Typical mistakes
allowed by students in the “Vocabulary and Grammar” section
when passing the Unified State Examination in English
- Checking the mastery of the school curriculum
- Method for selecting the most talented and capable applicants
- Since 2008, it is required for admission to some humanities faculties of universities
- It is unified and largely complies with the standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Foreign Languages (levels A2, B1)
What does the Unified State Exam test?
LISTENING
Skills of global, selective and detailed understanding of texts of a monologue and dialogic nature
READING
GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY
Ability to understand authentic texts of various styles
Ability to apply appropriate lexical and grammatical knowledge when working with authentic texts in a foreign language
LETTER
Tests the level of proficiency in productive speech skills
"Grammar and Vocabulary" Unified State Exam: three component test tasks
- basic level tasks testing grammatical skills (B4-B10), consisting of 7 questions;
- advanced level tasks testing word-formation skills (B11-B16), consisting of 6 questions;
- high-level tasks testing vocabulary skills (A22-A28), including 7 questions.
Characteristics of tasks in the “Grammar and Vocabulary” section
Exercise
Number of questions
B4-B10 Basic level
Testable skills
Text type/genre
Knowledge of tense forms of the verb, finite and impersonal forms of verbs; forms of pronouns; forms of degrees of comparison of adjectives, etc.
Job type
Short answer question
Exercise
Number of questions
B11-B16 Basic level
Testable skills
A22-A28 Increased level
Text type/genre
Mastery of word formation methods
Job type
A coherent passage from a narrative text
The use of lexical units taking into account the compatibility of words in accordance with communicative intention
Short answer question
A coherent passage from a literary or journalistic text
Multiple choice task
Typical mistakes of examinees
1. inattention to the context and, as a consequence, incorrect use of tense forms and passive voice:
e.g. Francisco Goya studies(instead of studied ) in Zaragoza, where he was born, and later moved to Madrid.
e.g. He gave(instead of was given) permission to depart for France in 1824 and died in Bordeaux at the age of 82.
2. Ignorance of forms of irregular verbs:
e.g. broken instead of broke ,
felt instead of felt ,
sleepy instead of slept
3. replacing participle I with participle II or vice versa:
e.g. His etchings of the disasters of war, witches, and monsters were the reactions of a sensitive man appalling(instead of appalled) by the events of his time.
4. formation from supporting words of cognate words that are not the part of speech required by the context:
e.g. His extraordinary candor in some royal portraits, where he employs exquisite technique to depict a family, has few parallely(instead of parallels) in commissioned art.
5. filling in the gap with a reference word without changing it:
e.g. attractive instead of more attractive
6. use of non-existent words:
e.g. difficult ness instead of difficult y
ridicul ed instead of ridicul ous
scientific ics instead of scient ist
7. using a negative prefix other than the one used with the specified root:
e.g. un honest , in honest instead of dis honest ;
un practical instead of im practical
8. incorrect spelling of words:
e.g. assist e nt instead of assist a nt;
adverti sent instead of adverti sement ;
sail er instead of sail or
GRAMMAR
- When teaching grammatical knowledge, use coherent, authentic texts.
- Already from the stage of familiarization with the text, get students to understand why this or that grammatical phenomenon is used.
- Teach students to pre-read the entire text and analyze the context in order to correctly determine the timing of the story, the sequence and nature of the actions indicated in it.
- Require students to analyze the structure and meaning of a sentence and observe the necessary word order.
- Offer students tasks in the form of texts with those verb forms that students often confuse.
- Require students to complete a task using a specific technology.
- Teach students to analyze the meaning of the entire text and each sentence, as well as the structure of the sentence, in order to determine:
- what part of speech is needed to fill in the blank;
- the number in which the noun must be formed;
- the need to use a word with a negative meaning.
- Require students to know which part of speech the most common suffixes form, as well as the meaning of prefixes and suffixes.
- Encourage students to remember which stems specific suffixes and prefixes go with.
- Require students to complete assignments using appropriate technology.
- The technology for completing the task is filling in the gaps (word formation).
L eks i k a
When developing the skill of using lexical units in accordance with the compatibility of words:
- Ensure effective work on lexical material at all main stages of teaching vocabulary (familiarization, consolidation in training sessions and productive use in speech). Completing tasks that allow you to use the vocabulary being studied to solve communicative problems is of fundamental importance, because the use of lexical units in various contexts contributes to better memorization of their meanings and develops the skills of their active use in speech.
- Teach students to pay attention to word combinations at all stages of vocabulary learning. Particular attention should be paid to memorizing and training in the use of stable phrases, as well as phrasal verbs.
- Get students to complete lexical tasks using a specific technology.
- It is necessary to develop requirements for mastering the material for each grade or each level of training. This is necessary for the language to be studied systematically.
- It is necessary to develop indicators for the development and formation of skills and competencies, which would represent explanations and at the same time a catalog of specific skills in listening, reading, writing, speaking, etc.
- Careful attention should be paid to recommended reference and training materials.
- Use study time effectively: organize paired and group work, use modern educational technologies.
- Create a language environment in the classroom.
- Create an atmosphere of interest.
- Create a favorable psychological climate in the classroom: the teacher is an equal partner and participant in the process, and not an arbitrator.
We strive so hard to do everything right all the time. Some school habit of doing it without mistakes and getting an A... and, perhaps, happily forgetting everything. If you get an A, your conscience is clear.
Having made a mistake, we usually react as usual - we get upset. The phrase “Everyone does it and it’s normal” upsets and even enrages some; they feel like they are just trying to calm them down.
But everyone really does them - teachers, native speakers, super smart professors - everyone!
And you know what I’ll tell you - you’re even very lucky if you’re wrong. Some people do everything right, perhaps not because they are very smart, but because they simply bypassed something and did not learn something very important or interesting. By making mistakes, we learn. When we stumble, we remember these pebbles, we gain so much knowledge!
By making mistakes, we learn, learn and remember much more!
The most important thing is to make mistakes SMARTLY! Yes, it's possible! You need to notice mistakes and work through them. You can also learn from other people’s pebbles – and from other people’s cones.
Today I propose to confront some common mistakes - let’s recognize them in person!
I just want to tell you one story before this.
N It's been so long since we lived in the Philippines. I remembered our neighbor, a Russian guy who married a Filipina and stayed there to live.
We must give him his due - he learned to express himself very well in English, and this despite the fact that before arriving in the Philippines he did not know English AT ALL. He learned by doing, made a lot of mistakes - but was not afraid to make them and was not at all upset. He speaks, makes mistakes and gradually learns how to do it.
And someone is afraid to make a mistake, remains silent, like a fish, and their knowledge of the language remains at the same level.
Basic mistakes in English
So, back to the pebbles. Let's list and analyze typical mistakes that Russian people often make. Go:
1. Do you agree? – Do you agree?
Incorrect: Are you agree?
Right: Do do you agree?
In the simple tense, both (agree - what to do? - action verb) and the verb “to be” cannot be used. - am/is/are – appears in sentences only where there are no verbs (there are only adjectives, nouns).
Are you at home? (no verb)
Do you like chocolate? (there is a verb “like”).
2. He lives - He lives
Incorrect: He is alive
Correct: He lives s
Another very common mistake among beginners is completely ignoring the 3rd person singular. Remember that with he/she/it a verb ending in -s is used.
3. I don’t speak – I don’t speak
Incorrect: I don't speak English
Correct: I don't speak English
In an English sentence, a negative particle is added to the auxiliary verb or the verb “to be”, we talked about this in the article about (Present Simple).
4. He is a good
Incorrect: He is a good
Correct: He is good
It is correct to say “He is good” - the article is not used if there is no noun.
He is good. He is good (no noun).
He is a good person. He is a good man. (person – noun).
5. A trousers – a pair of trousers
Incorrect: a trousers
Correct: a pair of trousers
Or simply without an article. The indefinite “a” is not used with nouns, since “a” originally came from the numeral “one” - one.
6. This people/that people
Incorrect: This people / that people
Right: These/those people
I've been to Paris. (just an experience, let's show off☺).
I was in Paris in 2009. (a fact in the past, we say when it happened).
12. I feel myself good - I feel good
Incorrect: I feel myself good.
Correct: I feel good.
Unlike Russian, this verb does not require reflexivity.
13. Do mistakes or make mistakes?
Incorrect: I make mistakes.
Correct: I make mistakes.
“To do” in English is expressed through two verbs, which causes confusion among many Russian speakers. The main difference is that “make” has an element of creativity, that is, “do” in the meaning of “produce, create,” and the verb “do” has the basic meaning of “doing, doing.” But there are set phrases that are better to just remember.
14. So and Such
Incorrect: He has so beautiful wife. His wife is so beautiful.
Correct: He has such a beautiful wife! His wife is so beautiful.
“So... So...” So is used with an adjective (without a noun). Such + (adjective) noun.
Your dress is so good! (after “such (so)” there is ONLY an adjective!)
You have such a good dress! (after “such” comes an adjective AND a noun).
15. Interesting or interested?
Incorrect: I’m very interesting in history.
Correct: I’m very interested ed in history.
–ing adjectives describe the quality of something or someone, while –ed adjectives show a person’s reaction to something.
This sound is very annoy ing(This sound is very annoying. It itself has this quality, annoying others).
We are annoy ed. (We are irritated. Something annoys us. This is our reaction).
16. In or to?
Incorrect: I’ve been in China.
Correct: I have been to China.
The Present Perfect uses the preposition “to”.
17. Money is - money is
Incorrect: Money is important.
Correct: Money is important.
Although "money" is plural in Russian, it is singular in English.
18. Clothes is - clothes are
Incorrect: Clothes is beautiful.
Correct: Clothes are beautiful.
But with clothes it’s the opposite. Clothes in English are plural.
19. Didn’t go or didn’t go?
Incorrect: I didn’t go.
Correct: I didn't go.
And this is our “woe from mind.” Once you have learned it, you need to apply it everywhere :)). We remember that in the past tense in negatives and questions (that is, where there is an auxiliary “did”, the infinitive form of the verb is used, the first, without any endings or transformations).
20. Advice
Incorrect: advices.
Right: a piece of advice
We bring to your attention a video lesson about common mistakes that our compatriots make.
And the second part:
What mistakes are you making?
Let's discuss in the comments.
If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
Paradoxically, the mistakes that Russian-speaking students make are made because of its... excessive simplicity. It would seem that it couldn’t be simpler - put the subject in an affirmative sentence first, then the predicate, object and adverbial place. But no - unnecessary rearrangements begin, and the result is not at all what is needed.
By the way, the word “error” is translated into English as mistake. You can also use the word "error" [ˈɛrə], but more often it is used in technology, as an error message in the system.
Thus, typical errors in English begin with word order. In questions, you need to put the auxiliary verb before the predicate, and in negative constructions, put “not” after the auxiliary verb and you will almost never make a mistake. Why “almost never” will be discussed below. Here are examples of statements, questions and denials:
Jonny can solve the problem right away. Johnny can solve the problem right now.
Can Jonny solve the problem right away? Can Johnny...?
Jonny cannot solve the problem right away. Johnny can't...
It seems that everything is fine here, but the difficulties begin further when there is no verb in the sentence that could play the role of an auxiliary:
Jonny solves problems right away. Johnny solves problems right away.
The first difficulty in this sentence is the placement of the letter S in the word solves. It would seem that this letter can be dispensed with and everything will remain clear. But a rule is a rule, and in the simple present tense the letter S is placed in the third person and singular. This simplest rule becomes a real stumbling block for Russian students and the result is a text in English with errors.
Prepositions and auxiliary verb Do
Further more: at the cost of incredible effort, the student is convinced that such sentences contain the auxiliary verb Do, but it is even more difficult to teach him that the letter S moves from the main verb to the auxiliary.
Does Jonny solve problems right away?
Jonny does not solve problems right away.
Where does the “e” in the word “does” come from? And this is just for convenience, so as not to be confused with the word dos (“back of the dress” or the plural in the expression “dos and don’t’s”).
Typical mistakes include incorrect use of prepositions. It is impossible to say on Sunday, since almost all words or phrases with the word “day” use the preposition “on”. Also, if in Russian we say “I’m angry with you,” then the English use another preposition “I’m angry with you” - “I am angry with you.”
Checking for errors
Often checking English text for errors reveals typical incorrect uses of forms of the verb be. It is extremely difficult to teach a Russian-speaking person that in the simple present tense this verb has three forms (am, is, are), and that its use in denominal constructions is strictly obligatory. Let's continue with Johnny:
Jonny is a mathematician. Johnny is a mathematician.
There are two possible errors in this sentence: 1) non-use of the indefinite article (with rare exceptions, obligatory at the first mention of a countable subject); 2) non-use of the form of the verb be (is). In this case, it is necessary to understand that there are practically no sentences without a predicate in the English language.
Based on the information provided, we suggest correcting errors in the English text:
I student. Goes I to my university every day except Sunday. My girlfriend come with me because to the university bring I her by car. She are very pretty girl.
I am a student. I go to the university every day except Sunday. My friend comes with me because I bring her to the university by car. She's a very pretty girl.
How often do we translate into Russian with errors?
Many translation errors from English into Russian are associated with the so-called tracing paper - an unjustified literal translation. For example, to translate an English proverb, it is advisable to choose a Russian equivalent. Here is the literal translation and what it should be: Too many cooks spoil the broth. Tracing paper: Too many cooks spoil the broth. Russian equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth.
The translator’s “false friends” may also let you down. For example, director is a director, water-melon is not a “water melon”, but a watermelon, accurate is not neat, but precise. There are many such examples that can be given.
In addition, the translated text may have "emphatically English" word order in the sentence. There are more options for rearranging words in Russian. Therefore, when translating, you should not be shy about changing words and phrases or selecting Russian equivalents for those phrases that sound ridiculous in direct translation.
Register on our website Lim English.com and take free online exercises. The smart system itself will detect your mistakes and offer to complete your homework. With Lim English you will deal with common mistakes and translation difficulties.
The educational and reference manual is intended for a wide range of people who study and teach English: school teachers and university professors, students of secondary and higher educational institutions, as well as for everyone who strives to speak and write English without errors.
The manual includes 160 English words and constructions, grouped into 74 dictionary entries, which analyze typical errors and the reasons for their occurrence, and also provide exercises with keys that help reinforce the correct use of the words discussed in the manual.
BY ALL MEANS BY NO MEANS.
Unfortunately, many people who believe that the best way to learn a foreign language is to try to guess the meaning of words instead of using a dictionary misunderstand the expressions by all means and by no means. These are idiomatic expressions whose meaning cannot be derived directly from the word “means”. They do not mean “by all/by any means” and “by any means.”
Download the e-book for free in a convenient format, watch and read:
Download the book Typical mistakes of Russian speakers in English, Levin I.I., 2017 - fileskachat.com, fast and free download.
- Books on English
- English step by step, Complete course, Bonk N.A., Levina I.I., Bonk I.A., 2015 - This is a classic textbook, a reference book for several generations of English language learners. In it you will find a consistently structured course of English grammar... Books on English
- English step by step, Part 1, Bonk N.A., Levina I.I., Bonk I.A., 2015 - This is a classic textbook in two parts, a reference book for several generations of English language learners. In it you will find a sequentially built… Books on English
- English step by step, part 2, Audio course MP3, Bonk N.A., Levina I.I., 2001 - The textbook is an initial English language course, which is based on a methodologically new teaching principle. Texts and exercises are based on... Books on English
The following textbooks and books:
- Friendly meetings with the English language, Kolpakchi M.A., 1995 - How to speak English and be understood? The answer is simple: you need to learn words and comprehend the internal structure and logic of English speech. More often … Books on English
- English language “excellent”, 6th grade, Kotlyarova M.B., Melnik T.N. - area an area, a geographic area, a populated area, a new area. Does she live in this area? The area… Books on English
- English for applicants, Kuskov M.I., 2003 - Includes materials and useful recommendations for preparing for the entrance exam in English to higher educational institutions of the Republic of Belarus. For … Books on English
- Legal English In Use, Novoselova T.N., 2009 - Methodological recommendations for the course Foreign Language (English) are intended for students of higher educational institutions studying in specialty 030501 - Jurisprudence. ... Books on English
The purpose of this book is to help you avoid common mistakes that English language learners tend to make.
MISUSED FORMS.
USING A WRONG PREPOSITION
Mistakes are often made by using a wrong preposition after certain words. The following list includes the words which most often give trouble:
1. Absorbed (= very much interested) in, not at.
Don't say: The man was absorbed at his work. Say: The man was absorbed in his work.
2. Accuse of, not for.
Don't say: He accused the man for stealing. Say: He accused the man of stealing.
NOTE. But "charge" takes "with": as. The man was charged with murder."
3. Accustomed to, not with.
Don't say: I am accustomed to hot weather. Say: I am accustomed to hot weather.
NOTE. Also "used to": as, "He is used to the heat/"
4. Afraid of, not from.
Don't say: The girl is afraid from the dog. Say: The girl is afraid of the dog.
CONTENTS.
I. Misused Forms
II. Incorrect Omissions
III. Unnecessary Words
IV. Misplaced Words
V. Confused Words
Exercises
Index
Download the e-book for free in a convenient format, watch and read:
Download the book Common Errors in the English Language, 1994 - fileskachat.com, fast and free download.
- Dictionary of typical errors in the English language, Vybornov A.V., 2012 - There are a large number of words and expressions, the translation of which presents significant difficulties for those learning English. This dictionary will help... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- All the rules of the English language in diagrams and tables, Derzhavina V.A., 2018 - This reference book contains a basic course in English grammar. All rules are illustrated with examples and translation into Russian. Simple tables and diagrams... Books on English
- Great self-instruction manual of the English language, Derzhavina V.A., 2018 - The famous author of dictionaries and manuals on the English language V.A. Derzhavina presents the Great self-instruction manual of the English language. This is a new generation tutorial... Books on English
- Preparing for English lessons in elementary school, methodological manual, Nikonova N.K., 2004 - This manual is addressed to beginning and experienced English teachers working in elementary schools. The book includes speech exercises, script fragments... Books on English
The following textbooks and books:
- English in 15 minutes, entry level, Tuchina N.V., 2015 - A set of book and disk has been prepared for those who have little free time and who need to quickly acquire or restore... Books on English
- Idioms, Gurikova Y.S., 2018 - This manual was created to facilitate the learning of idioms and proverbs by students and enrich their vocabulary. Each lesson contains a glossary,... Books on English
- Learning English, 3rd grade, Ilchenko V.V., 2017 - All children love to color. And this is very useful, as it develops fine motor skills, creativity, perseverance and accuracy, and relieves stress. ... Books on English
- 505 most important English phrases, ready-made templates and designs, Trofimenko T.G., 2013 - Card 9. Take me to the hotel. Take me to the hotel (You ask the taxi driver to take you to some.place) Take... Books on English
