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Errors in Usage -
Part 2/2 |
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This section of our course will
review those errors most commonly presented in the
CPE and teach you what to look for. We will not
review here the basic rules of grammar, such as
the formation and use of the different tenses and
the passive voice, the subjective and objective
cases of pronouns, the position of adjectives and
adverbs, and the like. We assume that a candidate
for the CPE is familiar with basic grammar, and
we will concentrate on error recognition based on
that knowledge. |
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8.
Errors of commonly confused words |
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Following are some of the more commonly misused words in English: |
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a. |
to lie
to lie
to lay |
lied
lay
laid |
lied
lain
laid |
lying
lying
laying |
to tell an
untruth
to recline
to put down |
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IDIOMATIC USAGE:
chickens lay eggs; lay the table;
lay a bet. |
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b. |
to rise
to arise
to raise |
rose
arose
raised |
risen
arisen
raised |
rising
arising
raising |
to go up;
to get up
to wake up; to get up
to lift; to bring up |
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IDIOMATIC USAGE:
a problem has arisen; raise children;
raise vegetables; raise money. |
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c. |
to set
to sit |
set
sat |
set
sat |
setting
sitting |
to put
down
to be into a sitting position |
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IDIOMATIC USAGE:
set a date; set the table;
set the clock; the sun sets. |
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d. |
to let
to leave |
let
left |
let
left |
letting
leaving |
to allow;
to rent
to go away |
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INCORRECT |
He was laying in bed all day yesterday. |
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CORRECT |
He was lying
in bed all day yesterday. |
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INCORRECT |
It had laid in the closet for a week before we found it.
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CORRECT |
It had lain in the closet for a week before we found it. |
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INCORRECT |
The price of gas has raised three times last year.
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CORRECT |
The price of gas
rose three times last year. |
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OR |
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CORRECT |
The price of gas
was raised three times last year. |
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INCORRECT |
He raised slowly from his chair. |
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CORRECT |
He arose slowly
from his chair. |
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INCORRECT |
We just set around the house all day. |
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CORRECT |
We just sat
around the house all day. |
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INCORRECT |
His mother wouldn't leave him go with us. |
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CORRECT |
His mother
wouldn't let him go with us. |
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9.
Errors of misused words and prepositional idioms |
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a. IN SPITE OF /
DESPITE
The two expressions are synonymous; use either one or the other. |
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INCORRECT |
They came despite of the rain. |
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CORRECT |
They came in spite of
the rain. |
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OR |
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CORRECT |
They came despite the rain. |
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b. SCARCELY / BARELY
/ HARDLY.
All three words mean almost not at all; do NOT use a negative with them. |
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INCORRECT |
I hardly never see him. |
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CORRECT |
I hardly ever see him. |
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INCORRECT |
He has scarcely no money. |
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CORRECT |
He has scarcely any money. |
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c. Note and memorize the
PREPOSITIONS in these common idioms: |
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agree/disagree
with |
be interested
in |
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approve/disapprove
of |
dependent
on |
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capable/incapable
of |
except
for |
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be bored
with |
independent
of |
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be afraid
of |
in the habit
of |
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be conscious
of |
next
to |
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be ashamed
of |
related
to |
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be equal
to |
similar
to |
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d. Be careful with the verb
COMPARE: |
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compare
to
► |
point out similarities
between things of a different order. |
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compare
with
► |
point out differences
between
things of the same order. |
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This revision has been completed. |
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Pulsa este
ícono
para abrir y
consultar
las
respuestas correctas.
