Common Mistakes

rogergeot

There are some mistakes that you might find in your compostions:

1. Although Robert is good-looking, but he is stupid. (Wrong sentence)

The correct one should be:
Although Robert is good-looking, he is stupid./ Robert is good looking but he is stupid.

2. Michael is bad manner. (Wrong sentence)

The correct one should be:
Michael has bad manners.

These are the mistakes that I have found from my classmate's composition. Is there any common Chinese/English errors which you have come across? If there are any, please share with us.

[ Last edited by rogergeot on 2004-4-16 at 08:38 PM ]

oscar

In Example 1, there are a few more ways to change it.

a) Robert is good-looking even though he is stupid.
b) Robert is good-looking though he is stupid.


Also, there is a mistake in Example 1.

Robert is good-looking, but he is stupid.

In this sentence, you cannot use comma when you have used 'but'.

rogergeot

Thanks for telling me. I am going to edit it. Here is an mistake made by myself while I was writing the composition in a few months ago.

"This old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought to myself.

Does anyone know how to correct it? (Although I have already known how to correct it.)

霏

"This old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thoughtto myself.

"The old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought .
↑
not really need to be changed

Furthermore, you may say,

"The old man is wasting our time. I should make him get away from us." I thought .

rogergeot

Originally posted by 幻將 at 2004-4-17 12:20 AM:
"This old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thoughtto myself.

"The old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought .
↑ ...

Yes, changing ' "This old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought to myself. ' to '  "The old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought . ' is right.
But however, there is one more way in changing it.
I think it should be: I thought that the old man was wasting our time and I should tell him to go away.

(Did I get it correct?)

霏

Originally posted by rogergeot at 2004-4-17 12:46 AM:
Yes, changing ' "This old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought to myself. ' to '  "The old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I ...

Your change is in a passive way and mine is a active way. They are the same^^"

oscar

Originally posted by rogergeot at 2004-4-17 00:46:
Yes, changing ' "This old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I thought to myself. ' to '  "The old man is wasting our time. I should tell him to go away." I ...

Actually, that is not a matter of active and passive form. It is about Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (or Reported Speech).

Also, there is a mistake here.

Your sentence: I thought that the old man was wasting our time and I should tell him to go away.

Corrections: I thought that old man was wasting our time and I should tell him to go away.

Explaination: In Indirect Speech, we should change 'the' into 'that'.

rogergeot

Yes, you are perfectly correct. You are rewarded with 10 points.

霏

Originally posted by oscar at 2004-4-17 02:24 PM:
Actually, that is not a matter of active and passive form. It is about Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (or Reported Speech).

Also, there is a mistake here.

Your sentence: I thought that th ...

You do not know wht is meant by &quotassive".
My &quotassive",is meant by the sentence is speaked in a "his" way ,which means not to be "speaked" by the original speaker

It is a form of reporting.

Actually I should say it is a reported speech

[ Last edited by 幻將 on 2004-4-17 at 05:45 PM ]

霏

Originally posted by oscar at 2004-4-17 02:24 PM:
Actually, that is not a matter of active and passive form. It is about Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (or Reported Speech).

Actually, that is not a matter of active and passive form. It is about Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (or Reported Speech).

Also, there is a mistake here.

Your sentence: I thought that the old man was wasting our time and I should tell him to go away.

Corrections: I thought that old man was wasting our time and I should tell him to go away.

Explaination: In Indirect Speech, we should change 'the' into 'that'.

Sorry, he has got that correct.
"The" is no need to change to "that".
"The" already has a indirect meaning.