If I had a penny for every language mistake I have made over the years, I would be rich. Filthy rich, at that!
And you know what? I am glad I have messed up so many times, because without those mistakes, I would not be the person I am today. I remember believing that "family" and "always" were spelled *familly and *allways and I recall my high school English teacher correcting these errors. I did get a lower grade due to these mistakes but I do hope that you don't necessarily have to be 'penalized' for each mistake you make to remember it. Mistakes are a valuable tool that you can use as guidance in learning a foreign language and although each of you has a different weak spot (for some, it's spelling, for others it's prepositions, etc.), there are certain mistakes that almost all of you made (or still make) at some point. This week, we'll focus on identifying and recognizing the types of mistakes that students make with the hope that you'll avoid some of them in the future. I don't have to emphasize the fact that exam makers know very well where you are the weakest and like to exploit these language weaknesses in order to test your proficiency in English so don't indulge them. Some of these mistakes are: 1. NOT using perfect tenses correctly (I *didn't go* to the cinema since. By the time we finish, he *will already arrive* home. They *have discovered* the vaccine in 2009. ) 2. misusing articles (using articles with uncountable/abstract nouns and not using articles with countable nouns - We should protect *the* nature) and quantifiers (We should have *less* subjects in school) 3. negative transfer/interference from your native tongue (mostly visible when you misuse prepositions -e.g. "Okreni ovu stolicu ZA 90 stupnjeva." - "Turn this chair *FOR 90 degrees." - whereas it should be "BY 90 degrees", and when you attempt to translate directly from CRO into ENG - "..kad napunim 18 godina", "when I *become/fulfill* 18 *years*", whereas it should be "when I TURN 18..", "voditi dnevnik" , "*lead* a diary" vs "KEEP a diary", Svi su u školi" -- "Everybody *are* at school." vs "Everybody IS at...") 4. lacking awareness of collocations and language nuances (e.g. materinski jezik - is not *mother language* but MOTHER TONGUE, pisati ispit - we don't *write* exams but we TAKE or SIT exams; The flowers had a special *smell* - vs SCENT ) 5. using wrong verb forms with unreal past and subjunctive mood (I wish I *have* more money; I suggest you use 6. not acknowledging the use of conditional structures (If we knew that we were making mistakes, we *won't make* them in the first place. ) 7. word order when using relative WH-pronouns and reporting questions in affirmative sentence (I don't know what *did he do*. vs I don't know what HE did.) 8. misspelling words that are homophones (deer vs dear, it's vs its, break vs brake, etc.) 9....and many more... We'll focus on some of the mistakes and how to rectify them via google forms. Most questions will include a feedback message that explains why a certain answer is the correct one. Your attendance will be recorded automatically by collecting your email addresses. You have to complete this form by 2 April. forms.gle/Gak2QkeMFah3q4VM6
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