Are you an Arabic speaker? Do you have problems with your English speaking? This presentation on typical English learning problems for Arabic speakers can help you improve your English speaking skills easily and quickly.

1. Typical English
Learning Problems
For Arabic Speakers

2. Pronunciation
The 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

3. Pronunciation
There 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’
© British English Online 2015

4. 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’
© British English Online 2015

5. 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 Correct
My 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.
© British English Online 2015

6. Grammar and vocabulary
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 Correct
She 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?
© British English Online 2015

7. Grammar and vocabulary
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 Correct
I 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.
© British English Online 2015

8. Grammar and vocabulary
Adjectives
Adjectives in Arabic follow the nouns but in English they come before the
nouns:.
Wrong Correct
It’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.
© British English Online 2015

9. Grammar and vocabulary
Articles
In Arabic ‘the’ does not exist so students sometimes don’t use it when it’s
needed.
Wrong Correct
I 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.
© British English Online 2015

10. 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 Correct
my 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 brothers
two sister, my father name rashed and two sisters. My father’s name is
and my mother called fatima, my Rashed and my mother is called
country very beautiful and hot Fatima. My country is very beautiful
and hot.
© British English Online 2015