Tricky English for Arabic speakers

Arabic and English work differently, so Arabic speakers learning English often find the same things tricky. Knowing them in advance makes them much easier: a few sounds that Arabic doesn't have, the order of words, the articles, and the verb ⟦be⟧.

Key facts

• Arabic has no ⟦p⟧ or ⟦v⟧ sound. ⟦p⟧ is like ⟦b⟧ with your voice off and a puff of air: ⟦pig⟧ / ⟦big⟧. ⟦v⟧ is like ⟦f⟧ with your voice on: ⟦fan⟧ / ⟦van⟧.
• English sentences always need a verb. Use ⟦am⟧, ⟦is⟧ or ⟦are⟧ before an adjective or a place: ⟦She is tired.⟧ (not ⟦She tired.⟧)
• The adjective comes before the noun: ⟦a red car⟧ (not ⟦a car red⟧).
• Use ⟦a⟧ or ⟦an⟧ with jobs and with one of something: ⟦He is a teacher.⟧ Things are ⟦it⟧, never ⟦he⟧ or ⟦she⟧.
• After any number above one the noun is plural: ⟦eleven books⟧, ⟦twenty minutes⟧. ⟦people⟧ is plural: ⟦people are⟧.
• Don't repeat the noun with ⟦it⟧ after ⟦that⟧ or ⟦which⟧: ⟦the book that I read⟧ (not ⟦the book that I read it⟧). In questions, put ⟦do⟧, ⟦does⟧, ⟦is⟧ or ⟦are⟧ before the subject: ⟦Where do you live?⟧

Worked examples