Error-Correction Exercise 1 Answer Key

Dear students,

Thank you very much for your collaboration!

Below is a corrected version of these sentences.

Most of you have spotted at least the most serious mistakes. Well done!! You are doing fine!!

Sentence 1
* You must to be thin because the fashion decides it
Correction You have to be thin just because fashion decides it
Explanation You cannot use a modal verb such as must or can plus to.
We use the to talk about things in particular, but we omit it to talk about things in
general.

Sentence 2
* I think is the best way to start the day.
Correction I think it is the best way to start the day.
Explanation Dont forget to say the subject of a verb when it is needed.

Sentence 3
* When I go to the restaurant usually I eat a chocolate cake for deserts.
Correction When I go to the restaurant I usually eat chocolate cake for dessert.
Explanation Pay attention to the position of the frequency adverb usually.
Dessert: singular, double ss.

Sentence 4
* One thing that I don't agree with is fried food
Correction One thing that doesnt agree with me is fried food.
Explanation This means that fried food makes you feel ill. (I admit this was a hard one to spot!)

Sentence 5
* they eat too raw fish or undercooked
Correction they eat too much undercooked or raw fish
Explanation The quantifier is missing.
Both adjectives should have been placed before the noun.

Sentence 6
* And my last favourite food is meat, all types of meat: cow, pig, chicken, etc.
Correction And my last favourite food is meat, all types of meat: beef, pork, chicken, etc.
Explanation Sometimes there is one word to talk about an animal and another word to talk about
meat.

Sentence 7
* The menu its very different and original
Correction The menu is very different and original.
Explanation In this sentence there were two subjects: the menu and it.

Sentence 8
* It's very difficult for me to decide which is my favourite type of food.
Correction
It's very difficult for me to decide which my favourite type of food is.
Explanation Since we are not asking a question to anybody, there is no need to place the verb
before the subject. (This was a tricky one too!)

Sentence 9
* Rarely I go to McDonald's
Correction I rarely go to McDonalds
Explanation This is the same mistake as in sentence 3. The frequency adverb should be placed
between the subject and the verb.

Sentence 10
* The restaurant recommended for Patricia is a bad idea
Correction
The restaurant recommended by Patricia is a bad idea
Explanation The agent of a verb is introduced by the preposition by.

All the best!

Carlos