TASK

From the errors coming under the classifications G, WO, PR or T which you
have identified in the students’ essays in the lesson Self-check, choose one
from each category.

Now prepare 4 remedial exercises (one for each of the 4 chosen errors) which
will focus on the identified problem areas. Follow the steps outlined in the
section 'Preparing remedial exercises' at the end of the module.

Your answer must have five parts:

1. State clearly (a) the category of the error (G, WO, PR, T); (b) the error, and
(c) the correction.

For example:
T.
ERROR: I haven’t gone to school yesterday.
CORRECTION: I didn't go to school yesterday.

Essay selected - Student 1

G T
I am 46 years old and married for twenty years. We have got three
S S
children, one soon and two daughters. There are six, eight and

eleven years old. I am an electrical engineer and worked for a

G WO
company who manufactured machines for processing
V P
automatically. At first, I am going to learn English in Great Britain.
PR V
It's very important for my job. Then, I would like to have a little
S V V WO
compagniy with about ten co-worker for myself. If it isn't possible,
V V V
I'll manage a department who developed high technology
^^ WO T G
machines. I became the test sheets for complete and return

Unit 3 Module 5
 WO V PR G
directly at you. You phoned at your agent about my course at your
WO V V WO V
school in Bristol. Very thanks for your trouble. I'm happy to come
P WO V V
at your school and I'm sure to learn better English. I don't know my
V V V
flight number on the 5st March. I would let you as soon as
^ ^
possible.

Remedial Exercises
G,
1. Error: I am 46 years old and married for twenty years.
Correction: I am 46 years old and have been married for twenty years.
T, SP
2. Error: We have got three children, one soon and two daughters.
Correction: We have got three children, one son and two daughters.
SP, G
3. Error: There are six, eight and eleven years old.
Correction: They are aged six, eight and eleven year old.
WO, P
4. Error: I am an electrical engineer and worked for a company which
manufactured machines for processing automatically.
Correction: I am an electrical engineer; I worked for a company which
manufactured automatic processing machines.

2. Briefly state the rule which explains why there is an error. For example: “If
the time of a past action is stated or implied in the sentence, use past simple.
If the time is not stated or implied, use present perfect.”
Rule: To talk about actions that happen regularly, we use the present
simple.
To talk about actions that are going on right now, we use the present
continuous.
Examples to be shown to the student:
Present Simple

 I play tennis.
 She does not play tennis.

Unit 3 Module 5
  Does he play tennis?

Present Continuous

 You are learning English now.

 You are not swimming now.

3. Write clear and simple instructions for the student who has made the error
explaining what they need to do in the remedial exercise.
“Decide whether the present or continuous tense needs to be used. Fill in the
gap with the correct verb and auxillary verb if necessary in brackets. Follow
the example I have done for you.”

4. Give a worked example, i.e. one question done correctly to reinforce your
instructions, and please check carefully that your example follows exactly the
rule you have given (i.e. that it is not irregular).
See the following example
Could you stop talking so loudly – I (try) to study!
Could you stop talking so loudly – I am trying to study!

5. Prepare a 5-item exercise for your student.

Do this for each of the four chosen errors: G, WO, PR and T. (NOTE I AM
UNCLEAR OF HOW TO ANSWER SO HAVE DONE IN TWO DIFFERENT
WAYS)

Please note that all items within the exercise should be of the same type to
avoid confusion, eg it may contain 5 gapped sentences, 5 true/false
questions, 5 words to put into the specified form, etc, but that credit will be
given for using a different type of exercise for each category of error.

Each sentence in the task contains one or more errors. The error could be in
the use of nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions, conjunctions or punctuation.
Find the error/s and rewrite the sentence correctly.

1. We all swum at the beech yesterday.

2. They hadn’t scarcely enough feed for their cattle.
3. The cow has trod on my flowers.
4. Have you read where there was an earthquake in China said John
5. A bus runs passed our house each day.

Answers

Unit 3 Module 5
 1. We all swam at the beach yesterday. (Swum is the past participle form
of swim. It is used to make perfect tenses.) Beech is the incorrect
spelling for the seaside beach.
2. They had scarcely enough feed for their cattle. (Scarcely is a negative
word and hence it is wrong to use not with it.)
3. The cow has trodden on my flowers. (Perfect tense forms are made
by putting past participles after have.)
4. “Have you read that there was an earthquake in China?” said John
5. A bus runs past our house daily. Incorrect spelling, wording

OR
G - Grammar Examples

i. Incorrect: John like fish.

Correct: John fish. 

ii. Incorrect: Janet and John is going skiing.

Correct: Janet and John going skiing. 

iii. Incorrect: Janet and John are married and he has been married for 20
years.
Correct: Janet and John are married and been married for
20 years. 

iv. Incorrect: Everyone forgot their notebook.

Correct: Everyone forgot notebook.

v. Incorrect: I don't want no pudding. 

Correct: I don’t want pudding.

WO – Word Order Examples

i. Incorrect - Having learned Italian in a few months, the vacation to Italy

was a success.
Correct - Having learned Italian in a few months, John was
vacation to Italy. By adding "John was successful during
his" it becomes clear that John was the success, not the vacation.

ii. Incorrect - Her mother made her to call and thank him for the present.
Correct - Her mother made her and thanks him for the present.
The "to" is not necessary.
iii. Incorrect - If I took the bus, I will get there in 20 minutes.
Correct - If I took the bus, I get there in 20 minutes. Verb tense
was changed. - would

iv. Incorrect - We are not allowed smoking in the restaurant.

Unit 3 Module 5
 Correct - We are not allowed in the restaurant. Verb tense
was changed - to smoke

v. Incorrect - Gary lives on the Elm Street.

Correct - Gary lives on Elm Street. The "the" is not necessary.

PR –Preposition Examples

i. Incorrect: It is important to take pride of whatever we do on life.

Correct: It is important to take pride in whatever we do in life.

ii. Incorrect: I left home at Sunday morning to catch a flight for England.
Correct: I left home on Sunday morning to catch a flight to England.

iii. Incorrect: He was scolded from the teacher for failing to pass the test.
Correct: He was scolded by the teacher for failing to pass the test.

iv. Incorrect: I accused her with stealing my wallet but she insisted about
her innocence.
Correct: I accused her of stealing my wallet but she insisted on her
innocence.

v. Incorrect: In ten o'clock in the morning. I went to the beach to catch fish
by my net.
Correct: At ten o'clock in the morning. I went to the beach to catch fish
with my net.

T – Tense Examples
i. Incorrect: It is raining for two days.
Correct: It has been raining for two days.

ii. Incorrect: The baby is sleeping for three hours now.

Correct: The baby has been sleeping for three hours now.

iii. Incorrect: I have seen him yesterday.

Correct: I saw him yesterday.

iv. Incorrect: He has returned from London last week.

Correct: He returned from London last week. Here the error lies in
using the present perfect tense instead of the simple past tense. The
present perfect is a present tense. It can’t be used with adverbs of past
time.

v. Incorrect: See that you will not do any damage.

Correct: See that you do not do any damage.

Unit 3 Module 5
Unit 3 Module 5