ERROR IDENTIFICATION #3

What's the wrong with each of the sentences below?

The answers are in the COMMENTS below. Be sure to try to find your own answers before looking at mine!

1. Her parents can have influenced her decision to resign.
2. I was in my office all day. You may have come to see me at any time.
3. We made some research into the state of the Swedish car industry.
4. I'm afraid I did a mistake in the calculation.
5. The fence was collapsed during the storm.
6. Before his lecture Professor Taylor was introduced us.
7. The orchestra was conducted.
8. I'm not able to believe she's 50. She looks much younger than that.
9. After the trees have been cut back, we can see more of the garden from the sitting room.
10. She was bruised quite badly in the accident. It has got to still hurt a lot.
11. When I went to school we must learn Latin.
12. He didn't cook the dish himself so you mustn't eat it all. He won't be offended.
13. You needn't a special pass to get in.
14. 'Can I use the computer?' 'Of course you could'
15. He should like some milk, please.
16. He appeared having trouble with his car.
17. The police got suspicious of two men looking into all the cars.
18. He would have a distinction in the exam, but he answered question two badly.
19. It's not worth having the trouble to write to him. He never replies.
20. Oh dear! Yogya is the cpaital of Indonesia? You couldn't be wronger!

Don't give in too easily. Don't check the answer as soon as your brain starts hurting. Figure it out for yourself.

ERROR IDENTIFICATION #2

What's the wrong with each of the sentences below?

The answers are in the COMMENTS below. Be sure to try to find your own answers before looking at mine!

1. When I grow up I'll be an astronaut.
2. Len shan't be able to join us after all.
3. Take your umbrella; it'll rain.
4. The world's supply of oil is soon running out.
5. Put your coat on before you'll go out.
6. I promise I call you as soon as I get home.
7. I won't be able to meet you next week. I will stay in London for a few days.
8. Can I borrow your camera? I'll be giving it back to you tomorrow.
9. The army needs to change its image if more women will be recruited.
10. There's no point asking John for a lift - he will leave by now.
11. The last time I met John, he's getting on a train to go to Brussels.
12. James was only to have discovered years afterwards that the painting he had sold for a few dollars was actually worth thousands.
13. You'd better to leave now if you want to catch the last bus.
14. If Tom can afford to go on holiday to the Bahamas, he should have lots of money.
15. I'm sure you will already hear the President's announcement.
16. I didn't actually see the film, but from what I've read I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy it.
17. We would have a cat, but one day it just disappeared.
18. Before I went to university, I used to work as a carpenter for about five years.
19. If the drought goes on much longer, there can be water rationing before the end of the month.
20. May it snow this far south?

Don't give in too easily. Don't check the answer as soon as your brain starts hurting. Figure it out for yourself.

Error Identification # 1

What's the wrong with each of the sentences below?

The answers are in the COMMENTS below. Be sure to try to find your own answers before looking at mine!

1. This large goat is only living in the mountains of Switzerland.
2. I call to thank you for the present you sent.
3. John is resembling his older sister.
4. The rise in demand for timber destroys large areas of rainforest.
5. I work at the University for over ten years now.
6. When have you got here?
7. Have you read a book called Accountancy Is Fun? 'Who has written it?'
8. Charles is a gifted footballer, but up to now he didn't play well in international matches.
9. We've seen Jean in town the other day.
10. Have you ever been to the opera when you lived in Milan?
11. I was meeting a lot of interesting people while I was working in Norway.
12. Being in large crowds was always making her feel nervous.
13. How long are you wearing glasses?
14. We've been staying with Paul and Jenny until last weekend.
15. That's twice I've been forgetting to bring my diary to work this week.
16. I've never been listening to any of Plop's music before.
17. The new bridge had been opened six months ago.
18. He just heard the news and was rushing home to tell his family.
19. When I saw the vase, I knew it was exactly what I had looked for.
20. I had been knowing Helen for a number of years.

No cheating. Agonize a while before checking the answers!

Adjective Order

Adjectives cannot be written in any order. There are rules, so you should use the following order:

1. Determiner or article

* Determiners e.g. this, that, these, those, my, mine, your, yours, him, his, her, hers, they, their, Sam's ; or
* Articles - a, an, the

2. Opinion adjective

e.g. polite, fun, cute, difficult, hard-working

3. Size, including adjectives, comparatives and superlatives

* height; e.g. tall, short, high, low; taller, tallest
* width; e.g. wide, narrow, thin, slim; wider, widest
* length; e.g. long, short; longer, longest
* volume; e.g. fat, huge; fatter, fattest

4. Shape

e.g. circular, oval, triangular, square, 5-sided, hexagonal, irregular

5. Age

e.g. new, young, adolescent, teenage, middle-aged, old, ancient

6. Colour

e.g. red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, grey, black, black and white, light blue, dark red, pale blue, reddish brown, off-white, bright green, warm yellow

7. Nationality

e.g. Hong Kong, Chinese, English, American, Canadian, Japanese

8. Religion

e.g. Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, Moslem, pagan, atheist

9. Material

e.g. wood, plastic, metal, ceramic, paper, silk

10. Noun used as an adjective

e.g. campus (as in 'campus activities')

11. The noun that the adjectives are describing.