Post Graduate Institute Of Veterinary

Education And Research, Jaipur

Error Analysis, Concord, Collocation,

Phonetic Symbols And Transcription

Presented By
Surya Prakash
M.V.Sc. Scholar (ANN)
 Error Analysis
Error analysis- consist a set of procedures for
identifying, describing and explaining learners
error.
• Group A:
• These first five errors usually have a big impact on a
reader and are rule based.
• If these occur repeatedly, it makes sense to address
them first.

2
 Subject Verb Agreement
• Occur when the subject does not agree with
the verb in person or number.
• Example:
• He walk every morning.
• Correction: He walks every morning.
• Every teenager know how to choose clothes
that flatters her.

3
 Verb Tense Error
 Occur when an incorrect time marker is
used.
 I was working on my paper since 6:00 am.
Correction: I have been working on my paper
since 6:00 am.
 Even though this is my first day on the job, I
have already found out that there were some
difficult people here.

4
 Verb Form Error
 Occur when a verb is incorrectly formed.
 Example: I will driven to the airport next
week.
 Correction: I will drive to the airport next
week.
 I was cook dinner last night when you
called.

5
Singular/Plural Noun Ending Error
• Often occur when there is confusion about
which nouns are countable and which aren’t.
Example: I have turned in all my homeworks
this week.
• Correction: I have turned in all my homework
this week.
• Another Example: I set up six more desk for
the afternoon class.

6
 Word Form Error
 Occur when the wrong part of speech is
chosen.
 Example:
 I’m happy to live in a democracy country.
Correction: I’m happy to live in a democratic
country.
 Another Example: I feel very confusing this
morning

7
 Group B Error
These next two errors are less important than
the previous five, but they may have large
impact on readability.
 These errors may or may not be rule-based,
depending on the error.

8
 Sentence Structure Error
 Refer to a broad range of errors that occur for a variety of
reasons:
 a word (often a to be verb) is left out;
 an extra word (often a duplicate subject) is added;
 word order is incorrect;
 or clauses that don’t belong together are punctuated as
one sentence.
 Sentence structure error may be repeated or may vary
greatly.

 Asking intended meaning may be the best strategy for

this error.

9
1.omission omission of copula be “ my sister very pretty”

2.addition the presence of the form that does not appear in well-formed
utterances
Regularization “eated for ate”

Double marking he didn’t came

3.misinformation the use of wrong form of the structure

Archi-form the learner use me as both object and subject pronoun

Alternating forms Don’t + v and No+v

4.misordering “she fights all the time her brother”

5. Blends “ the only one thing I want which is an amalgam of the only thing I
want and the one thing I want”
 Word Choice Error
 Refers to a broad range of errors, from
completely incorrect word use, to using words
together that do not typically appear with
each other.
eg. Heavy rain thick rain
high mountain tall mountain

11
 Group C
• Issues that may be frequent, and that are rule-
based, but that have less impact on a reader.
• These do not tend to interfere with meaning,
but rather with the impression of fluency.
• Articles
• Prepositions of Location, Time or Direction
• Phrasal Verbs

12
 Group D:
• Errors that do not appear on this handout are
unlikely to be rule-based or to make a strong
impact on a reader.
• These may include the occasional idiom,
cultural references, more complicated lexical
questions, and exceptions to rules.

13
Subject verb agreement (Concord)
• 1. The pronoun “YOU” always takes a plural verb.
• Examples:
• You were invited to come.
• You are asked to clean the room.
• You sing so well.
• 2. If a sentence begins with HERE or THERE, the verb
agrees with the subject which follows it.
• Examples: Here are the ways on how to preserve
meat.
• There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

14
• 3. If two subjects, one single and one plural, are
connected by either/or or neither/nor, the verb
agrees with the nearer subject.
• Examples: Neither the players nor the coach is joining.
• Either the conductor or the singers are attending the
concert.

• 4. A singular subject followed by intervening words or

phrases such as with, as well as, in addition to,
accompanied by, together with and no less than, takes
a singular verb.
• Examples: Jake, accompanied by his sisters, is enrolling
in PCC.
• Daddy, as well as my brothers, is enjoying the party.
15
• 5. Singular subjects joined by and require a
plural verb, except when they mean one thing.
• Examples: Larry and Mercy are reading novels.
• My teacher and friend is here.

• 6. Two singular subjects joined by either/or or

neither/nor take a singular verb.
• Examples: Either Mommy or Daddy is coming
with me at the outbound.
• Neither Ferdie nor Dulce is waiting for you
16
• 7. If a singular subject is followed by a phrase
containing a plural noun, the verb is singular.
• Examples: One of the boys is yelling so loud.
• One of the members is against the rule.

• 8. The indefinite pronouns several, few, both,

many , others are always plural.
• Examples: Both were asking to be freed.
• Several are seeking justice.

17
• 9. The indefinite pronouns some, most, all, none
are singular or plural according to the meaning of
the sentence.
• Examples: Some of the girls were absent.
• Some of the ice cream is left.

• 10. When any of the following indefinite pronouns

is the subject, the verb is singular: everybody, each,
no one, another, anybody, nobody, every, nothing,
everything, anyone, either, neither, everyone,
somebody, someone.
• Example: Every man and woman in this hall is a
member.
18
• 11. Expressions of time, money, weight, and
distance are singular even if the form is plural.
• Examples: Two years is a long time to wait.
• One million dollars was given back to the owner.
• 12. When the amount of money refers to
separate units, the verb is plural.
• Examples: Five 10 rupees coins were found.
• Sixty 100 dollers bills were added to the budget.

19
• 13. The following words are always plural: pants,
trousers, pliers, scissors, shears, tongs. However, if
the word pair is used, the verb is singular.
• Examples: The pants are torn into two.
• The pair of scissors was placed on the table.

• 14. Certain nouns, though plural in form, are

singular in meaning and therefore take singular
verbs.
• Examples: Mathematics is my favorite subject.
• The latest news is alarming to the public.
20
• 15. When the word is preceded by a, it takes a
plural verb. when it is preceded by the, it takes a
singular verb.
• Examples: A number of students are waiting
outside.
• The number of students outside is not recorded yet.

• 16. When fractions are used, the verb agrees with

the object of the of phrase.
• Examples: One half of the cake was consumed.
• One fourth of the employees were attending the
seminar.
21
• 17. These nouns may be singular or plural in meaning:
athletics, genetics, politics, gymnastics, statistics.
when the noun refers to an organized activity, it is
singular; when the noun refers to the activities of
individuals within a group, or to varied activities, it is
plural.
• Examples: Gymnastics is very popular among girls.
• The gymnastics shown in the field today were
outstanding.
• 18. The name of a country is always regarded as
singular.
• Examples: The Bahamas has beautiful beaches.
• Philippines is a wondrous place.

22
• 19. Adjectives used as nouns are considered plural.
• Examples: The poor are to be helped.
• The efficient are what this country needs.
• 20. Collective nouns may be singular or plural
depending on whether the individual members are
acting individually or collectively. These nouns are:
company, group, committee, crowd, jury, flock,
team.
• Examples: The committee is against the plan.
(acting collectively-singular)
• The committee are of different opinion. (acting
individually plural)
23
• 21. In the use of mathematical expressions, the
following are accepted:
• Examples: Seven plus three is ten.
• Seven and three are ten.
• Five times two are ten.
• Five minus two is three.
• 22. Titles of books, plays, articles, movies, etc. are
regarded as singular even though words in the title
may be plural.
• Examples: “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities” is a
story by D. Schwartz.
• “Great Expectations” is a mustread novel. 24
 Collocation
• Collocation refers to two or more words that
often go together.
Natural English... Unnatural English...
the fast train the quick train
fast food quick food
a quick shower a fast shower
a quick meal fast meal

25
 Why Should We Learn Collocation ?
• First of all, your language will be more natural
and more easily understood.

• Secondly, you will have alternative and richer

ways of expressing yourself.

• Finally, it is easier for our brains to remember

and use language in chunks or blocks rather
than as single words.
26
 Types Of Collocations
• There are several different types of collocation made from
combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc.
• Adverb + Adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright
satisfied)
• Adjective + Noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)
• Noun + Noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)
• Noun + Verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)
• Verb + Noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
• Verb + Expression With Preposition: burst into tears (NOT
blow up in tears)
• Verb + Adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave feverishly)

27
 Phonetic Symbols And Transcription
• As you know there are 26 letters in the English
alphabet, but because these letters can make
different sounds when combined in different
ways, there are actually 44 sounds; which called
Phonemes.
• Each of these sounds has its own phonemic
symbol.
• Phonetic Symbols are transcription intended to
represent each distinct speech sound with a
separate symbol.
28
29
Diphthongs

30
Triphthongs

31
32
33