Writing in a second language is no easy feat, especially when it comes to academic work. Many ESL (English as a Second Language) students face unique challenges that can make their writing seem unclear or less polished—even when their ideas are strong. From grammar slips to word choice errors, these mistakes can distract from the message and lower the perceived quality of the work. But the good news? These issues are common and fixable. In this article, we explore the most frequent writing mistakes ESL students make in academic writing—and how to avoid them.
10 ESL Writing Mistakes
1. Grammar and Sentence Structure Errors
Issues with grammar are some of the most frequent mistakes in ESL academic writing. These include subject-verb agreement, incorrect verb tenses, and sentence fragments. For example:
- ❌ “She go to the library every day.”
- ✅ “She goes to the library every day.”
ESL writers may also struggle with sentence length, creating overly long or fragmented constructions that are hard to follow. Ensuring that each sentence contains a subject, verb, and complete thought is essential.
2. Literal Translation from Native Language
Translating ideas word-for-word from your native language into English often leads to awkward, confusing, or incorrect sentences. This is especially common with idioms and fixed expressions.
- ❌ “He has 22 years old.” (Spanish literal translation)
- ✅ “He is 22 years old.”
- ❌ “Please take care of me.” (From Japanese よろしくお願いします)
- ✅ [Omit entirely in formal English writing.]
Related: How to Avoid Literal Translations in English Writing
3. Misuse of Articles (a, an, the)
Articles are often missing or misused by ESL writers. Since some languages don’t use articles, learners may omit them or choose the wrong one.
- ❌ “She submitted thesis yesterday.”
- ✅ “She submitted a thesis yesterday.”
- ❌ “The water is important for life.”
- ✅ “Water is important for life.” (general truth, no article)
4. Incorrect Word Forms
Choosing the wrong word form—such as using a verb instead of a noun—is a common issue.
- ❌ “The discuss was insightful.”
- ✅ “The discussion was insightful.”
- ❌ “They did a quick analyse.”
- ✅ “They did a quick analysis.”
5. Overuse of Passive Voice
While the passive voice is accepted in academic writing, excessive use can make text vague or hard to follow.
- ❌ “The data was collected and analysed by the researcher, and then the findings were presented.”
- ✅ “The researcher collected and analysed the data and presented the findings.”
Striking a balance between active and passive voice improves clarity.
6. Awkward or Incorrect Collocations
Some word pairings don’t exist in English but are directly translated from other languages.
- ❌ “Do a decision.”
- ✅ “Make a decision.”
- ❌ “Open the light.”
- ✅ “Turn on the light.”
Learning collocations through exposure and practice is key.
7. Informal or Conversational Tone
Using overly casual language in academic work weakens the tone.
- ❌ “A lot of studies show…”
- ✅ “Many studies show…”
- ❌ “This stuff is important.”
- ✅ “This material is important.”
Aim for formality by avoiding contractions, slang, and filler phrases.
8. Repetition and Redundancy
ESL writers may repeat the same idea or use multiple synonyms unnecessarily.
- ❌ “In conclusion, to summarise, overall, we can conclude…”
- ✅ “In conclusion, we can state that…”
Clarity improves when redundancy is removed.
9. Punctuation Issues
Common punctuation mistakes include missing commas, incorrect apostrophes, and run-on sentences.
- ❌ “Its easy to make mistake’s in punctuation.”
- ✅ “It’s easy to make mistakes in punctuation.”
Careful proofreading and reading aloud help identify these problems. See Proofreading for Punctuation for more assistance.
10. Lack of Cohesion and Signposting
Without transition words or clear structure, writing can feel disjointed.
- ❌ “The study collected data. It analysed results. The outcome was positive.”
- ✅ “The study collected data, which was then analysed. As a result, the outcome was positive.”
Related: What Is Signposting Language?
Making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process. What matters most is becoming aware of them and actively improving your writing. With careful editing, guidance, and support, ESL students can produce high-quality academic work that showcases their ideas effectively.
If you need help polishing your writing, consider using Vappingo’s Thesis Proofreading Services, specifically designed to support non-native English speakers in academic contexts.