As someone that must grade a lot of English papers written by Francophones, I see a lot of common spelling mistakes, false cognates, non-academic or unprofessional language level, and phrasal verb errors. I am compiling a list, via the above hyperlinks, of common spelling mistakes, false cognates, language level, and phrasal verb problems often produced by Francophone ESL students. Feel free to consult or print these pages for your own use. Note that there are four separate pages--one for spelling, one for cognates, one for language level, and one for phrasal verbs. Click on the hyperlink tabs at the top or bottom of the target page to find what you are searching for.
Question: false cognate? What's that?
Answer: un "faux ami." As Wikipedia rightly points out, "pairs of words in the same or different languages that are similar in form and meaning but have different roots. That is, they appear to be, or are sometimes considered, cognates, when in fact they are unrelated." I have also heard people call this a Gallicism.
Question: ummm... I think you're missing an important common spelling mistake, false cognate, or problem in language level. Can I recommend an addition to your list?
Answer: of course! Please use either the "Submit a Request" or the "Comments" links, below, to send your recommendations.
NOTE: this document is being moved over to the new resource site at http://eslradius.com
The following portions have already been moved:
- Common Errors in Spelling
- Register (colloquialisms)
- False Cognates
Shortcut URL to this article: http://ow.ly/KN7Kk
Keywords: register, tonalité, colloquialisms, slang, Jamie's lists
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