Pollard Memorial Library (Lowell)

50 common errors, a practical guide for English learners, Bob Marsden

eng

index present

non fiction

50 common errors

212839142

Bob Marsden

a practical guide for English learners

An essential handbook by noted author and ESL teacher Bob Marsden covering 50 common usage, style, and syntax errors encountered by English Language learners in day-to-day speech and writing. Provides easy-to-understand guidance on such topics as word order in indirect speech, irregular plurals, verb choice in tag questions, comparatives and superlatives, and choice of adjectives with count vs. noncount nouns. Includes special reference sections on English verb tenses and irregular verbs

The farmer has a lot of calves but no sheep (Plurals) -- The news is bad, and the people are worried. (Plural nouns) -- It's my parents' car. (Apostrophes, possessives, contractions) -- I started learning English last June (Capital letters) -- Are you a teacher? No, I am a doctor. (Indifinite article: a, an) -- Life is beautiful. (Definite article: the) -- I don't have any sugar but I have some milk. (Some/any, etc.) -- He has a lot of money but not many friends. (Count and noncount nouns, many/much) -- He has little money and few friends. (Cont and noncount nouns, few/little) -- Each is unique, but all of them are good. (All/every/each/whole/entire) -- She is shorter than her son. (Comparative) -- It's the most modern building in the city. (Superlative) -- Our House is big enough abnd it has enough bedrooms. (enough, too) -- He is such a good friend. (so/Such) -- He knows her can't write well. (Adverbs) -- It's a two-door car. (Compound adjectives) -- They lived in an old white brick house. (Adjective order) -- He carefully apprached the building. (Adverb placement) -- Can you meet me at the restaurant? (Modals) -- She has a brother who lives in Mexico. (Third-person singular) -- You are driving too fast. (Present continuous, siple present) -- I haven't see him because he hasn't come home yet. (Present perfect) -- I haven't been to Mali but I visited chad in 2006. (simple past, present perfect) -- I have been sitting here for tow hours. (Present perfect continous, for, since)By then, the guest of honor had left. (Past perfect) -- The church has offened meals to homeless people. (Participles following auxiliaries) -- It was the most depressing movie I've ever seen. (Participles as adjectives) -- I used to live in France, but I left in 2002. (Used to as auxiliary) -- I will tell him when I see him tomorrow. (Time caluses, When) -- We recommend that you be prepared. (Subjunctive) -- If I lived here, I would run every day. (Conditional sentences) -- If she had seen it, she would have told me. (Conditional sentences) -- She wished you lived nearer. (Whish) -- English is soken here. (Passive voice) When does the class begin? (Questions with auxiliaries) -- He said that he was hungry. (Reported statements, tell/say) -- He asked where my mother was. (Reported Questions) -- He told me not to do it. (Reported commands) -- I Want to speak English but I can't speak English. (Infinitives with and without to) -- She finished her paper and handed it in. (Phrasal verbs) -- I came here to learn English. (infinitive of pupose) -- I still miss my father, who I Loved dearly. (Relative clauses) -- Last night is the time when it happened. (Relative adverbs) -- He was right, wasn't he? (Tag questions) -- It is dark, but there are some stores that are still open. (There is, it is, ect) -- The place where I work is one hour away.(Repetition of sentence elements) -- I have my hair cut at the hairdresser's on West Street. (Have/get (something done) -- You don't have to be so polite. (Must, have to) -- When I come to stay with you, I will bring it.(come/go, bring/take) -- I am used to driving on the right, not the left. (Be used to, get used to) -- Reference section I: The Tenses of English -- Reference Section II: Common Irregular Verbs -- Index

Fifty common errors