IELTS Writing Mistakes Filipino Speakers Make: Tagalog Interference Patterns

Why your first language creates errors you don't notice—and how to fix them

The Philippines has one of the highest numbers of IELTS test-takers globally. Filipinos are known for strong English skills—after all, English is an official language and is taught throughout school. Yet many Filipino candidates get stuck at Band 5-6 in Writing, despite feeling confident in their English ability.

The problem isn't lack of English exposure. It's specific interference patterns from Tagalog (and other Philippine languages) that create systematic errors—errors that feel invisible because they align with how you naturally process language.

Understanding these patterns is the first step to fixing them.

Sound-Based Spelling Errors

Filipino pronunciation of English differs from standard British or American pronunciation. These pronunciation patterns affect spelling.

F → P Confusion

Tagalog doesn't have the /f/ sound. The closest equivalent is /p/. This creates spelling errors:

Common mistakes:

• "Pilipino" instead of "Filipino"
• "preper" instead of "prefer"
• "pirst" instead of "first"
• "compirtable" instead of "comfortable"

The fix: When writing words with 'f', consciously verify the spelling. Keep a list of common words containing 'f' that you use in essays.

V → B Confusion

Similarly, Tagalog lacks the /v/ sound, which becomes /b/ in Filipino English:

Common mistakes:

• "bery" instead of "very"
• "gobe" instead of "government" (also dropping the 'rn')
• "dribe" instead of "drive"
• "improbement" instead of "improvement"

The fix: Create awareness of words with 'v'. Practice the physical mouth position—upper teeth touching lower lip—even when writing silently.

TH → D/T Confusion

The English /θ/ (as in "think") and /ð/ (as in "the") don't exist in Tagalog:

Common mistakes:

• "de" instead of "the"
• "dey" instead of "they"
• "tink" instead of "think"
• "wit" instead of "with"

While these are more pronunciation than spelling issues, they can affect your confidence in Speaking and occasionally appear in rushed writing.

Article Errors

Tagalog has a different way of marking definiteness than English. The markers "ang" and "ng" serve some article-like functions but work differently.

Common patterns:

Missing articles where required:

• "He is teacher" → "He is a teacher"
• "I went to university" → "I went to the university"
• "Education is key to success" → Correct as is (general concept)

Tricky cases for Filipino speakers:

The word "the" before specific institutions you're familiar with:

• "I study at the University of the Philippines" (specific)
• "I want to attend a university" (any university)

Generic vs. specific statements:

• "The government should act" (a specific government)
• "Governments should act" (governments in general)

The fix: Before each noun, ask: Am I talking about something specific that the reader knows about? If yes, use "the." Am I talking about one of many possible things? Use "a/an." Am I making a general statement about a category? Often no article needed.

Direct Translation from Tagalog

Some Filipino English expressions come from translating Tagalog directly, but they don't work in international English.

Open/Close the Lights

In Tagalog: "Buksan mo ang ilaw" (literally: "Open the light")

Incorrect: "Please open the lights."
Correct: "Please turn on the lights."

Incorrect: "Close the aircon."
Correct: "Turn off the air conditioning."

"For a while"

In Tagalog phone conversations: "Sandali lang" often translates as "for a while."

Incorrect usage: "For a while, I'll transfer your call." (meaning "please wait")
Correct: "One moment, I'll transfer your call."

"I'll go ahead"

Used to mean "I'm leaving now" in Filipino English.

Incorrect: "Okay, I'll go ahead." (confusing in international English)
Correct: "Okay, I'm leaving now" or "I'll be going now."

"Cope up with"

Incorrect: "Students cannot cope up with the pressure."
Correct: "Students cannot cope with the pressure." (no "up")

"Avail"

Incorrect: "Students should avail the scholarship."
Correct: "Students should avail themselves of the scholarship" or simply "Students should apply for the scholarship."

Word Order Issues

Tagalog is a verb-initial language (VSO pattern), while English is subject-verb-object (SVO). This can create subtle word order problems, especially in complex sentences.

Common issue with modifiers:

In Tagalog, modifiers often come after nouns. In English, they usually come before.

Incorrect: "The building tall"
Correct: "The tall building"

Incorrect: "A car expensive red"
Correct: "An expensive red car"

For IELTS Writing, pay attention to adjective order in complex descriptions.

Tense System Differences

Tagalog marks aspect (completed vs. ongoing action) differently than English marks tense. This can cause confusion.

Present Progressive Overuse

Filipino English sometimes uses present progressive where simple present is standard:

Incorrect: "I am believing that education is important."
Correct: "I believe that education is important."

Incorrect: "Many people are thinking that..."
Correct: "Many people think that..."

Verbs like believe, think, know, understand, want, and need don't typically take progressive form in standard English.

Past Tense in Present Context

Incorrect: "Yesterday, the news reported that the economy is improving."
Correct: "Yesterday, the news reported that the economy was improving." (reported speech uses past)

Redundancy and Wordiness

Filipino English sometimes adds words that aren't necessary in standard English.

Repeat Again / Return Back

Incorrect: "The problem will repeat again."
Correct: "The problem will repeat" or "The problem will happen again."

Incorrect: "They returned back to the city."
Correct: "They returned to the city."

Redundant Prepositions

Incorrect: "Where are you going to?" (in spoken Filipino English)
Correct: "Where are you going?"

Incorrect: "We need to discuss about this issue."
Correct: "We need to discuss this issue." (no "about")

Pronoun Issues

Tagalog pronouns don't distinguish gender in the third person—"siya" can mean he, she, or they. This sometimes causes confusion:

Common error: Switching between "he" and "she" when referring to the same person.

The fix: When writing about a person, decide on their pronoun at the start and stay consistent throughout.

Subject Omission

In Tagalog, subjects can often be dropped because verb conjugation indicates the actor. In English, subjects are required:

Incorrect: "Is raining today."
Correct: "It is raining today."

Incorrect: "In my opinion, is important to study hard."
Correct: "In my opinion, it is important to study hard."

Common Collocation Errors

Some word combinations that feel natural in Filipino English don't work in standard English:

Building Your Error Awareness

Step 1: Identify Your Personal Patterns

Not every Filipino speaker makes all these errors. Which ones appear in YOUR writing? Ask someone to mark your essays specifically for these patterns.

Step 2: Create a Personal Checklist

Before submitting any essay, check for:

• Article usage (a/an/the or none)
• Spelling of words with f, v, th
• Direct translations that might sound Filipino-specific
• Subject presence in every sentence
• Consistent pronoun use

Step 3: Practice Deliberately

When you find your specific error patterns, practice those specifically. Write sentences focusing only on article usage. Then write sentences avoiding your common direct translations.

Step 4: Read Standard English Sources

Exposure to international English (BBC, academic journals, quality newspapers) helps recalibrate your sense of what sounds "normal" in formal written English.

The Good News

Filipino speakers often have strong vocabulary and comfortable fluency in English. The issues above are specific, identifiable patterns that respond well to targeted practice. You're not learning English from scratch—you're fine-tuning for international academic standards.

Awareness of these interference patterns transforms a vague problem ("my grammar needs work") into a concrete checklist you can address systematically.

Want to identify exactly which Filipino English patterns affect your writing? Our AI analyzes your essays and creates a personalized improvement plan based on your specific error types.