LanguageTeach

San Jose City College

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Error Analysis
Nonidiomatic Word Order and Word Choice within Common Phrases

The following table contains word order errors that affect small segments of the sentence. Analyze the sentences to find the errors and ask how you would correct them. Then read the sentence notes by clicking the teacher icon.

1.	*A day after, I got the car, drove it for a while, and brought it back, but with a quite big* dent.**	1. After is a preposition [after one day, or the day after our argument] or a subordinator [After I had waited for a day,...]. In the context of the sentence, the adverb later is required [A day later]. If the event that happened the day before is clear from the context, the day after is correct, but never a day after. 2. The article always stays together with the noun phrase [a big dent]. Quite is an adverb of degree and should be positioned before the whole noun phrase: quite a big dent.
2.	*I felt happy when I did the thing very meaningful* in my life.**	1. The correct word order is Adjective + Noun. Very modifies the adjective meaningful, so the phrase very meaningful must precede the noun. 2. In the context of the sentence, thing is an indefinite noun. The indefinite article is required. 3. Eliminate meaningless phrases like "in my life." Of course, everything occurs "in life." It's unnecessary to say so. However, the writer could add information about time or place. Revision: I felt happy when I did a very meaningful thing...(when? where?)
3.	A vivid example of this situation happened to me in May 2003 at work, at Togo’s, a sandwiches fast food restaurant.	In this example, the writer uses two qualifying adjectives showing the type of restaurant. Are both necessary? yes no Don't all Togo's restaurants serve sandwiches? yes no "(A)t work, at Togo's" chops up the sentence. Use a time clause:...while I was working at Togo's, a restaurant. Or...while I was working at Togo's, a restaurant. Though unnecessary, the writer could use "a fast food sandwich restaurant."
4.	*Stress affects daily our lives* and experiences.**	How did the writer use "daily"? as an adverb as an adjective While the use of "daily" as an adverb is not incorrect, it sounds nonidiomatic or somewhat awkward in this context. If daily were used idiomatically in this sentence, where would the writer place it? before the verb before the compound noun phrase "lives and experiences" Write the adjective in its usual position and hit enter: Stress affects our lives and experiences.
5.	*Now I am supervisor assistant* of that supermarket.**	"Supervisor" is the head noun. The writer assists the supervisor. Place the words in correct order and hit enter. Now I am of that supermarket.
6.	*In my Vietnamese culture class, my teacher gave us an assignment to give a presentation about one of Vietnamese special customs.*	The head noun in the italicized phrase is custom Vietnamese "Special" is an adjective showing type opinion The instructor assigned a presentation about a custom. The writer should avoid unnecessary words. Revise the sentence, typing the noun phrase with adjectives in the correct order. In my Vietnamese culture class, my teacher assigned a presentation about a .
7.	*It was one of the most important opportunities that life had given me to become successful. However, I gave up it* because I wanted to help my oldest daughter.**	What kind of verb phrase is "gave up"? separable inseparable Rewrite the verb phrase with the pronoun in the correct position. However, I because I wanted to help my oldest daughter.
8.	*By cooperating with others, I can learn those things that by books,* I cannot learn.**	...(T)hat I cannot learn is what type of clause? noun clause adjective clause What would a native speaker say? by books from books Adverbs of manner go at the end of the clause. Rewrite the sentence with the adverb placed in the correct position. Hit enter. By cooperating with others, I can learn things that I cannot learn .
9.	Charging tuition and fees make students responsible and aware of the value of an education more.	There is an implied comparison in this sentence. Which word tells you so? When we compare the effect of charging tuition to not charging tuition, we say that it makes students responsible and aware of the value of an education. Always place more before an adjective or adverb. The meaning is charging tuition makes students more responsible and aware of the value of an education than not charging tuition.
10.	It would be a burden for colleges to take care all of the expenses without charging tuition.	The italicized verb phrase is separable inseparable Can you ever place a sentence element between an inseparable verb and its particle? yes no Rewrite the sentence keeping the verb phrase together. Then hit enter. It would be a burden for colleges to all of their expenses without charging tuition. Note the correct determiner.
11.	*Colleges don't have money enough* for free tuition.**	Students often make errors with the word enough. Enough is an adverb when it follows an adverb or adjective: He did well enough on his exam. He's smart enough to pass the course. Enough is an adjective when it precedes a noun: Colleges won't have enough money if they don't charge tuition. Students need enough time to complete their courses. Sentence function determines the word order.
12.	*I told my friend about my computer problem, and he told to other four people* and all of us fixed the problem.**	We tell someone about something. Click the incorrect phrase in the sentence to see the idiomatic phrase. I told my friend about my computer problem, and he told to other four peopletold four other people, and all of us fixed the problem. Always put the number before other...four other. Note: We tell a story to someone. We tell lies to others or tell someone a lie. When you aren't sure how to use the verb tell, it's best to consult a dictionary.

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