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Old 25-Sep-2004, 10:44
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Default Correct mistakes in passage

Correcting mistakes in passage
I helped a person to correct its passage.
Unfortunately, I am very weak at English.
I encountered a lot of difficulties in marking the passage.

The passage and questions are as follows:
[** indicated problematic statements/things]
===========================================

Today, my teacher told me to write a diary.
**So I need to use english to write this article.**
**But no important things are needed to write down.**

… **Person A got better marks in biology test than me. I am very happy because he is getting

more

hardworking…**


==========================================

Q:
1. **So I need to use english to write this article.**
Regarding the whole sentence, Is it grammatically correct? Even if so, is it natural enough?
Is it better to rewrite as "So I need to write this article in English"?

2. **But no important things are needed to write down.**
I can't really catch its meaning. I think of a lot of alternatives. See which is better:
- But this article is of no importance/significance // just trivia.
- But only trivia are included in this article.
- But there are no special/important things for me to write down
- But I don't have any special/important things to write down

Are the above grammatically correct?
Which is the best?

3. **Person A got better marks in biology test than me. **
First I think it should be higher.
Second is it ok to put "than me" at the end of the sentence? I prefer " Person A got higher marks

(than me) in the biology test." Any ideas?

4. **I am very happy because he is getting more hardworking…**
"…getting more hardworking". Is it correct?
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Old 27-Mar-2008, 05:46
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Default Re: Correct mistakes in passage

Today, my teacher told me to write a diary.
**So I need to use english to write this article.**
**But no important things are needed to write down.**

… **Person A got better marks in biology test than me. I am very happy because he is getting

more

hardworking…**

My SUGGESTION:
Today my teacher told me to write a diary.
I must use English words to write this article.
However, there are no important things to write down.

Another person receive a better score in biology test better than me. I am so proud of him, because the test results showed his hardworks.
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Old 27-Mar-2008, 06:27
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David L. is a glorious beacon of lightDavid L. is a glorious beacon of lightDavid L. is a glorious beacon of lightDavid L. is a glorious beacon of lightDavid L. is a glorious beacon of lightDavid L. is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: Correct mistakes in passage

Q:
1. **So I need to use english to write this article.**
Regarding the whole sentence, Is it grammatically correct? Even if so, is it natural enough?
Is it better to rewrite as
"So I need to write this article in English" - correct

2. **But no important things are needed to write down.**
I can't really catch its meaning. I think of a lot of alternatives. See which is better:

Perhaps : But I don't have any interesting things to write about.

- But this article is of no significance- it's just trivia. -is good English

- (He was asked to write a serious report on the situation) but only trivia are included in this article.

- But there are no special or important things for me to write about
This is correct English but not the best way to express what you wish to say.

- But I don't have any special/important things to write down
Good English.

3. **Person A got better marks in the biology test than me. **
First I think it should be 'higher'.

Your suggestion is very good. However, you will hear school children talk of the marks as 'better' and as 'she got worse marks than me.'

Second is it ok to put "than me" at the end of the sentence? I prefer " Person A got higher marks (than me) in the biology test."
OK, but the 'marks' are in 'biology' and so it is better to refer to it after 'marks', so that 'than me' has to come at the end.
'than me' is colloquial. 'than I did' is more formally correct.

4. **I am very happy because he is getting more hardworking…**
"…getting more hardworking". Is it correct?
I am very happy because he is working harder in class. (A mother might say this of her child)
I am very happy to see that he is working harder in class. (A teacher might say this.)

'Hardworking' is a word we might use when speaking about an employee. When speaking about a child in the upper primary or high school, the better word to use is possibly 'diligent'

Last edited by David L. : 27-Mar-2008 at 06:48.
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