Rectify The Errors! Grammar Editing Test! Trivia Quiz

1. From observations of the Chinese communitym it can be seen that the promotion of Mandarin as the mother tongue has effectively created a situation where most Chinese will end not speaking in dialects. What should be the correction?

End in not

End up not

End with not

End of not

The correct phrase is "end up not." The corrected sentence should read: "From observations of the Chinese community, it can be seen that the promotion of Mandarin as the mother tongue has effectively created a situation where most Chinese will end up not speaking in dialects." The phrase "end up not" indicates an outcome or result where something does not occur, making it the appropriate correction in this context.

Explanation

The correct phrase is "end up not." The corrected sentence should read: "From observations of the Chinese community, it can be seen that the promotion of Mandarin as the mother tongue has effectively created a situation where most Chinese will end up not speaking in dialects." The phrase "end up not" indicates an outcome or result where something does not occur, making it the appropriate correction in this context.

2. This has been one of the feature of life since I was a student here before we gained independence. What should be the correction?

One of the featured

One of the features

One of the featuring

One of a feature

'one of the' signifies there are many to choose from. So 'feature' should be plural.

Explanation

'one of the' signifies there are many to choose from. So 'feature' should be plural.

3. In the past, many Chinese learnt English as a common language because of the different dialect spoken. What should be the correction?

Dialects spoken

Dialect spoke

Dialects spoke

Dialects speaking

'different' signifies many of the noun, so 'dialect' should be in plural form.

Explanation

'different' signifies many of the noun, so 'dialect' should be in plural form.

4. Those of us who school under the earlier British system were somewhat surprised that the teaching of grammar and syntax had been dropped. What should be the correction?

Schools under

Schooling under

Schooled under

School undered

The phrase "schooled under" is correct because it uses the past participle "schooled," indicating that the subject received their education under the British system in the past. "Schooling under" would imply an ongoing process, while "schools under" and "school undered" are grammatically incorrect. The corrected sentence emphasizes that those educated in the past were surprised by changes in the teaching of grammar and syntax.

Explanation

The phrase "schooled under" is correct because it uses the past participle "schooled," indicating that the subject received their education under the British system in the past. "Schooling under" would imply an ongoing process, while "schools under" and "school undered" are grammatically incorrect. The corrected sentence emphasizes that those educated in the past were surprised by changes in the teaching of grammar and syntax.

5. We have a Chinese population frequently interacting with one another in Mandarin, even if they were primary schooled in English. What should be the correction?

Primary school

Primarily schooling

Primarily schooled

Primary schooling

Adverb form should be used instead of Adjective form.

Explanation

Adverb form should be used instead of Adjective form.

6. I often hear of families gathering to be thrilled and enthral by the magic of Phua Chu Kang's manner of speech. What should be the correction?

Enthralling by

Enthral with

Enthralled by

Enthralled with

Parallel with 'thrilled'.

Explanation

Parallel with 'thrilled'.

7. I prefer to believe that the erosion of the standard of English over the years have to do with two factors: What is the explanation of the error?

Pronoun

Preposition

Word Form

Subject Verb Agreement

Tenses

Erosion is a singular noun, so we'll need a singular verb 'has' instead of 'have'.

Explanation

Erosion is a singular noun, so we'll need a singular verb 'has' instead of 'have'.

8. Social cohesion, that our leaders are attempting to foster, is already there for us to exploit in Singlish. What should be the correction?

Where

Whom

With

Which

Information after 'that' is non-defining.

Explanation

Information after 'that' is non-defining.

9. This may be inevitable as more and more students think in Mandarin, while attempt to speak and write in English. What is the type of error?

Past Participle

Past Continuous

Present Continuous

Present Participle

The given sentence suggests that students are thinking in Mandarin while trying to speak and write in English. The error in the sentence lies in the use of the present participle "thinking" instead of the correct form, which should be "think." The present participle is used to indicate an ongoing action, but in this context, the sentence is referring to a general habit or tendency, which should be expressed using the base form of the verb.

Explanation

The given sentence suggests that students are thinking in Mandarin while trying to speak and write in English. The error in the sentence lies in the use of the present participle "thinking" instead of the correct form, which should be "think." The present participle is used to indicate an ongoing action, but in this context, the sentence is referring to a general habit or tendency, which should be expressed using the base form of the verb.

10. They often evoke laughter and a special sense of bonding among audiences in a way that is rarely experience in other situations. What is the error classified under?

Past Tense

Past Participle

Passive Form

Subject Verb Agreement

The error lies in the phrase “is rarely experience”, which should be “is rarely experienced.” However, looking more closely, the full sentence “They often evoke laughter and a special sense of bonding among audiences in a way that is rarely experience…” shows a mismatch between “is” (singular) and the subject “way” (singular), with “experience” mistakenly used instead of the correct past participle “experienced.” So the error falls under Subject-Verb Agreement and verb form.

Explanation

The error lies in the phrase “is rarely experience”, which should be “is rarely experienced.” However, looking more closely, the full sentence “They often evoke laughter and a special sense of bonding among audiences in a way that is rarely experience…” shows a mismatch between “is” (singular) and the subject “way” (singular), with “experience” mistakenly used instead of the correct past participle “experienced.” So the error falls under Subject-Verb Agreement and verb form.