Emilio's homework task 27 March 2010
Post categories: Student blog
| 23:10 UK time, Friday, 26 March 2010
COLOCATIONS
Can you choose the correct verb for each of these blanks? Choose from make, go, give, have, do or ask. Almost all these verbs should be in the past simple tense.
1. He _made_ a great presentation at the conference yesterday.
2. I told him to _went_ for it!
3. We _had_ a huge argument and now I'll have to apologise.
4. She _asked_ them a question about history.
5. They _gave_ her the correct answer.
6. She _did_ her homework last week.
7. But she _had_ a few mistakes in it.
8. I _gave_ a speech at my best friend's wedding a few years ago.
9. I'll _give_ this favour for you, but you have to buy me a coffee in return.
10. I said I'll _make_ the speaking if she looked after the technical side of the presentation
Not enough, too many and a few
After Nuala's explanations this expressions are clear.
[BAD] 11. Luckily for me there weren't enough people.
[CORRECTED ] 11. Luckily for me there were a few people.
Comment number 1.
At 28th Mar 2010, Nitin Bajpai wrote:English language for us Indians is not our mother tongue but it is not far behind too, be it Hindi or any other language spoken in various parts of India. Most of the Indians have a difficulty in spontaneity of the language usage so many would try thinking in native language and translating in English which makes the sentences little uneasy to understand if not weird.
I am no different than us Indians as I also continuously try to get better. So reading this blog and writing simultaneously is my step towards breaking my duck and slipping out of my fears (of writing wrong and giving an opportunity to nit pickers to make fun of myself). I am sure this will struck a chord with many of non english speaking people.
Finally I appreciate Emilio and Nuala for contributing to this blog, so we take the bull by horns and can tick one more off my list if not ours.
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Comment number 2.
At 29th Mar 2010, kirsti wrote:Hi, Emilio.
I'm curious to know what Nuala will write. When I read your sentence I corrected it in my mind to « Luckily for me there weren't too many peopleÌý». Seeing Nuala's explanation I understand that you chose «Ìýa fewÌý» because you thought it was OK with that number of people listening to you. My choice could still be defended by Nuala's explanation, because it could be understood « Luckily for me there were NOT people listening in a number that is bigger than I think is acceptable". To me there is something missing in your corrected sentence. I would be happy with «ÌýLuckily for me there were only a few peopleÌý», shorter than Nuala's example «Ìý There were a few people at my presentation, so I wasn't as nervous as if I'd been speaking in front of the whole universityÌý», but implying it. I hope Nuala will give her opinion.
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Comment number 3.
At 30th Mar 2010, Nuala wrote:Hi Emilio,
You did your homework very well. You got almost all of the sentences right. Numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were perfect. Well done!
As I did with your other homework tasks, I've made a few comments, with 'Nuala says:' before them.
1. He _made_ a great presentation at the conference yesterday.
Nuala says: The verb we use with 'a presentation' is 'give' so you should say:
He gave a great presentation yesterday.
2. I told him to _went_ for it!
Nuala says: You got the right verb ('go'), but although the main verb (told) was in the past tense, the other verb ('go') should have been an infinitive. So it should have been:
I told him to go for it!
3. We _had_ a huge argument and now I'll have to apologise.
4. She _asked_ them a question about history.
5. They _gave_ her the correct answer.
6. She _did_ her homework last week.
7. But she _had_ a few mistakes in it.
8. I _gave_ a speech at my best friend's wedding a few years ago.
Nuala says: 3 – 8 were all correct. Congrats! You could also say, in number 7, 'She made a few mistakes...'
9. I'll _give_ this favour for you, but you have to buy me a coffee in return.
The verb we use with 'favour' is 'do'. So here you'd say:
I'll do this favour for you...
10. I said I'll _make_ the speaking if she looked after the technical side of the presentation
Nuala says: with 'the speaking' (like 'a favour', 'the washing up', the 'dishes', 'the ironing' and other such like chores) we use 'do'. So we'd say:
I'll do the speaking ....
[BAD] 11. Luckily for me there weren't enough people.
[CORRECTED ] 11. Luckily for me there were a few people.
Nuala says: This is fine, as is Kirsti's suggestion of 'weren't too many' since both options show that your attitude to the number of attendees who came to your presentation was OK. If you wanted to make if sound more natural, you could add 'only' to your suggestion, Emilio. Like this:
Luckily for me there were only a few people there.
or you could say:
Luckily for me only a few people turned up to my presentation.
or
Luckily for me only a few people showed up for my presentation.
Well done again!
All the best,
Nuala
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