eng8-u3-mistake-detector· UNIT 3. NATURE· ~13 min

Unit 3 Mistake Detector: Repair nature and quantifier errors

Use a sentence clue to correct weather vocabulary, quantifiers, and paired determiners.

A mistake detector uses the whole sentence, not only a highlighted word. In the Unit 3 task, weather vocabulary must match its meaning, and grammar words must match the noun or pair that follows. Use a little with an uncountable noun such as help. With none of + a plural noun, a plural verb can be used: None of my friends have seen hail. Neither means not one and not the other. It takes a singular noun when it introduces one bare noun, while both joins two subjects with and and neither joins alternatives with nor.

Key terms

uncountable noun — A noun treated as a quantity rather than separate countable items, such as help.
paired determiner — A word pattern that joins or selects two people, things, or choices, such as both ... and or neither ... nor.
error clue — A meaning or grammar detail in a sentence that shows why a form needs repair.
Repair clues
ClueRepair
helpa little help
none of + plural nounfriends have
two joined subjectsboth A and B
two rejected alternativesneither A nor B
all directly before a bare countable nounplural noun
✎Use a whole-sentence clue
  1. 1Read: The village could get only a few help.
  2. 2Notice: Help is uncountable.
  3. 3Repair: The village could get only a little help.
💡Not every marked phrase fails

Check the meaning and grammar of the complete sentence before changing a marked phrase.

🚫Keep the noun pattern

Do not change a plural verb after none of merely because none appears at the start; first check the noun that follows of.

Rules

  1. 1Use extreme to describe severe weather, and use the weather noun that matches the definition.
  2. 2Use a little with an uncountable noun such as help; use a few with a plural countable noun.
  3. 3With none of + plural noun, a plural verb is possible: None of my friends have seen hail.
  4. 4Neither means not one and not the other; use neither + a singular noun when it introduces one bare noun: Neither school has a green area.
  5. 5Use both A and B and neither A nor B to join the two parts of a pair.
  6. 6When all appears directly before a bare countable noun, use the plural noun: all towns. All the town can refer to one complete particular town.

Practice

3 easy · 3 medium · 3 hard

Up to 10 random questions per test

EasyMediumHardMixed