[General] What's his usual English test scores?

[Silverobama]

Hi.

In China the test score of English is usually 150. Last night I met Angela in an English club. She has a 14-year-old son. I asked some questions about her son and one question was "What are his usual English test scores?" I wonder if it's natural to ask it. Her son is a middle school student and students in middle take tests from time to time besides the midterm and the final.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's grammatically incorrect. You've used "What's" (contraction of "What is") at the start but ended with "scores" (plural noun). Fix that problem and we can comment on the naturalness of the resulting question.

 

[teechar]

In China the test score of English is usually 150.

Clarify that too. Do you mean that 150 is the maximum mark/score, or that students on average get 150 marks?

 

[Silverobama]

It's grammatically incorrect. You've used "What's" (contraction of "What is") at the start but ended with "scores" (plural noun). Fix that problem and we can comment on the naturalness of the resulting question.

Done.

 

[Silverobama]

Clarify that too. Do you mean that 150 is the maximum mark/score, or that students on average get 150 marks?

The full score of each English test is 150 because the test includes many different parts: reading, writing, listening and so on.

 

[teechar]

The full/maximum (possible) score [STRIKE]of each[/STRIKE] in the English test is 150 because the test includes many different parts: reading, writing, listening and so on.

What are his usual English test scores?

Yes, that's possible.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi.

In China, the maximum English test score [STRIKE]of English[/STRIKE] is usually 150. Last night, I met Angela [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE] at an English club. She has a 14-year-old son. I asked some questions about her son and one [STRIKE]question[/STRIKE] was "What are his usual English test scores?" I wonder if it's natural to ask it. Her son is a middle school student [STRIKE]and[/STRIKE] where students [STRIKE]in middle[/STRIKE] take occasional/ad hoc tests, [STRIKE]from time to time[/STRIKE] besides the midterm and the final exams.

Note my changes above. Thank you for correcting the subject/verb agreement. The question is grammatically correct. I would be more inclined to ask "What does he usually score in his English tests?"

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . I asked some questions about her son, and one question was "What are his usual English test scores?" I wonder if it's natural to ask that. . . .

Yes, as you've corrected it, it's natural.

I've never noticed whether the British do this, but in the US, people often use there's when they mean there are — maybe because it's easier to say, as in: There's millions of mistakes you can make speaking English.

 

[Rover_KE]

It's the same in BE.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's common in some contexts but I don't think this is one of them.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It's common in some contexts but I don't think this is one of them.

Right. What's isn't there's.

I just though Silver would think it's interesting.