Editing Checklist for Spanish Speakers
(* = wrong)
1. Check your spelling
a. English often has double consonants where Spanish has one: appear, different,
forgotten
b. Do you mean this (singular) or these (plural)? You might pronounce them the
same way.
c. Use capital letters for: months, days of week, nationalities, countries.
2. Check your punctuation
Commas are often used in Spanish where English would use semicolons.
Semicolons are often used in Spanish where English would use periods.
Remember: independent clause; independent clause OR
independent clause. Independent clause
3. Check word order
a. statement: SV John came to school late.
question: VS Did John come to school late?
b. Do not place words you want to emphasize last in the sentence:
*Enjoyed the students a lot the class.
c. Use do/did (did for past) to form questions and negatives:
*John not get the job.
*Do they come?
John didn’t get the job.
Did they come?
d. Adjectives come before nouns.
*They live in the house white.
They live in the white house.
4. Check modal verbs (can, could, should, would).
Especially, be sure you don’t change their forms. There’s no need to add s or ed.
5. Check verb tenses
a. Use present progressive, not present, for actions happening now:
*It rains.
It’s raining.
b. Be careful about future time. Spanish uses the present tense when English
usually uses will or going to.
*I see her tomorrow.
I’ll see her tomorrow. OR I’m going to see her tomorrow.
BUT use simple present in subordinate clauses:
When she gets here, we’ll leave.
*When she will get here, we’ll leave.
c. English uses present perfect where Spanish uses present:
*How long are you working at your job?
How long have you worked at your job?
d. Used to is difficult for Spanish speakers. It means you’re talking about
something you once did but don’t do now.
6. ---ing/--ed
The play is boring. I am bored. (passive)
--ing can be a subject (Spanish speakers often use the infinitve –to + V instead)
Seeing her was a pleasure (=It was nice to see her.)
7. Articles
a. Don’t use the with non-count nouns with a general meaning or with abstract
ideas: (life, art). Don’t use the with count plurals with general meaning.
* Do you like the old houses?
*The life is hard.
b. Don’t use the with possessive pronouns:
*This is the mine.
Use possessives in cases like:
*Mary washed the hair.
Mary washed her hair.
8. Prepositions
a. No Spanish a in English: *They took to their mother to the hospital.
b. Be careful of in/on/into
c. Be careful of to/at/in
d. Be careful of for/by