eveloped by nationally recognized ESL expert Don Weasenforth, the Language Transfer Chart maps Dspecifi c errors transferred into English from a range of languages and indicates the grammatical Language Transfer Chart source of these errors. The complete chart, broken down into 19 languages, is one of the instructor resources available with Susan Fawcett’s Evergreen: A Guide to Writing with Readings, Ninth Edition. Language Feature Possible Resulting Correct American Language(s) in which Error Language Feature Possible Resulting Error(s) Correct American Language(s) in which Error Error(s) in English Language Usage Usually Occurs* in English Language Usage Usually Occurs* Adjectives and adverbs not This is a social important This is a socially important Chinese, Farsi, German, Simple present/past used in I live her since last year. / I lived I have lived here since last year. Asian, Farsi, French, German, distinguishable in form/use theory. / You should not theory. / You should not be Greek, Japanese, Korean, M/I, place of present perfect here since last year. Greek, Italian, M/I, Polish, from each other or other parts afraid of the exam. / She very afraid of the exam. / She very Thai, Turkish Portuguese, Russian, of speech likes study. much likes to study. Spanish, Turkish; Past: Polish, Adjective/Adverb Russian, Farsi Adjective used without noun Of many concerns, the essential Of many concerns, the essential French, German, Italian, Polish, if understood is to study well. one is to study well. Portuguese, Spanish Present progressive used in I am studying English for I have studied English for Arabic, Asian place of present perfect two years. two years. No articles I fi nished exam. See the I fi nished the exam. Arabic, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, following examples also. Korean, M/I, Polish, Russian, Simple present used in place I go back to my country I will go back to my country Arabic, Farsi, French, German, Thai, Turkish of future after graduation. after graduation. Greek, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Defi nite article used for The education is important. Education is important. French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Turkish general reference Portuguese, Spanish Future used in adverb I will study after I will I will study after I eat dinner. French, German, Greek, Italian, No article before She is professor. / His old car She is a professor. / His old car French, German, Greek, Italian, Articles “time” clauses eat dinner. Portuguese, Russian, Spanish subject complement was BMW. was a BMW. Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish No “one step back” for He told me that he fi nishes He told me that he (had) Arabic, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, Defi nite article used with I’m going to the school. / When I’m going to school. / When did Arabic, French, Italian, indirect speech his project. fi nished his project. French, German, Greek, Italian, locations, colors, meals, proper did you eat the dinner? / I will you eat dinner? / I will be in Spanish, Portuguese Verbals Continued Verbals Japanese, Korean, Polish, nouns (Arabic: cities, towns, be in the New York in the April. New York in April. Russian, Turkish and months) Fixed-for verbs (modals) He cans speak English. / I can He can speak English. / I can French, German, Polish, No count/noncount distinction See the following examples. Chinese, Japanese, Korean infl ected; different that I study with you. study with you. Portuguese, Russian, M/I, Different assignment of count/ I asked her for an advice about I asked her for advice about Asian, French, German, Greek, structure used Spanish; Arabic non-count the furnitures. the furniture. Italian, Polish, Portuguese, No gerunds or limited use I enjoy to learn. / I enjoy to I enjoy learning. Arabic, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, Russian, Spanish learning. / I enjoy that I learn. French, German, Greek, Singular form instead of plural I read about the Middle Age. / I read about the Middle Ages. / Asian, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, M/I, Polish, Nouns The police is calling. The police are calling. Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish Russian, Spanish “Say” verbs take two objects; He explained me the professor’s He explained the professor’s French, Italian, Portuguese, No plural; plural form limited She gave me three dollar. She gave me three dollars. Korean, M/I, Thai; transitivity assigned differently lecture. / I needed paper, so I lecture (to me). / I needed Spanish; Chinese in use Chinese, Japanese bought. / It was happened paper, so I bought some. / It No gender distinction I saw John, but she didn’t I saw John, but he didn’t see me. Asian, Chinese, Japanese, M/I, last year. happened last year. see me. Thai, Turkish Adverbs separate verb He speaks very well English. He speaks English very well. French, German, Greek, Subject personal Is very important. / I needed a It is very important. / I needed Chinese, Greek, Portuguese, and object Italian, Polish, Portuguese, pronouns optional pen so bought one. a pen so I bought one. Spanish, Thai, Turkish Russian, Spanish No human/nonhuman That’s the student to which That’s the student to whom Arabic, Farsi, French, German, Adverbs separate subject I yesterday saw them in class. I saw them in class yesterday. Farsi, Korean distinction between relative I spoke. I spoke. Italian, Japanese, Korean, M/I, and predicate pronouns who and which Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Adverbs and object He took to the school He took his friend to Spanish Pronouns Spanish, Thai, Turkish Order Word complement before object his friend. the school. Redundant personal That’s the student who I spoke That’s the student whom I Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Hebrew, Conjunctions used in pairs Because I studied, so I passed Because I studied, I passed Chinese, Farsi, Thai, Vietnamese pronoun use. to him. / John he studies here. spoke to. / John studies here. / Korean, M/I the test. the test. / My classes are diffi cult. Many My classes are diffi cult. Many No phrasal verbs Look up it on the Web. / I Look it up on the Web. / I Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, of my classes are… of them are… always look my notes. always look at my notes. Greek, Korean, Polish, Russian No infl ection He study English. See the He studies/is studying English. Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese Different multipurpose verbs I am agree with you. / Let’s take I agree with you. / Let’s get French, Italian, Portuguese, following examples also. (be, do/make, have, take) a drink. a drink. Spanish, Turkish (no be or have) Be considered optional or They good students. They are good students. Arabic, Japanese, Korean, M/I, Vocabulary It/There is expressed It are three students. / There There are three students Arabic, German, Greek, Korean, doesn’t exist Polish, Russian, Turkish differently (often with have) have three students. in class. M/I, Polish, Russian, Turkish No do auxiliary; no When you fi nished the project? When did you fi nish the Arabic, Asian, Farsi, French, Prefer complex construction, abstraction, and formality / Avoid complex structures/development; French, Japanese / Asian, auxiliary verbs I not fi nished yet. project? I have not fi nished yet. German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Verbals prefer brevity M/I; Korean Portuguese, Russian, Spanish; Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai Appears wordy and redundant Japanese, M/I Rhetoric No (present) progressive; I study now for the exam. I am studying for the exam now. Arabic, Farsi, French, German, limited use Greek, Polish, Portuguese, * Asian (South Asian) = Hindi, Urdu, Nepali; M/I = Malay/Indonesian Russian; Italian, Spanish 98576_00_gatefold.indd 1 11/12/09 3:45 PM.