Introduction
Malaysian undergraduates often struggle with English grammar due to BM sentence structure, direct translation, and limited exposure to academic English.
1. Missing Articles
BM does not use “a”, “an”, “the”, so students forget them.
2. Incorrect Verb Tenses
Example: Yesterday I go to class. → Yesterday I went to class.
3. Overuse of “also”
BM influence leads to repetitive “also” in essays.
4. Direct Translation Errors
Example: I very like it (BM: “saya sangat suka”) → I really like it.
5. Confusing “he/she”
Common due to BM’s gender-neutral “dia”.
Conclusion
Understanding these patterns helps Malaysian students improve quickly.