Common Errors

Composition and Conversation Class

By Jarvis & Frances2006/03/17

OUTLINE

• Continual/Continuous

• Recommend/Advise

• Avenge/Revenge

Continual v.s. ContinuousA> May lived in _________ fear of being

betrayed. a. continual b. continuous c. neither d. both

B> The essay is ________being revised. a. continually b. continuously c. neither d. both

C> The lecturer is unable to give lessons with ________ interruptions. a. continual b. continuous c. neither d. both

Difference

Continual Continuous

Again and again

Sub for “continuous”

Bad meaning

Without stopping

Continual v.s. ContinuousA> May lived in _________ fear of being betrayed. a.

continual b. continuous c. neither d. both

B> The essay is ________being revised.

a. continually b. continuously c. neither d. both

C> She was in ______ employment until yesterday. a. continual b. continuous c. neither d. both

Recommend/Advise

D> The police officer _________ the mobs surrender at once. a. recommend b. advise c. neither d. both

E> I _______ reading the original novel before seeing its movie adaptation.a. recommend b. advise c. neither d. both

F> The stewardess ________ the passenger fasten his seat belt. a. recommend b. advise c. neither d. both

Difference

Recommend Advise

-week

-tell what they should do

-meek

-strong

-warn sb. against sth.

-to inferiority

Recommend/Advise

D> The police officer _________ the mobs surrender at once. a. recommends b. advises c. neither d. both

E> I _______ reading the original novel before seeing its movie adaptation.a. recommend b. advise c. neither d. both

F> The stewardess ________ the passenger fasten his seat belt. a. recommends b. advises c. neither d. both

Avenge/RevengeG> He killed the Vet. in _______ for his dog’s

death.

a. revenge b. avenge c. revenging

d. avenging

H> He dares not _____ the death of his parents a. revenge b. avenge c. both would do

d. neither

I> John is revenged on Ken. The sentence suggests…?a. John got hurt for treating Ken badly. b. Ken got hurt for treating John badly.c. Both of them are hurt in a way.d. The question’s unclear. I REFUSE to answer.

Difference

Avenge Revenge

Revenge usually a nounformal or literaryverb

Revenge onself on sb for sth=be revenged on sb for sth

Avenger oneself on sb.

Avenge on sth.

Note: Never “revenge sth.”

Avenge/Revenge• G.>He killed the Vet. in_______for his dog’s death.

a. revenge b. avenge c. revenging d. avenging• H.>He dares not _____ the death of his parents

a. revenge b. avenge c. both would do d. neither• I.>John is revenged on Ken. The sentence suggests…?

a. John got hurt for treating Ken badly. b. Ken got hurt for treating John badly.c. Both of them are hurt in a way.d. The question’s unclear. I REFUSE to answer.

AAB BAA ABB

If I had been known him, I would have spoken to him.

1

Had I known him, I would have spoken to him.

George Orwell, author of Animal Farm, was strongly against socialism.

2

George Orwell, the author of Animal Farm, was strongly against socialism.

3

For fear that we should run short of food at the trip, we are carrying extra rations in the jeep.

For fear that we should run short of food on the trip, we are carrying extra rations in the jeep.

3

For fear that we should run short of food at the trip, we are carrying extra rations in the jeep.

4

The cats screaming outside my window every night is getting on

my nerves.

4

The cats screaming outside my window every night is getting on my

nerves.

The cats’ screaming outside my window every night is getting on my nerves.