Ch 7
Error Analysis
Tense slip · agreement · false friends · register
At C2 you recognise and correct the persistent errors that linger even in advanced learners — patterns that exam graders mark down heavily.
Tense slip
unintended shift between past and present in narrative
Modal misuse
"should of" / "must to" / "could have went"
Article overuse / underuse
"the life is hard" / "I study economics at the university"
Missing inversion
"Never I have seen" instead of "Never have I seen"
Narrative tense slip
She walked in and sits down. → She walked in and sat down.
Past perfect missing
When she arrived, the party ended. → When she arrived, the party had ended.
Backshift confusion
She said she will come. → She said she would come.
Present perfect vs past
I have seen him yesterday. → I saw him yesterday.
Continuous with stative
I am knowing the answer. → I know the answer.
Subject-verb (collective)
The team are winning. (UK ok) but The team is winning. (US/formal)
Proportional subjects
Most of the work are done. → Most of the work is done.
Pronoun ambiguity
When the policeman met the suspect, he was nervous. (who?) → rewrite for clarity
"None of" agreement
None of the candidates is suitable. (formal) / are (informal)
Each / every (singular)
Each student have a book. → Each student has a book.
actually
= in fact (NOT "currently" — that's "at present")
eventually
= finally (NOT "possibly" — that's "perhaps")
sensible
= wise (NOT "sensitive" — that's "easily hurt")
support
= back/help (NOT "tolerate" — that's "put up with")
assist
= help (NOT "attend" — that's "to be present")
large
= big (NOT "long" — that's "long")
pretend
= fake (NOT "intend" — that's "to intend")
Missing inversion
Never I have seen such beauty. → Never have I seen such beauty.
Dangling participle
Walking home, the rain started. → While I was walking home, the rain started.
Pronoun + repeated noun
The book that I read it was great. → The book that I read was great.
"would" in if-clause
If I would have known... → If I had known...
Register slip in formal writing
Don't use contractions in essays. → Avoid contractions in essays.
I have been knowing her since 2010.
→
I have known her since 2010.
stative verb → PP simple
If I would have known, I would have helped.
→
If I had known, I would have helped.
never "would" in if-clause
She suggested me to leave.
→
She suggested that I leave / suggested leaving.
suggest never + to-infinitive
In my opinion, I think this issue is very important.
→
This issue is of considerable importance.
redundancy + register
Recap
Tense
narrative consistency · past perfect · backshift
"had + PP" for earlier past
Agreement
collective · proportional · each/every (singular)
most of the work is
False friends
actually · eventually · sensible · support · assist
memorise correct meaning
Structure
inversion · dangling participle · no "would" in if
never have I / had I known