ERROR ANALYSIS EXERCISES GRAMMAR 3 – KEY P. 8, PART B
(1)
In these writers novels you see India and Africa in the time of the colonialism.
a.
these writers
the colonialism
b.
439/440.1: the genitive/possessive of a regular plural noun (we know it’s plural because it is preceded by a plural form of the
demonstrative pronoun) is formed by adding -’ (apostrophe) to the noun, to talk about possessions and relationships / a personal noun
can also take an of-phrase to express possession
63.1/68.1: there is no definite article before uncountable nouns used in a general sense
c.
these writers’ novels / the
novels of these writers
colonialism
(2)
Being famous is fun. You get privileges like going to a exclusive nightclub and you also make money very easy and quick (but that’s just a tiny detail).
a.
a exclusive nightclub
very easy and quick
b.
65.7: the indefinite article an is used before words starting with a vowel sound; alternatively, 530.2: the plural noun can be used for
repeated events (so we leave out the indefinite article altogether)
26.1/557.1: the adverbs should be used to modify the verb make; it is formed by adding –ly to the adjective quick
557.2: the adverb of an adjective ending in –y is formed by changing –y into –i and adding -ly
c.
an exclusive nightclub /
exclusive nightclubs
very easily and quickly
(3)
When there is a fight, there are always two or more people guilty. One starts with hit the other, but the other hits him back, so both people are guilty.
a.
there are always...
b.
587.1: we normally use there as a preparatory subject only to refer to something that exists somewhere (guilty is a SA, not an A)
hit
298.2/454: the ing-form should be used after prepositions
(119.1: the preposition by would be better instead of with, because we talk about an action, not a tool; vocabulary preference)
c.
two or more people are
guilty
hitting
(4)
Only if more police is at a certain moment in the right place, the fighting can be stopped right away.
a.
is
at a certain moment in
the right place
the fighting can
b.
524.7: the collective noun police is always followed by a plural verb
23.4: the adverbial of place comes before the adverbial of time when they occur side by side
302.7: inversion of subject and (the auxiliary) verb takes place after negative adverbials like only if
c.
are
in the right place at a
certain moment
can the fighting
(5)
I think the government must be harder to the people, which have done something wrong.
a.
harder
people, which
b.
(vocabulary preference)
494.2: the relative pronoun who is used for persons (which is used for things)
4951/2: no comma should be used between the head of the NP and the restrictive relative clause; it contains necessary information to
identify the antecedent
c.
tougher(?)
people who / that
(6)
Young kids should be playing outside because then they creating a better social life and also more exercise.
a.
creating
and also more exercise
b.
470.1: the progressive is made with a form of to be + -ing; alternatively, the present simple or present future can be used to talk about
a general time or an event in the future, respectively (different entries in Swan)
178.1: incorrect ellipsis (only repeated words can be left out), to be corrected in several ways
c.
are creating / create
and they also get/have
more exercise
(7)
After we have found all the ing forms, I will point out – if it isn’t already pointed out by a pupil – about the use of to do.
a.
isn’t…pointed out
point out…about the
use
b.
412.2/3: the present perfect passive consists of a form of have + been + past participle and should be used here to talk about finished
actions that have present consequences
(vocabulary preference: leave out about)
c.
hasn’t…been pointed out
point out…the use /
explain…the use
(8)
Well, the travel agent warned us; when we would cancel the trip now, we would lose a lot of money.
a.
when
would cancel
b.
618: if is used to refer to the future when you are unsure whether something will happen (when expresses certainty)
256.3/258.2: expressing situations that are unreal, the second conditional consists of if + past simple in the subclause, and would +
infinitive in the main clause
c.
if
cancelled
(9)
You don’t have to use the to-infinitive in this sentence (He denied to have done it.) because of the verb deny.
a.
don’t have to
b.
359.3/6, 360.3/7 or 520: we use must not to tell people not to do things (don’t have to is used to say that it is unnecessary); should can
be used as a weaker form of must, to make instructions more polite
c.
must not /
should not
(10)
What hopes Masson to achieve with his book? Reading the last chapters about our climate, the message does not become very clearly to me.
a.
hopes Masson
Reading...climate
clearly
b.
480.1/2: in an interrogative sentence, the auxiliary verb normally comes before the subject; if there is no auxiliary, a form of do is
added; here, the third person singular form does should be used to show concord with the subject
411.4: the first part of the sentence is a misrelated participle; the subclause has a different subject from the main clause
12.1.b/128.1/328: the adjective form should be used because the SA refers to the noun message (become is a copula)
c.
does Masson hope
When/As I read…climate,
clear