English Language Discussion Forums

lesleyjane · #1 03-Aug-2007, 12:29

Hello everyone

I have decided to make an application to a CELTA course and I have a written pre-interview taks which I am trying to complete and wondered if I might ask for some advice from a qualified teacher.

The task gives 4 mini conversations and ask me to underline and correct the mistake, and then explain the correction clearly, as if I were talking to a group of beginner level students. I think that I can identify and correct the mistakes but I am a little unsure how to explain the correction in simple terms - can anyone offer me some assistance? I have written an idea of how I might explain the mistake in red but could anyone tell me whether I have done it correctly, or if you can suggest a better way of explaining?

1. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, I've left my luggages on the train"

Luggage is a singular word. You could say "suitcases" or "bags" instead, both of which can be plural, but luggage is always singularly.

2. "Have you got a ticket?"
"Yes, I've bought one last week"

I'm a little unsure how to explain this one. You would say "Yes, I bought one last week". The 'have' is unnecessary, but I don't know how to explain why?!

3. "Has Sarah been ill? She has lost a lot of weight"
"Yes, she's really slender now, isn't she?"

Slender is a word which is associated with looking well and healthy. The question implies that Sarah is not well so a more suitable word to use would be 'thin'.

4."Why didn't you phone me last night?"
"Because I did my homework"

The reply should be 'because I was doing my homework' which suggests that the person was actually in the process of doing their homework at the time they could have been making the phonecall. Again, I am not sure how to elaborate on this so any help would be fantastic.

Thank you very much for reading this. If anyone can offer me any suggestions on even one or two of the questions then I would be very grateful.

Thank you very much,

Lesley.

**RonBee** · #2 03-Aug-2007, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesleyjane

1. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, I've left my luggages on the train"

Luggage is a singular word. You could say "suitcases" or "bags" instead, both of which can be plural, but luggage is always singularly.

Sorry, but you got that one wrong. The word luggage is plural. (You can substitute suitcases or bags for it.) It's because the word is already plural that you don't add an es to make it plural. Also, it is more normal to say I left my luggage on the train rather than I've left my luggage on the train.

~R

lesleyjane · #3 03-Aug-2007, 14:45

Ooh, its just as well I asked! Thank you very much.

**RonBee** · #4 03-Aug-2007, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesleyjane

2. "Have you got a ticket?"
"Yes, I've bought one last week"

I'm a little unsure how to explain this one. You would say "Yes, I bought one last week". The 'have' is unnecessary, but I don't know how to explain why?!

With "have" there it should be present perfect, but it is not. It is just mixed up. In any case, you are right that the appropriate sentence (response) is "Yes, I bought one last week".

~R

**RonBee** · #5 03-Aug-2007, 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesleyjane

3. "Has Sarah been ill? She has lost a lot of weight"
"Yes, she's really slender now, isn't she?"

Slender is a word which is associated with looking well and healthy. The question implies that Sarah is not well so a more suitable word to use would be 'thin'.

Try: emaciated, or skeletal, or skin and bones.

A: Has Sarah been ill? She has lost a lot of weight.
B: She's all skin and bones.

The word thin is not really all that bad as a description of someone.

~R

**RonBee** · #6 03-Aug-2007, 20:07

For those who don't know:

What does CELTA stand for?

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (formerly Teaching English as a Foreign Language, TEFL)

http://www.acronymfinder.com/acronym...4-00C04FC2C2BF}

~R

lesleyjane · #7 09-Aug-2007, 16:02

Thanks you for all your replies. I'm so sorry, I'm new here and I didn't realise this would be classed as homework

I'm so embarrassed now!

Thanks anyway, I'll plough through with my own rough ideas and see how I get on.

**RonBee** · #8 11-Aug-2007, 14:32

As it turns out, I was right, but I was right for the wrong reason. Luggage is one of those words (like grass and shrubbery) that refers to more than one thing but is grammatically single.

My luggage is on the train.
The grass is green.
The shrubbery is tall and thick.

We don't say luggages or grasses or shrubberies.

In the sentence "The grass is growing fast this spring because of all the rain" the word grass refers to numerous plants, not one.

I hope that helps.

~R

**RonBee** · #9 12-Aug-2007, 19:06

Suggestions/corrections in red.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesleyjane

Thank you for all your replies. I'm so sorry, I'm new here and I didn't realise this would be classed as homework

I'm so embarrassed now!

Thanks anyway, I'll plough through with my own rough ideas and see how I get on.

I don't think this is what we would ordinarily consider homework. Please post more questions, and we will help when we can.

~R

Jaguar · #10 28-Aug-2007, 18:39

I suppose that 'luggage' is one of those 'non countable noun' thingies.

Lesley, here are 4 sites that you might find helpful:

Intermediate Home

englishdroid | Celta without tears

trainee index

celta-course.com -- What is the CELTA course?

Good luck

Jag