Common Mistakes/Common Mistakes10

Academic English structures - common mistakes.

The following are examples from students' essays. Re-write them correctly. The number in brackets indicates how many mistakes there are.

 

1) Students choose if to do engineering course or computing course. (Three... or two)

Please write your answer here:[ANSWER]

2) The computing course offering is in three parts, such as; graphic design, web design and animation. (three) [ANSWER]

3) Weather is one of the factors effect British food styles. (three) [ANSWER]

4) It is necessary to analysis the results, and they are as showed below: [ANSWER]

5) This skirt appears feminine and elegant by most of the questionaire's respondants.  (three) [ANSWER]

Do you need some hints and clues (helpful pieces of information)?  Then scroll further down the page..............

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Hints and clues:

1) The students choose if to do engineering course or computing course. (three)

 

1) "If" + infinitive is not a suitable structure here. "If" is used more usually to describe a single condition ("I'll tell him if I see him"). Here you need to describe a choice between two alternatives. And there are two different words you can use to do so. Whether you choose to use the first, which is followed by a full infinitive, or the second, which is followed by a gerund, you do need to make a choice between using one or the other. If you need more help, well, I've just used both of them here!

Also:
 

You need to add one or (preferably) two articles (a, an, some, the) that are missing. [ANSWER]

.

2) The computing course offering is in three parts, such as; graphic design, web design and animation. (three)

2) "Offering" is a present participle which could replace an active verb structure such as "which is offering". Here a past participle is needed to replace "which is offered", which is a passive verb structure.

Also:

"Such as" is used to give examples from a wider range. Here all the available range is actually named, so another word must be used. There's a clue in that last sentence!
 

Also
 

There is a punctuation problem. Do you know which punctuation mark can be used to mean "as follows"? [ANSWER]

3) Weather is one of the factors effect the British food styles. (three)

3) "Effect" is not the right verb for "to cause change in". A very small change is needed here. (English people make this mistake too.)

Also:

This same verb needs a subject, namely "which". Alternatively you might use a present participle to replace "which + verb". See the first note for number 2) for more information. 

Also:

"Food styles" is not a very good collocation. ("Collocation" - words which are commonly used together.) [ANSWER]

4) It is necessary to analysis the results, and they are as showed below: (two)
 

4) A noun has been used as a verb.

Also:

A past participle is in the wrong form. [ANSWER]

5) This skirt appears feminine and elegant by most of the questionaire's respondants. (three)
 

5) Change the word "by" to another common (two word) expression, and it makes sense! These two words can be used to introduce quotations too, and mean "they said it". 

Also:

There are two spelling mistakes.[ANSWER]


 

When you've rewritten the sentences, check further down the page to see if they're the same as the suggested answers..............

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Answers:



1) The students choose if to do engineering course or computing course.

 
1) The students choose whether to do an engineering course or a computing course.
 

Or:

The students choose between doing an engineering course or a computing course.

2) The computing course offering is in three parts, such as; graphic design, web design and animation. (three).

2) The computing course offered is in three parts, namely: graphic design, web design and animation. 

 

3) Weather is one of the factors effect British food styles. (three) 

3) Weather is one of the factors affecting British food tastes.

Or (preferably): 

Weather is one of the factors affecting British tastes in food.

Or:

 
Weather is one of the factors which affects British tastes in food.

4) It is necessary to analysis the results, and they are as showed below: (two)

4) It is necessary to analyse the results, and they are as shown below:

5) This skirt appears feminine and elegant by most of the questionaire's respondants. (three)
 

5) This skirt appears feminine and elegant according to most of the questionnaire's respondents.

Note:

There is no rule for whether word endings are spelled "ent" or "ant". You can't tell from the spoken word, because suffixes (word endings) are unstressed, so they both sound the same. To find some common nouns and adjectives of this type, just search on the computer for "words ending in -ant or -ent".

Photo Album:






When taking pictures of a butterfly you must move towards it very slowly. If you move too fast, you will scare it. And, of course, if you scare it, it will fly away. But this magnificent specimen was a very cool customer.


Grammar note: These are examples of "first conditional" type sentences, which use the word "if" together with the present tense...

If you move too fast,
... in combination with the simple future tense:

you will scare it.
However, other combinations of present and future tense are possible:

If you are moving too fast, you are going to scare it.
"Modal" verbs might also be used, as in this example:

If you should scare it, it might fly away.



Vocabulary note : "Cool customer" - a colloquial (street English) term for someone who stays calm in a difficult situation.






Photos: Swallowtail butterfly, Menorca island, Spain.







Do you get it?

Vocabulary:

polar bear - a white bear found in the icy regions of the north

fur - the hairy coat of bears (and dogs, cats, lions, etc.)

paws - the feet of bears (and dogs, cats, lions, etc.)

claws - the sharp nails on the feet of bears (and dogs, cats, lions, etc.)

to wander - to walk, with no particular direction or destination
bloody (adjective) - a bad word (swear word) but not really a very strong one.



A little baby polar bear turns to his big sister and says, "Big sister - am I really a little baby polar bear?"

"Well," says his big sister, "you've got lots of white fur, a little black nose, little white paws and little black claws. So yes - of course you're a little baby polar bear. Why do you ask?"

"Oh nothing," says the little baby polar bear, and he wanders off into the snow. The next day, he goes to his father and says, "Dad - am I really a little baby polar bear?"
"Well son," says his father, "you've got lots of white fur, a little black nose, little white paws and little black claws. So yes - of course you're a little baby polar bear. Why do you ask?"
"Oh nothing," says the little baby polar bear, and he wanders off into the snow. The next day, he goes to his mother and says, "Mum - am I really a little baby polar bear?"
"Well son," says his mother, "you've got lots of white fur, a little black nose, little white paws and little black claws. So yes - of course you're a little baby polar bear. Why do you ask?"

"Because," says the little baby polar bear, "I'm bloody freezing."



Note

Have you noticed the structure of most English (and other) jokes yet? They generally have a three part build up (baby polar bear talks to sister, then father, then mother). The third section ends with the punch line (the joke).

Advice/IELTS Speaking Part 1 (A1)

IELTS Speaking Exam Part 1 (A1)

Situation: Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test is a question / short answer interview. However, the answers should not be too short! Try to speak in complete sentences, and answer one, two or three sentences to each question.Problem: Students have particular difficulty putting verbs into the correct tenses and also using the verb tenses in the correct form.

Solution: Use the question to make the answer. The questioner will give you the subject to use and the verb tense to go with it. Practise with the following format:Note: Advice on the other sections of the speaking test will be added when time allows. Please note that suggested models can be included and practised in your speaking on a daily basis, but you should not repeat them automatically or keep trying to put them into your answers in an artificial way. Correct pronunciation and intonation are obviously very important too. Sound files will be added later to help with this.

First of all, try to answer the questions that follow below these notes. And, while you are answering, concentrate on doing the following: 1) Use the subject in the question to make your response (though of course "you" will become "I"). 2) Use the verb in the question - in the same tense.

Make a full sentence. And speak out loud. Or maybe get a friend to question you and help you to practise.

(Note: If the questions don't apply to you, make small changes so that they do.)




Talking about yourself.


1) How did you come here today? (Note - this is about the means of transport)




2) Is it a good (bus) service?



3) How do you think it could be improved?



4) How does it compare to public transport in your own country?



5) And where is your home town exactly?



6) What sort of jobs do people in your town do?



7) What do you like about your town?



8) And how has the town changed over the last twenty years?



9) What do most of the people there like to do in their free time?



10) And you personally - what's the main thing you spend your free time doing?



11) How often do you do this?



12) OK, and is there any other activity you are particularly fond of?



13) Is there some other hobby or sport you would like to try, and if so, why?


Now scroll down to read the advice section, then decide if you want to change any of your answers...................

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Hints and clues;



Note: if you don't understand the grammar references, you will need to look at "Essential Grammar Terms", which can be found under "General Grammar Exercises". The suggestions below are just a guide, and if you feel confident, you can change the structures.





1) How did you come here today?

1) The verb "come" is in question form. But you should recognise that it's past simple tense, because the word "did" is used, so answer in the same tense. Which bus/train do you take? You could say something about the route, and where it drops you (where you get off). If you walk or use a bicycle, you can still mention the route, and / or say something about why you use this method. But for the purposes of this example, we will be traveling by bus! 




2) Is it a good (bus) service?

Is it punctual (arrives at the correct time)? Clean? Dirty? Busy? Quiet? Sometimes you can use the questions "who, where, when, why, which, how?" to give you ideas. So, when do you travel? Who else is on the bus? Why do you choose to use the bus? How much does it cost? This technique can also be applied to the next question. 




3) How do you think it could be improved?

It could be improved by (+gerund [-ing] form of the verb). Think of all the ways a bus service could be made faster, more comfortable, easier to use.




4) How does it compare to public transport in your own country?

You could start with, "Compared to my country it's.....". Is it better or worse? Why? What's different? 




5) And where is your home town exactly?

Give the general area of your country. Is it in the east, west, north east....? Then give the more exact location. Is it beside the sea, a river, a motorway?




 6) What jobs do people in your town do?

What's the main industry in your town, and what are the jobs associated with it?
 



7) What do you like about your town? 

You could use "I like the fact that...." + normal sentence structure. Is it pretty? Exciting? Good for shopping? Come on - there must be something! 





8) How has it changed over the last twenty years?

The question uses the present perfect tense, so answer in the same form. Has it changed a lot? A little? Perhaps the easiest way would be to concentrate on physical changes. What has been built, and why?





9) What do most of the people there like to do in their free time?

Use "like" + full infinitive, as the question does. What else MIGHT they do? Maybe one thing in the daytime and another at night? 




10) And you personally - what's the main thing you like to spend time doing?  Use "I" and reproduce the structure exactly as it's used in the question. Note the useful expression "spend time + gerund". How much time? Presumably (quite) a lot, if you like it. Go on to say what (in relation to your favourite activity) you have done lately. Show off that you can use these different structures. 




11) How often do you do this?

Again, it's your favourite activity, so..... how many times a week? ["a week" or "per week" - both are used]. How often do you get the chance to do it? 




12) OK, and is there any other activity you're particularly fond of?
Use "I'm also fond of " + gerund, and give another activity. Is there any problem which means you can't do it as much as you'd like? 




13) Is there some other sport or hobby you would like to try, and if so, why?You might like to use "I would like to try" + gerund. Ski-ing? Latin American dancing? Give a reason. Of course, this is the sort of thing you can think about before your test. And you don't necessarily need to tell the truth!





When you've answered (don't forget - out loud), check further down the page to compare them to the suggested answers..............

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Suggested answers:


1) How did you come here today?

1) I came by bus. I always take the number 25 from just outside my house. It drops me by the infirmary and I walk the rest of the way here.

2) Is it a good (bus) service?

2) It could be better. It's not always on time. Sometimes it's late, and sometimes when I arrive at the stop, it's already gone. Also it's rather slow. But it's fairly clean, and at the time I come into college the kids have already made the trip to school.

3) How do you think it could be improved?

3) It could be improved by increasing the number of buses on that route. And if they decreased the number of places where it stops, it would make the journey pass more quickly.

4) How does it compare to public transport in your country?

4) Compared to public transport in my country, it's rather poor. We have a system of trams in the city centre which is very efficient.

5) And where is your home town exactly?

5) It's in the north-east of (Algeria). It's a little town called (Annabar), and it's right on the coast.

6) What jobs do people in your town do?

6) People in my town do a variety of jobs. But being on the coast it's mainly activities that are centred on the sea, you know, such as fishing and tourism. Also there's a small port where the bigger ships come and go.

7) What do you like about your town?

7) I like the fact that it's a tourist town where people come to enjoy themselves. It makes for a very relaxed atmosphere, and people are more friendly than they might be in any other situation.

8) How has it changed over the last twenty years?

8) It has changed quite a lot in the last twenty years. The town council have made quite a few improvements to encourage the tourist industry. They have improved the local park and they've also built a new concrete walkway along the sea front, where people can stroll with their families or loved ones.

9) What do most of the people there like to do in their free time?

9) As I already mentioned, they like to stroll along the sea front or lie on the beach. At night they might visit the bars or ice cream parlours to meet their friends.

10) And you personally - what's the main thing you like to spend time doing?

10) I spend a lot of time reading. I like to read history books, and recently I've been reading about the Roman emperor Severus, an African by birth, who invaded Scotland with a huge army.

11) How often do you do this?

11) I read about three times a week, or just whenever I get an opportunity really.

12) OK, and is there any other activity you are particularly fond of?

12) I'm also fond of going to the cinema, when I get a chance, but the problem for me is always shortage of time.

13) Is there some other hobby or sport you would like to try, and if so, why?

13) I'd like to try hang gliding. I love everything about flying, and I guess you could say I have a taste for danger.

Photo Album:








The day we arrived at Es Castell on the Spanish island of Menorca, the Jaleo festival was just starting. We saw there were a lot of people in the arena where the horses were due to arrive, and assumed the safety officers would move people out of the arena as the horses came in. But this was Spain, so of course there were no safety officers, because they have a taste for danger. As the horses entered the area, more people came in, including children,and tried to touch the badges on the horses chests, for good luck. At the end of the evening, thirty people had been injured, though none seriously, fortunately.



Grammar note:

"The day we arrived.......... the festival was just starting." >>> The main tense used to tell stories is the simple past. Here it is used in combination with the past continuous. The longer action goes into the past continuous tense and the shorter one into the simple past.

"At the end of the evening, thirty people had been injured." >>> The past perfect tense is used here. This tense is used for something in the past which happens BEFORE something else. The "something else" may be another action in the simple past, or (as in this case) simply before a time ("At the end of the evening").




For more about verb tenses see the "verb tense quizzes" under general grammar exercises.



Here are some more photos of the Jaleo festival: