EU Learners' Tricky Set (German and French): Word Order, Prepositions, and False Friends: correct answers
Jump to answers ↓False Friends, Word Order, and Prepositions
Directly translating from French or German can often lead to unnatural English phrasing. For example, English strictly keeps verbs and direct objects together, meaning "I like the museum very much" is correct, while "I like very much the museum" is not. Literal translations also create confusion with false friends, such as saying actual when you really mean current, or become when you mean receive.
This challenge helps you eliminate classic European language interference mistakes. You will help a music producer, a pen pal, and a detective correct misplaced adverbs, fix verb-object word order, and choose the correct dependent prepositions (like depends on). You will also navigate tricky false friends to ensure your vocabulary is accurate.
You'll work through 14 questions in single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats.
Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Correct answers
Question 1
Help Detective Marcel polish his surveillance report! His multilingual background is causing some classic English grammar slip-ups with false friends, word order, and prepositions. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
The suspect is currently working at the bakery, though he claims to be a secret agent.
He speaks Russian fluently to his mysterious contacts.
Whether we arrest him tomorrow depends on his next move!
The suspect is currently working at the bakery, though he claims to be a secret agent.
False Friends: In English, "actually" means "in reality" or "in fact" (a tricky false friend to the French actuellement or German aktuell). To talk about what is happening right now, we use "currently."
He speaks Russian fluently to his mysterious contacts.
Word Order: In English, we strictly keep the verb ("speaks") and its direct object ("Russian") together. We never separate them with an adverb! The adverb ("fluently") safely goes after the object.
Whether we arrest him tomorrow depends on his next move!
Prepositions: In English, a situation always "depends on" something else, unlike the French dépendre de ("of") or German abhängen von ("from").
Question 2
current
The English word "actual" means "real" or "true." To talk about something happening right now, use current (unlike the false friends aktuell in German or actuel in French).
received
The English verb "become" means "to turn into" or "grow to be." To talk about getting something, use received or got (unlike the German false friend bekommen).
on
In English, things always depend on something. Using "of" or "from" is a common mistake caused by direct translation from French (dépendre de) or German (abhängen von).
speak English fluently
In English word order, you must never put an adverb (fluently) between a verb (speak) and its direct object (English).
Question 3
Help Pierre, an exchange student, fix his diary entry by choosing the right words. He keeps translating directly from his native language, which might confuse his English teacher! Choose the correct word for each blank.
I finally received my university schedule today. I have to attend three long lectures tomorrow. My current professor is very strict, but I am learning a lot!
I finally received my university schedule today.
"Become" is a classic false friend for German speakers (bekommen means to receive/get). In English, "become" means to turn into something (like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly). You can't "become" a schedule!
I have to attend three long lectures tomorrow.
"Assist" is a false friend for French speakers (assister à means to attend). In English, "assist" means to help. You don't want to help the lecture; you just want to go to it!
My current professor is very strict, but I am learning a lot!
"Actual" is a tricky false friend for both French (actuel) and German (aktuell) speakers, who use it to mean "current" or "present." In English, "actual" means real or true.
Question 4
The correct answers are I received a lovely gift from my friends back home. and My teacher is very sensible and always gives practical advice.
Become vs. Get/Receive: In English, become means "to turn into" or "grow to be." It is a false friend for German speakers (where bekommen means "to receive/get"). If you say "I became a gift," it means you magically turned into a present!
Sensible vs. Sensitive: Sensible means reasonable or practical (false friend for French sensible and German sensibel, which mean emotional). Sensitive means easily affected emotionally or physically.
Question 5
Currently and speak the language fluently are the correct choices.
False Friend: "Currently" means "at the present time." Words like the German aktuell or French actuellement often trick learners into using "actually" (which means "in fact" or "in reality" in English).
Word Order: In English, you cannot put an adverb of manner (like fluently) between the verb (speak) and its direct object (the language). The standard order is Subject + Verb + Object + Adverb.
Question 6
The correct answers are The famous actor is married to a brilliant scientist., Their honeymoon destination depends on the weather., and They are discussing the wedding guest list.
Married to: English uses married to, unlike French (marié avec) or German (verheiratet mit).
Depend on: We say depend on, not depend from (a common mistake from French dépendre de and German abhängen von).
Discuss: The verb discuss is transitive in English, meaning it takes a direct object without a preposition. You "discuss something," not "discuss about something" (unlike French discuter de or German diskutieren über).
Question 7
The correct answers are on, to, and sensitive.
Prepositions: In English, we say "depend on" and "married to". Many European languages use equivalents of "from," "of," or "with" for these phrases, making them tricky!
False Friend: "Sensitive" means easily upset or deeply perceptive. "Sensible" is a false friend for many EU learners (like French sensible or German sensibel); in English, "sensible" actually means practical or reasonable!
Question 8
Help Klaus polish his dating app profile. He keeps using prepositions that make sense in his native language but sound strange in English, and it is scaring off his matches! Choose the correct preposition for each blank.
I am a fun guy who is highly interested in modern art and hiking. Whether we go to the beach or the cinema depends entirely on the weather. I will be eagerly waiting for your message!
I am a fun guy who is highly interested in modern art and hiking.
In English, we are always interested in something. Avoid using "by" (a direct translation of French intéressé par).
Whether we go to the beach or the cinema depends entirely on the weather.
The verb "depend" always pairs with on. Do not use "of" (French dépendre de) or "from" (German abhängen von).
I will be eagerly waiting for your message!
You wait for something in English. German speakers often mistakenly use "on" or "after" because of the phrase warten auf.
Question 9
The correct answers are I will explain the schedule to everyone., Please listen to the driver carefully., and I have some important information for you.
Explain: You cannot "explain someone something" in English. You must "explain something to someone." This is a tricky difference from German (jemandem etwas erklären) and French (expliquer quelque chose à quelqu'un).
Listen to: The verb listen requires the preposition to when there is an object, unlike the French écouter.
Information: In English, information is an uncountable noun. It never takes an "s" at the end, even when referring to multiple facts (unlike French informations or German Informationen).
Question 10
The correct answers are Yesterday, the suspect went to the bank., The suspect always drinks coffee at 8:00 AM., and Usually, he leaves the house at noon.
The V2 Rule: Unlike German or Dutch, English does not invert the subject and verb just because a time word starts the sentence. It remains Subject + Verb ("Yesterday, the suspect went...").
Adverb Placement: In English, adverbs of frequency (like always, often, never) go before the main verb, not after it. French and German learners often place it after the verb, which is incorrect in English ("drinks always" is wrong).
Question 11
The correct answers are I saw, for, and likable.
Word Order: English does not use V2 (Verb-Second) word order after time adverbs like "Yesterday." The order strictly remains Subject + Verb (Yesterday, I saw...).
Prepositions: We "wait for" someone or something.
False Friend: "Sympathetic" means showing pity or compassion. If you want to say someone has a nice, pleasant personality (like the German sympathisch or French sympathique), the English word is "likable" or "nice."
Question 12
A disgruntled tourist is writing a fiery restaurant review. Choose the correct words and phrases for each blank to help him complain with perfect English grammar!
I wanted to complain about the terrible service, so I asked to speak to the manager. I was furious because I had to wait an hour for my main course. However, to be completely fair, I liked the dessert very much.
I wanted to complain about the terrible service, so I asked to speak to the manager.
Chef in German means "boss" or "manager," but in English, a "chef" is strictly a professional cook. If you want to speak to the person in charge of the restaurant's operations, ask for the manager!
I was furious because I had to wait an hour for my main course.
The correct preposition is "wait for."
However, to be completely fair, I liked the dessert very much.
In English, we follow a strict Subject-Verb-Object word order. We do not separate the verb ("liked") and its direct object ("the dessert") with an adverb phrase ("very much"). Even if it sounds natural in French or German to say "I liked very much the dessert," it is incorrect in English!