Common Language Errors
made by Filipino-American students learning English in the US
| Teachers of Filipino-American students note that, as with many groups of English language learners, Filipino students are often very shy and reluctant to speak English. Students are fearful of being ridiculed by other English speakers. | |
Teachers familiar with the language development of Filipino-American students note the following common errors.
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Pronunciation Errors For students with certain Filipino dialects, the English "p" becomes an "f." One teacher recalled a boy saying, "I saw three fritty girls," rather than "pretty girls." Because Filipino students often speak softly, it may be difficult to help them learn to enunciate correctly. |
Written Errors In both their speech and writing, Filipino students may confuse "he" and "she." The reason for this error is simple: Filipinos have one word for these pronouns, siya, which is not gender specific. Subject-verb agreement is a challenge for Filipino students learning English. Teachers emphasize vocabulary development and explicit grammar study as essential in helping Filipino students communicate effectively in spoken and written English. |
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