Why do Arabic speakers drop 'a' and 'an'?

Arabic has no separate indefinite article, so there is nothing to transfer. The habit is fixed by consciously checking every singular countable noun.

What is the most damaging grammar mistake?

Omitting the verb 'to be'. It is very noticeable to a listener and very easy to correct once you are aware of it.

Should I study grammar rules or just speak?

Both, in that order of proportion: speak most of the time, and use grammar rules to explain the mistakes that come out of speaking.

Do you correct grammar in private classes?

Yes. Your teacher notes your recurring errors and works on the two or three patterns that cost you the most, rather than everything at once.

How much do English lessons cost in Morocco?

At Englify, small-group online English classes are the most affordable option and private one-to-one classes cost more per hour, because a private teacher works with one student only. Current group and private prices are confirmed on WhatsApp (+212 724 744 137) and on our prices page, since they depend on the format, the number of hours per week and the length of the plan. The trial class is free and no card is required.

Common English Grammar Mistakes Arabic Speakers Make

Most repeated grammar errors are not random. They come from places where Arabic and English structure the sentence differently, which makes them predictable — and therefore fixable.

Book a free trial Ask on WhatsApp

Free trial · No card required · Teachers speak English, French & Darija

Written and reviewed by Mourade Boulanouar — Founder & Head of Teaching, EnglifyLast reviewed September 2026

In short

The most common English grammar mistakes among Arabic speakers are: dropping or overusing 'a', 'an' and 'the'; omitting the verb 'to be' in present-tense sentences; choosing the wrong preposition; confusing the present perfect with the past simple; putting the adjective after the noun; and using the present simple where English needs the continuous. Each one traces back to a difference between Arabic and English structure, so correcting the pattern fixes dozens of sentences at once.

Key facts

Articles: Arabic has no exact equivalent of 'a/an', so it is often dropped
'To be': 'He engineer' is correct structure in Arabic, not in English
Prepositions rarely map one-to-one between the two languages
Present perfect versus past simple is a frequent source of error
English puts the adjective before the noun: 'a big house', not 'a house big'
Present continuous is needed for actions happening now

1. Articles: a, an, the

Arabic marks definiteness with al- but has no separate indefinite article, so 'a' and 'an' get dropped and 'the' gets added where English does not want it.

Wrong: 'I am engineer.' / 'I like the music.' Right: 'I am an engineer.' / 'I like music.' Rule of thumb: singular countable nouns need an article; general uncountable ideas do not take 'the'.

2. The missing verb 'to be'

Arabic present-tense sentences do not need a copula, so English sentences lose it.

Wrong: 'She very tired.' / 'They in Casablanca.' Right: 'She is very tired.' / 'They are in Casablanca.' Every English sentence needs a verb, even when the meaning is obvious without one.

3. Prepositions

Prepositions do not translate. 'Depend on', 'arrive at', 'interested in' and 'married to' are fixed combinations you learn as chunks, not by logic.

Wrong: 'I depend of you.' / 'I arrived to Dubai.' Right: 'I depend on you.' / 'I arrived in Dubai.' Learn the verb and its preposition together, never separately.

4. Present perfect versus past simple

Use the past simple with a finished time: 'I visited Paris in 2019.' Use the present perfect with no specified time, or when the result still matters: 'I have visited Paris.'

Wrong: 'I have visited Paris last year.' Right: 'I visited Paris last year.' If the sentence names when, use the past simple.

5. Word order

Arabic places the adjective after the noun; English places it before. Word order also matters in questions, where English inverts the auxiliary.

Wrong: 'a car new' / 'You are coming tomorrow?' Right: 'a new car' / 'Are you coming tomorrow?'

6. Present simple instead of present continuous

English separates habits from what is happening now. 'I work in a bank' is a habit; 'I am working on a report' is right now.

Wrong: 'I read a book at the moment.' Right: 'I am reading a book at the moment.'

How to stop repeating them

Pick the two mistakes you make most often, write three of your own sentences with each, and get them corrected. Repeating a rule you already know changes nothing; correcting your own sentences does.

Frequently asked questions

Practise this with a teacher

Reading about a mistake is not the same as fixing it. Book a free trial class on Google Meet and work on it out loud. Private classes cost 100 MAD per hour.