Common language mistakes on B1 Preliminary Writing Task 2 and how to avoid them

Common mistakes
Common mistakes

Are you preparing for the B1 Preliminary Writing Task 2? This task can be challenging for many students, but with the right preparation and knowledge of common mistakes, you can improve your chances of success. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the most common language mistakes students make on their B1 Preliminary Writing Task 2 and how to avoid them. Read on to learn more!

Common grammar mistakes

Using the wrong tense

here are some examples of grammar mistakes that B1 Preliminary English Test students make when using the wrong tense:

  • Using the present tense instead of the past tense: This is a common mistake that students make when talking about past events. For example, instead of saying “I went to the store yesterday,” they might say “I go to the store yesterday.”
  • Using the past tense instead of the present perfect tense: The present perfect tense is used to talk about events that happened in the past but have a connection to the present. For example, instead of saying “I have been to the United States,” they might say “I went to the United States.”
  • Using the present continuous tense instead of the simple present tense: The present continuous tense is used to talk about actions that are happening right now. For example, instead of saying “I live in London,” they might say “I am living in London.”
  • Using the past continuous tense instead of the simple past tense: The past continuous tense is used to talk about actions that were happening in the past but were interrupted by another action. For example, instead of saying “I was watching TV when the phone rang,” they might say “I watched TV when the phone rang.”

These are just a few examples of the grammar mistakes that B1 Preliminary English Test students make when using the wrong tense. It is important for students to be aware of these mistakes and to practice using the correct tenses in their writing and speaking.

These following questions are just a few examples of exercises to practice for error identification with grammar mistakes when using the wrong tense. By practicing these exercises, you can improve your ability to identify and correct errors in verb tense.

Here are some additional tips for identifying errors in verb tense:

  • Pay attention to the context of the sentence. The tense of the verb should be consistent with the time frame of the sentence. For example, if the sentence is about something that happened in the past, the verb should be in the past tense.
  • Look for clues in the sentence. Sometimes, there are clues in the sentence that can help you determine the correct tense. For example, words like “yesterday,” “last week,” and “in the past” can indicate that the sentence should be in the past tense.
  1. I went to the library yesterday and borrow a book.
    A. No error
    B. I went to the library yesterday and borrowed a book.
    C. I went to the library yesterday and have borrowed a book.
    D. I went to the library yesterday and will borrow a book.
    The correct answer is B. The verb “borrow” should be in the past tense, since the action happened in the past.
  2. I am going to the park tomorrow and play tennis.
    A. No error
    B. I am going to the park tomorrow and will play tennis.
    C. I am going to the park tomorrow and play tennis.
    D. I am going to the park tomorrow and will be playing tennis.
    The correct answer is A. The verb “play” does not need to be changed, since it is already in the future tense.
  3. She is always late for work, and she never arrives on time.
    A. No error
    B. She is always late for work, and she never arrives on time.
    C. She is always late for work, and she never arrives in time.
    D. She is always late for work, and she never arrives on time.
    The correct answer is C. The adverb “on time” is more specific than the adverb “in time,” so it is the better choice in this sentence.
  4. I have been working on this project for two weeks, and I am almost finished.
    A. No error
    B. I have been working on this project for two weeks, and I will be finished soon.
    C. I have been working on this project for two weeks, and I am nearly finished.
    D. I have been working on this project for two weeks, and I am finished.
    The correct answer is A. The sentence is already in the present perfect tense, so there is no need to change the verb “finish.”
  5. I went to the store yesterday and buy some milk.
    A. No error
    B. I went to the store yesterday and bought some milk.
    C. I went to the store yesterday and have bought some milk.
    D. I went to the store yesterday and will buy some milk.
    The correct answer is B. The verb “buy” should be in the past tense, since the action happened in the past.

Making subject-verb agreement errors

Here are some examples of subject-verb agreement errors that B1 Preliminary English Test students might make:

  • Incorrect: The team of engineers are working on the new project.
  • Correct: The team of engineers is working on the new project.
  • Incorrect: The data is not clear.
  • Correct: The data are not clear.
  • Incorrect: The number of students in the class is too many.
  • Correct: The number of students in the class are too many.

In the first example, the subject is “team of engineers,” which is a plural noun. The verb “are” agrees with the plural subject. In the second example, the subject is “data,” which is a plural noun. However, the verb “is” is singular because the data is treated as a single unit. In the third example, the subject is “number,” which is a singular noun. The verb “is” agrees with the singular subject. In the fourth example, the subject is “number of students,” which is a plural noun. However, the verb “are” is plural because the number of students is greater than one.

It is important for B1 Preliminary English Test students to be able to identify and correct subject-verb agreement errors. This will help them to improve their writing skills and achieve a higher score on the test.

Here are some error identification exercises about the subject-verb agreement errors at intermediate level (multiple choice):

  1. The following sentence is correct:
    • A. The data is conclusive.
    • B. The data are conclusive.

Answer: B. The subject of the sentence is “data,” which is plural. Therefore, the verb “is” should be changed to “are.”

  1. The following sentence is correct:
    • A. The team of engineers is working on the project.
    • B. The team of engineers are working on the project.

Answer: A. The subject of the sentence is “team,” which is singular. Even though the team is made up of multiple engineers, the verb “is” is still correct.

  1. The following sentence is correct:
    • A. The number of students in the class is increasing.
    • B. The number of students in the class are increasing.

Answer: A. The subject of the sentence is “number,” which is singular. Therefore, the verb “is” should be used.

  1. The following sentence is correct:
    • A. The following are the reasons why I am late:
    • B. The following is the reason why I am late:

Answer: B. The subject of the sentence is “reasons,” which is plural. Therefore, the verb “is” should be changed to “are.”

  1. The following sentence is correct:
    • A. There is a lot of work to be done.
    • B. There are a lot of work to be done.

Answer: A. The subject of the sentence is “work,” which is singular. Even though the word “work” is plural in form, it is treated as singular when it is used with the indefinite article “a” or “an.”

I hope these exercises help you to identify and correct subject-verb agreement errors.

Using incorrect prepositions

Here are some examples of incorrect prepositions that B1 Preliminary English Test students might use:

  • Avoid using “in” with countries. Instead, use “to” or “at.” For example, “I went to France” instead of “I went in France.”
  • Avoid using “at” with time periods. Instead, use “in.” For example, “I was born in 1990” instead of “I was born at 1990.”
  • Avoid using “on” with days of the week. Instead, use “in.” For example, “I have class on Monday” instead of “I have class on Monday.”
  • Avoid using “in” with months. Instead, use “of.” For example, “I was born in the month of March” instead of “I was born in the month in March.”
  • Avoid using “for” with reasons. Instead, use “because of.” For example, “I’m late because of the traffic” instead of “I’m late for the traffic.”

Here are some more examples:

  • I went to the library. (Correct)
  • I went in the library. (Incorrect)
  • I was born in 1990. (Correct)
  • I was born at 1990. (Incorrect)
  • I have class on Monday. (Correct)
  • I have class on Monday. (Incorrect)
  • I was born in the month of March. (Correct)
  • I was born in the month in March. (Incorrect)
  • I’m late because of the traffic. (Correct)
  • I’m late for the traffic. (Incorrect)

Making pronoun errors

Here are some examples of pronoun errors that B1 Preliminary English Test students might make:

  • Using the wrong pronoun case. For example, “I saw him and she at the park.” The correct sentence would be “I saw him and her at the park.”
  • Using the wrong pronoun gender. For example, “The doctor told the patient that she needed to take her medicine.” The correct sentence would be “The doctor told the patient that he needed to take his medicine.”
  • Using the wrong pronoun number. For example, “The children are playing with their toys.” The correct sentence would be “The child is playing with his toy.”
  • Using the wrong pronoun type. For example, “The cat is sitting on it.” The correct sentence would be “The cat is sitting on its haunches.”

Here are some more examples:

  • I saw him and she at the park. (Incorrect)
  • I saw him and her at the park. (Correct)
  • The doctor told the patient that she needed to take her medicine. (Incorrect)
  • The doctor told the patient that he needed to take his medicine. (Correct)
  • The children are playing with their toys. (Incorrect)
  • The child is playing with his toy. (Correct)
  • The cat is sitting on it. (Incorrect)
  • The cat is sitting on its haunches. (Correct)

Common vocabulary mistakes

Using the wrong word

Here are some examples of lexical mistakes that B1 Preliminary English Test students might make on the writing task:

  • Using the wrong word. For example, a student might write “I was very happy when I saw the new car” instead of “I was very excited when I saw the new car.”
  • Using the wrong form of a word. For example, a student might write “I go to the school every day” instead of “I go to school every day.”
  • Using the wrong preposition. For example, a student might write “I live in the city” instead of “I live in a city.”

These are just a few examples of the lexical mistakes that B1 Preliminary English Test students might make on the writing task. It is important to be aware of these mistakes so that you can avoid making them yourself. There are many resources available to help you improve your vocabulary and grammar, such as dictionaries, grammar books, and online resources.

Here are some tips for avoiding lexical mistakes on the writing task:

  • Use a dictionary to check the meaning of words that you are unsure of.
  • Use a grammar book to check the correct form of words and the correct use of tenses.
  • Read as much English as possible. The more you read, the more familiar you will become with the English language and the less likely you are to make lexical mistakes.
  • Practice writing in English. The more you practice, the better you will become at using the English language correctly.

Using a word that is too formal or informal for the context

Here are some examples of lexical mistakes that B1 Preliminary English Test students might make on the writing task when using a word that is too formal or informal for the context:

  • Using a formal word in an informal context:

Correct: I went to the store to buy some milk.

Incorrect: I went to the emporium to procure some dairy products.

  • Using an informal word in a formal context:

Correct: I was very impressed by the professor’s lecture.

Incorrect: I was totally stoked by the prof’s talk.

  • Using a word that is not appropriate for the audience:

Correct: I wrote a letter to my friend telling her about my trip to the zoo.

Incorrect: I penned a missive to my crony relating my excursion to the menagerie.

  • Using a word that is not appropriate for the register:

Correct: I was very excited to get my new job.

Incorrect: I was hella stoked to cop my new gig.

It is important for B1 Preliminary English Test students to be aware of the different levels of formality and informality in English, and to choose the right words for the context. By doing so, they can avoid making lexical mistakes and improve their writing skills.

Here are some additional tips for avoiding lexical mistakes on the writing task:

  • Read a lot of English texts in different registers. This will help you to develop an ear for the different levels of formality and informality.
  • Use a dictionary or thesaurus to look up the meaning of words that you are unsure of.
  • Ask a native speaker for help if you are not sure whether a word is appropriate for the context.

How to avoid these common mistakes

Here are some tips on how to avoid making these mistakes:

  • Grammar:
    • Practice using different tenses.
    • Make sure you know the rules of subject-verb agreement.
    • Learn the most common prepositions and how to use them correctly.
    • Review the rules of pronoun usage.
  • Vocabulary:

By following these tips, you can improve your grammar and vocabulary skills and avoid making common mistakes on the B1 Preliminary English Test.

You can read a book for the most common mistakes for B1 Preliminary English test: Common Mistakes at PET…and How to Avoid Them (writingaddict.xyz)

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