Explaining corrected sentences.

[cmcybergal]

1. "She has blue eyes and fair hairs" should read "She has blue eyes and fair hair"

2."I have been to california last year" should read "I went to california last year"
3. "They eat fish and chips always on a Friday" should read "They always eat fish and chips on a Friday."
4. "If I will go to London I will see the Queen" should read "If I go to London I will see the Queen"
5. "Did you last Wednesday saw the film?" should read "Did you see the film Last Wednesday?"

How would you explain these changes, simply, to a student?

Your help would be appreciated.

[sheena55ro]

Originally Posted by cmcybergal

1. "She has blue eyes and fair hairs" should read "She has blue eyes and fair hair"
2."I have been to california last year" should read "I went to california last year"
3. "They eat fish and chips always on a Friday" should read "They always eat fish and chips on a Friday."
4. "If I will go to London I will see the Queen" should read "If I go to London I will see the Queen"
5. "Did you last Wednesday saw the film?" should read "Did you see the film Last Wednesday?"
How would you explain these changes, simply, to a student?
Your help would be appreciated.

Answers:
1.She has blue eyes and fair hair.[describing a person]; but also ..Despite having a beautiful black hair , she also has several white hairs.
2. You cannot use present perfect tense [have been] in this sentence because the adverbial phrase "last year" denotes a definite past action .
Consequently, you have to use past tense :
I was[ or went] to California last year

Present perfect tense is used to denote :

a] past action with a present result :She has spent all her money so, she cannot help us.[ the result:...she cannot help us]
b] an action repeated for a number of times in the experience of the subject: I have never seen a pink cat.
c] past action recently finished : We have just moved.
etc....
Past tense is used to denote a definite past action : They met last week.
She often visited me when she was living here.
3. correct : They always eat fish and chips on Fridays ...or.. They usually eat fish and chips on Fridays [ each Friday]. Adverbs of frequency [ sometimes, usually, always ,etc] should be placed immediately after the subject , when using present tense simple.
4. correct : If I go to London.....- this is a conditional clause type I and you
should not use future tense in this kind of clause , but only in the main clause.
5. Did you see the film last Wednesday?
a] did you see?- :did" is the word used to make the interrogative form of the verb "see" in the past tense simple[ conjugate : did I see? / did you see?/did he see?/ did she see?. etc..]
b] "last Wednesday" -adverbial phrase of time should be placed [in the interrogative sentences] at the end of the sentence.
In the affirmative or negative sentences you can place them either at the beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence:
e.g. I saw the film last Wednesday
Last Wednesday I saw the film.
In my opinion, this adverbial phrase sounds better at the end of the sentence ; you can place it at the beginning if you want to emphasize the idea of time[ when the action takes place]

All the best,