Problematic Grammar for Learners of Spanish: A Student Survey
(Version 1B of Survey)

 

Please answer the questions below and read the instructions carefully before you answer.

Name:

E-mail:

a)   What is your native language?

b)   What other languages do you speak?

c)   What Spanish course(s) are you currently taking? If you are not currently taking a Spanish course, what was the last one you took?

Instructions

You will be asked to indicate whether a given Spanish grammar structure (accompanied by an example) has repeatedly caused you problems over time or whether it has ceased to be a problem as you have progressed in your learning of the language.

Indicate your response by clicking on the choice that best represents your perceptions with regard to the particular structure.

Along with each item, we are asking for your comments – that is, experiences you have had with the forms and especially suggestions about strategies that you used to learn them initially, as well as strategies you may continue to use in order to produce them successfully in speaking or in writing (see the definition and example on page 1).

Please also answer the question at the end of the survey.

Note: Different colors are used to highlight the grammar structure in question. The grammar forms themselves are bolded in blue and those in plain blue modify the grammar forms in terms of gender, number, or meaning.

 

 

Grammatical Structure

[Please Choose One]

1.

Uses of ser and estar that make adjectives vary in their meaning

Laura, la novia de Miguel, es lista y arriesgada. Siempre está lista para cualquier aventura.

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

2.

Verb gustar and other similar verbs (interesar/faltar/molestar/impresionar, etc.)

A Miguel le gusta la playa. A su novia Laura le gustan las montañas. A Miguel le interesan las actividades acuáticas pero le falta aprender a bucear.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

3.

Possessive adjectives (number agreement)

La familia de Miguel es pequeña. Sus padres están divorciados. Su padre vive en Buenos Aires y su madre en Rosario. Los padres de Laura murieron.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

4.

Present tense

Miguel no tiene hermanos. Laura, por el contrario, tiene dos hermanas y vive con ellas. Frecuentemente Miguel y Laura las invitan al cine.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

5.

Verbs that require a reflexive pronoun (aburrirse, cansarse, preocuparse, etc.)

      Miguel se preocupa por su apariencia personal pero se cansa de la misma rutina todos los días.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

6.

Ir a + infinitive to talk about the future

Laura toma el autobus para ir a su trabajo pero mañana será diferente.

Laura:   Mañana no voy a tomar el autobus. Mi hermana y yo vamos a tomar un taxi.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

7.

Question words ¿Cuánto(s)/a(s)? ¿Cuál(es)? ¿Quién(es)?

Hoy Miguel está en una reunión con su jefe. El jefe le dice que pronto debe ir a trabajar a otra oficina. Miguel está confundido y hace muchas preguntas.

Miguel: ¿Cuál es la dirección de la nueva oficina? ¿Cuánto tiempo toma llegar allí? ¿Quiénes van a ser mis colegas?

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

8.

Direct Object Pronouns

El jefe dice que es una oficina nueva. La compañía la compró en febrero y quiere contratar nuevos empleados. Miguel debe entrevistarlos y contratarlos.

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

9.

Comparisons of superiority and inferiority with nouns and adjectives

Laura piensa que Miguel es más inteligente que sus colegas. También piensa que su novio tendrá menos problemas que los otros trabajadores para adaptarse a las nuevas responsabilidades.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

10.

Superlatives with nouns and adjectives

Miguel es el empleado que tiene más experiencia y es el más responsable. Definitivamente es el mejor.   

 

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Errors clear up as I progress.
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Comments:

11.

Present progressive

Laura llama a Miguel y le dice: "Estoy preparando una cena especial para celebrar".

 

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Errors clear up as I progress.
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Comments:

12.

Comparisons of equality with adjectives and adverbs

Durante la cena, Miguel piensa en su trabajo.

Miguel:  No soy tan bueno como mi jefe, pero voy a aprender. Voy a hacer todo tan organizadamente como él.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
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Comments:

13.

Indirect Object Pronouns   

Después de la cena, Miguel le dice a Laura: "¿Quieres ser mi esposa?". Laura le responde a Miguel: "Sí". Laura y Miguel les escriben a sus amigos un correo electrónico para anunciar su compromiso.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

14.

Using both preterit and imperfect for narrating in the past

Note: Sky blue is used to indicate a phrase in the preterit and plum for a phrase in the imperfect.

Laura le escribe un mensaje a su amigo Gabriel y Miguel le hace una pregunta.

Miguel: ¿Quién es Gabriel?

Laura:   Gabriel era mi vecino cuando vivíamos en Buenos Aires y éramos niños. Ayer hablé por teléfono con él y preguntó por ti.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

15.

Affirmative and negative formal (usted/ustedes) commands

Laura: Creo que Gabriel puede hacer las invitaciones. Es un experto.

Miguel: Buena idea. Mi jefe siempre nos dice "contacten a expertos para cada tarea; no contacten a personas sin experiencia ni hagan las cosas que no saben hacer bien".

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

16.

Conditional

Miguel: Idealmente para la boda, yo invitaría a todos nuestros amigos, compraría la champaña más cara y serviría la comida más exquisita.

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
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Comments:

17.

Lo + adjective

Laura:   Lo bueno de tener una gran fiesta es poder compartir con todos lo mejor de lo mejor. Lo malo es gastar demasiado dinero.

 

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Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

18.

Indicative after specific people or objects vs. subjunctive after non-specific people or objects in adjective clauses

Note: Orange is used to indicate a phrase in the indicative and green for a phrase in the subjunctive.

Laura:   Tengo un amigo que organiza eventos sociales para empresas pero necesitamos una persona que organice fiestas de boda.

 

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Errors clear up as I progress.
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Comments:

19.

Subjunctive with expressions of emotion and with impersonal expressions

Laura:   Es bueno que llamemos a varias personas y pidamos referencias. Es importante que encontremos al organizador/a rápidamente.

 

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Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

20.

Subjunctive with ojalá, tal vez, and quizás

Laura:   Quiero música en la fiesta. Quizás Gabriel conozca también unos buenos músicos y nos los recomiende.

 

Continue to make errors even as I progress.
Errors clear up as I progress.
Can't say.

Comments:

 

21. Please describe for us any strategies you are aware of using in order to keep the various Spanish verb tenses straight. Do you have special strategies for distinguishing among them? If so, what are they?

 

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