English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 3: Common ESL Errors II

Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

Session 3: Common ESL Errors II (Pronoun Agreement and Reference, Articles

and Nouns)

Part A: Diagnostic Test

Ten grammatical mistakes in the following passage have been underlined.

Correct the mistakes in the space between the lines.

Assisted suicide, aka euthanasia, is process by which individual, who may

otherwise be incapable, is provided with the means, such as equipment, drugs etc., to

commit suicide. As in many other jurisdiction, assisted suicide is illegal in Hong

Kong. For years, people have still been discussing whether or not assisted suicide

should be legalized. One of the major arguments against it is that legalizing assisted

suicide will open the “floodgates” to people seeking mercy killing.

In spite of opposite views, I am in total support of them. Anyone who has ever

experienced situation in which your relatives tell you that he or she could not stand

the pain of an additional day will perhaps understand why mercy killing in some cases

is necessary. When different potentially effective medicines are tried and all hopes

exhausted, to “forcibly” prolong the lives of the dying is nothing but a torture.

Besides, while it is perfectly legal for a person to take their life, wouldn't it be absurd

to disallow another to determine how their life should end simply because he or she is

incapable of doing so.

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 3: Common ESL Errors II
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

Glossary
1. Euthanasia: The death of putting to death a person suffering from incurable
disease
2. Jurisdiction: The extent and range of judicial, law enforcement
3. Floodgate: Something serving to restrain an outburst (like claims and litigations)
4. Exhaust: To use up, or wear out completely
5. Absurd: Illogical, senseless, contrary to reason

Part B: Grammar Principles – Review

Pronoun Agreement
A pronoun is a replacement of a noun. A pronoun must agree with the word it
replaces in (1) number and in (2) gender. For example, Joshua and Marta are
members of Orbis’s medical volunteers and they will be involved in the post-operative
consultations in the coming weekend.

Articles and Nouns

Use a or an for singular nonspecific count nouns; use the with all specific nouns –
specific singular, plural, and noncount nouns. For plurals and noncount nouns,
articles can be omitted. For example, something strange happened to me when I was
in the library this morning. The new textbook I purchased, which I placed on the table,
was gone after I went to look for some references; I found instead a used one placed
on the table.

Part C: Concept Boosting Exercises

Exercise C1: The following are some ungrammatical sentences. Identify (i) the
mistake(s) and (ii) correct the mistake(s). Some sentences may have more than
one error.

1. Either the servers or the manager must give their permission for you to return that
half-eaten dish.

2. It was easy quiz. However, because I have never been good at Accounting, it
still took me a long time to complete the paper.

3. My brother’s son, in a way resembling many young kids, believes in everything

they come across in tabloids.

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 3: Common ESL Errors II
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

4. If you want to take leave during the Lunar New Year, they had better indicate their
wish as soon as possible.

5. Even with the most effective tattoo removal procedure, a person’s skin can hardly
be restored to their original condition. Thus, a person should think twice before
having tattoos.

6. The ideas put forth by Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud had no doubt made its mark
on twentieth-century life.

7. Ben is the most pessimistic person I have come across. He likes to look on dark
side of things. When he encounters problems, he always dramatizes it. Indeed,
these days I find him so intolerable that his grumbles always madden me.

8. What did teacher say about your performance in recent test?

9. You can always understand a person by looking at company they keep.

10. When people are in love, they tend to downplay problem found in their partners.
It is only when lovers are no longer so much in love that minor problems escalate
into major mistakes.

Exercise C2: Add an appropriate article (a/an, the, or φ) in the blanks. There can
be more than one possible answer.

1. I didn't bring ____________ alcohol you asked for. I completely forgot about it.

2. Did you tip _____________ magicians at your party? Their performance

suggested that they certainly didn't deserve our tipping.

3. Christina wanted to purchase ______________ gift for her grandmother, but she
ended up buying things for herself.

4. I know Galen’s character. He will not like to share ___________ problems with
others. However, he wouldn't mind mentioning his problems once they were
resolved.

5. Would you like ______________ cold iced tea?

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 3: Common ESL Errors II
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

Exercise C3: Add appropriate personal pronouns (she, it, etc.) or articles (a/an,
the) in the blanks.

1. Mary got a new car for ________ birthday. She is glad that her parents gave
________ to her for _________ car will be much more practical than other gifts.

2. The essay that Michele submitted received an F grade. For one,

______________ didn't include any of the components Dr. Killah had explained
when he assigned __________ essay. For the other, Dr Killah retrieved
_________ replica of Michele’s work in the Internet.

Exercise C4: Select one of the following topics and write a 100-word paragraph
in response to the chosen topic by applying the language skills learnt in these
three sessions.

Question i
Friends are indispensible to our life. However, conflicts are unavoidable even amid
the best friends. In your opinions, how can we maintain a harmonious relationship
with others?

Question ii
"Teenage models like Chrissie Chau, Angelababy, Lavina etc have caused heated
discussion among the "netizens" or the public these days. Do you think that these
models have cast a bad influence on youngsters? Why or why not?"

Outline

Point: ______________________________________________________________

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Support:

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 3: Common ESL Errors II
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

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