8 Exercises 1 and 2.
Multi-word verbs (phrasal verbs)
Phrasal verbs can be difficult to learn because their meaning
is oen unguessable for Spanish speakers.
Kevin rechazó la invitación. → Kevin turned down the
invitation.
¿Podrías bajar la música, por favor? → Could you turn down the
music, please?
Vocabulary Extra Unit 5 Exercises 4 and 5.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 8 Exercises 3 and 4.
Internet terms
Suffixes
We are exposed to internet terms every day, so it is
important that Spanish speakers are up-to-date and able to
use this technological vocabulary appropriately.
¿Qué buscador usas normalmente? → What search engine do
you normally use?
Escribiremos nuestras opiniones en el foro. → We’ll write our
opinions on the forum.
Suffixes can be problematic for Spanish speakers because
there isn’t a fixed rule to indicate which suffix to use in
English.
¿Fuiste una persona aventurera? → Were you an adventurous
person?
Los políticos no se pusieron de acuerdo. → Politicians didn’t
agree.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 11 Exercises 4 and 5.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 12 Exercise 3.
Same words with different meaning.
(Homonyms)
PRONUNCIATION
Some words are really confusing for Spanish speakers
because one English word can have different meanings.
Usually the context can help us to understand the meaning.
Reservaré una habitación privada para poder leer el libro
tranquilamente. → I’ll book a private room to read the book
calmly.
No pude coger el autobús y llegué tarde a casa. → I couldn’t
get the bus and I got home late.
Intonation in question words
When a question begins with a Wh- word, the intonation
falls at the end of the question. Using the correct intonation
is important to sound more natural. Also, it is important to
stress the key words.
¿A qué hora te fuiste al aeropuerto? → What time did you go to
the airport?
Vocabulary Extra Unit 12 Exercises 4 and 5.
¿Dónde vivías el año pasado? → Where did you live last year?
Collocations
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercise 1A.
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.
Me gusta pasar tiempo con mi familia. → I like spending time
with my family.
Vamos a dar un paseo más tarde. → Let’s go for a walk later.
Ella quiere ir de compras. → She wants to go shopping.
Long and short vowel sounds
In general, in Spanish all vowels take the same length of time
when pronouncing them but English has short vowels and
long vowels and we must differentiate the pronunciation of
these to avoid misunderstandings and to sound natural.
¿Quieres más azúcar? → Would you like more sugar /ˈʃʊgəʳ/?
(short vowel sound)
Intento tomar comida sana. → I try to eat healthy food. /fuːd/
(long vowel sound)
Vocabulary Extra Unit 1 Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 3 Exercise 5;
Unit 7 Exercise 2; Unit 12 Exercises 4 and 5.
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Mi vecina tenía un gato negro. → My neighbour had a black
/blæk/ cat. (Short vowel sound)
Llegarán en media hora. → They will arrive in half /hɑːf/ an
hour. (Long vowel sound)
No sé cuando vendrá el electricista. → I don’t know /nəʊ/
when the electrician will come.
La oficina está cerca del puente. → The office is near /nɪəʳ/ the
bridge.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 2A and 2B.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 4 Exercise 2A; Unit 7 Exercises 5A
and 5B.
Linking forms in connected speech
Silent letters
In Spanish words are always pronounced one way only.
However, in English in fast speech pronunciation usually
changes.
¿Vives aquí? → Do you /dʒʊ/ live here?
¿Vendrías conmigo a la exposición? → Would you /wʊdʒʊ/
come with me to the exhibition?
¿Estudiaste para el examen? → Did you /dɪdʒʊ/ study for the
exam?
In Spanish we nearly always pronounce every letter but in
English many words contain letters which are not pronounced
and this oen produces many pronunciation mistakes.
Mi asignatura preferida es arte y diseño. → My favourite subject
is arts and design /dɪˈzaɪn/. (Silent G)
Deberíamos llamar mañana al fontanero. → We should call the
plumber /ˈplʌməʳ/ tomorrow. (Silent B)
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 4A and 4B; Unit 2
Exercises 4A and B; Unit 7 Exercises 4A and B; Unit 8
Exercises 3A and B; Unit 10 Exercise 2A; Unit 11 Exercise 1B.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 4 Exercises 6A and 6B.
Suffixes
In English, suffixes are never stressed and they are oen
pronounced with the weak form /ə/, this sound can be
difficult for Spanish speakers and requires some practice.
Mi madre es profesora de inglés. → My mother is an English
teacher. /ˈtiːtʃəʳ/
¿Te gustaría ser músico cuando termines los estudios? → Would
you like to be a musician /mjuːˈzɪʃən/ when you finish your
studies?
Sentence stress
While in Spanish we pronounce every word in a sentence
clearly, in English the tendency is to pronounce some words
clearly and strongly while the other words are pronounced
with less clarity (oen using the /ə/ sound) and less intensity.
Se enamoraron en Roma. → They fell in love in Rome.
Estoy preocupado por el examen. → I’m worried about my exam.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 3A and B; Unit 2
Exercise 6A; Unit 3 Exercise 6A; Unit 5 Exercises 4A and 4B;
Unit 6 Exercise 5A; Unit 9 Exercise 2B; Unit 10 Exercise 4B.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 12 Exercises 3A and 3B.
Weak forms
In fast speech the pronunciation of many words may change
a little and some syllables are usually pronounced with
the weak form /ə/. This is common with auxiliary verbs,
in passive forms and with modal verbs. Also, when a word
finishes with a consonant and the next word begins with a
consonant, the final consonant of the first word is oen not
pronounced. This can be a challenge for Spanish speakers
because in Spanish sounds don’t change in fast speech.
Deberíamos ser menos ruidosos. → We should be /ˈʃʊbɪ/ less
noisy.
Estaba escuchando música. → I was /wəz/ listening to music.
The pronunciation of gh
The pronunciation of words containing gh can be a
major problem for Spanish students because gh can be
pronounced in different ways depending on the word.
Su risa era contagiosa. → Her laugh /lɑːf/was contagious.
Sigue recto y luego gira a la derecha. → Go straight /streɪt/ on
and then turn right /raɪt/.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 8 Exercise 4A.
Consonant clusters
Pronunciation Extra Unit 2 Exercise 1A; Unit 3 Exercises 1A
and B; Unit 4 Exercises 4B, 5A and 5B; Unit 5 Exercises 1A and
1B; Unit 6 Exercise 2A; Unit 7 Exercises 1A and 1B.
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.
Normalmente duerme hasta tarde. → He usually sleeps
/sliːps/ until late.
Este es el mejor restaurante de la ciudad. → This is the best
/best/ restaurant in the city.
WRITING
Linkers
Pronunciation Extra Unit 6 Exercises 6A and 6B; Unit 9
Exercises 1A and 1B.
Linkers are important for making written language cohesive
and more interesting. Consequently, students should know
how to use them, e.g. using a comma before the linker so
but not before because.
Llegué tarde porque perdí el autobús. → I was late because I
missed the bus.
Diphthongs
These sounds are produced by a combination of two vowel
sounds and may be difficult to pronounce for Spanish
students. It is important to practise these new sounds as
much as possible to sound natural.
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Adverbs of degree
Quería mejorar mi inglés, por eso me fui a Londres. → I wanted
to improve my English, so I went to London.
Using an adverb of degree to qualify an adjective makes
written work more sophisticated. It is important to
remember that the adverb goes before the adjective.
Se me da más o menos bien el alemán. → I’m fairly good at
German.
El italiano se me da sumamente bien. → I am extremely good
at Italian.
Writing Extra Unit 1 Exercises 2 and 3.
Formal and informal expressions
When writing formal and informal emails, Spanish speakers
must be aware of inappropriate expressions and incorrect or
literal translations.
Estimado Sr. Apton: → Dear Mr Apton, (formal)
¡Hola María! → Hi María! (informal)
Esperando recibir noticias suyas. → I look forward to hearing
from you. (formal)
Hablamos pronto → Speak soon (informal)
Le saluda atentamente → Yours sincerely (formal)
Saludos → Cheers (informal)
Writing Extra Unit 8 Exercises 2, 3 and 4.
Homophones
Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelt
differently. Consequently, it is important to be aware of this
when writing one of these words to avoid spelling mistakes.
Nos reuniremos más tarde. → We’ll meet later. NOT We’ll meat
later.
Vamos a la biblioteca. → Let’s go to the library. NOT Let’s go too
the library.
Writing Extra Unit 2 Exercise 3B; Unit 3 Exercises 2B and 3.
Contractions
Writing Extra Unit 9 Exercises 1, 2 and 3.
When writing informal emails, contractions are a very
common way of expressing informal language. Students
should know how to use them and be aware of the fact that
some contractions can be confusing for Spanish speakers.
Me gustaría verte. → I’d love to see you (would).
Ellos se habían ido al cine. → They’d gone to the cinema (had).
Ha pasado mucho tiempo. → It’s been a long time (has).
Está trabajando mucho. → He’s working hard (is).
Formal letters
When we begin a formal letter in English with Dear + the
person’s name, at the end of the letter we write Yours
sincerely + our name. However, if we begin with Dear Sir/
Madam, we finish the letter with Yours faithfully + our name.
Estimado Mr. Smiley: …… Atentamente, Emily Green → Dear
Mr Smiley, …… Yours sincerely, Emily Green.
Estimado señor: …… Atentamente, Emily Green → Dear Sir,
….Yours faithfully, Emily Green.
Writing Extra Unit 3 Exercises 1, 2A and 4.
Common mistakes
Writing Extra Unit 10 Exercises 2A, 2B and 3.
When writing in English there are some mistakes that are
oen made. These common mistakes may be in grammar,
punctuation or spelling.
Puedo ir el lunes que viene. → I can go next Monday. NOT i can
to go next monday.
Ella juega al tennis todos los fines de semana. → She plays
tennis every weekend. NOT She’s playing tennis every
weekend.
Punctuation
Punctuation is important both in formal and in informal
writing. Two important differences between English and
Spanish punctuation are the use of a colon when starting a
letter and the use of a comma in numerals.
Estimado Sr. Garrido: (colon in Spanish) → Dear Mr Garrido,
(comma in English)
5,28 (comma in Spanish) → 5.28 (point in English)
Writing Extra Unit 4 Exercises 1, 2A and 3.
Time sequencers
Capitalization
Using time sequencers to link ideas makes writing more
ordered, cohesive and interesting to read. However, some
mistakes can be made if students translate them literally or
if the grammatical structures are different from those used
in Spanish.
Fuimos a clase y después nos fuimos a comer juntos. → We
went to class and aer that, we went to have lunch together.
NOT We went to class and aer we went to have lunch
together.
Some rules about capitalization are different in English and
Spanish. For example, in English when writing the title of a
book or film, all the words are capitalized except articles and
conjunctions. In addition, nationalities, languages, days of
the week and months are capitalized in English.
Mi día favorito de la semana es el sábado. → My favourite day
of the week is Saturday.
Voy a leer el libro La chica del tren. → I’m reading the book The
Girl on the Train.
Writing Extra Unit 1 to 12.
Writing Extra Unit 5 Exercises 2C and 3.
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