I born in Hong Kong.

Several of my HK students wouldn't see anything wrong with that sentence. It took me myself several years to understand why such an obvious mistake was so persistent among so many people. 

To begin with, I knew that Asian learners often drop the verb "be" when using adjectives. So, I thought, if my students consider "born" an adjective that would explain it. The same way they say "I happy" or "He angry" or "Sorry I absent" (all of which are wrong).

But I also came to realise that actually some students believe that "born" is the infinitive or else the verb in the active voice. As in "I born, you born, he borns etc." 

That is wrong. The active verb is "bear" and the form "born" is the passive voice. To bear a child means you are (going to be) a mother. To be born means your mother gave birth to you. 

Another example of how students mistake "born" for an infinitive is how they form questions with it: "Where do you born?" they will often ask. 

The only possible structure is: be + born

I was born in 1987. 

She was born in Canada. 

Where were you born?

 Grammar issues Asian learners often struggle with

Here is a list of issues that seem to persist among Asian students. This list is the result of classroom interaction with students from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and other cities in China; also, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand. 

If you see in the examples below mistakes you have made or still make, then maybe it's worth reading through. This blog will be looking at those and other grammar issues, offering examples, tips and explanations.

subject – verb agreement

He have to work from 9.00 to 5.00 like everyone else. Wrong

He has to work from 9.00 to 5.00 like everyone else. Right

gerunds/infinitives

I went to watching a movie last night. Wrong
I went to watch a movie last night. Right

singular/plural nouns

There were many shop and restaurant. Wrong
There were many shops and restaurants. Right

tenses

Last week I visit a really nice museum. Wrong
Last week I visited a really nice museum. Right

parts of speech

Technology has made our lives more convenience. Wrong

Technology has made our lives more convenient. Right

modal verbs (can, could, will, would, may, might, shall, should, must, ought to)

When I was young, I would swimming a lot. Wrong

When I was young, I would swim a lot. Right

forming questions 

Do you happy? Wrong

Are you happy? Right

Are you like chocolate? Wrong

Do you like chocolate? Right

be + adjective

I sorry about yesterday. Wrong

I am sorry about yesterday. Right

-ed and -ing adjectives
I felt so embarrassing when I forgot her name. Wrong
I felt so embarrassed when I forgot her name. Right

articles

She has the beautiful summer house in Taiwan. Wrong
She has a beautiful summer house in Taiwan. Right

countable/uncountable nouns

Our teacher gave us 5 homeworks. Wrong
Our teacher gave us 5 pieces of homework. Right

quantity expressions

His wife has many money. Wrong
His wife has a lot of money. Right

comparisons

She feels more better after they moved to the countryside. Wrong

She feels better after they moved to the countryside. Right

thought groups

Last summer. I went to Japan. Wrong

Last summer I went to Japan. Right

I just finished my breakfast and the weather is nice. Wrong

I just finished my breakfast. As the weather is nice, I'll walk to school. Right

language transfer 

Even though my grammar is good, but my speaking is weak. Wrong
Even though my grammar is good, my speaking is weak. Right

linkers

It was raining, so that I stayed home. Wrong
It was raining, so I stayed home. Right
Compare: As it was raining, I took an umbrella so that I wouldn't get wet (= in order not to get wet).

passive voice – active voice

I was returned home late last night.  Wrong
I returned home late last night. Right
I born 20 years ago. Wrong

I was born 20 years ago. Right

prepositions

You shouldn't shout to children. Wrong
You shouldn't shout at children. Right

relative clauses

The boy which you just saw is my friend. Wrong
The boy who/that you just saw is my friend. Right

there is / there are

There has a problem with the report. Wrong

There is a problem with the report. Right

verb patterns

Do you mind to open the window? Wrong
Do you mind opening the window? Right