Helping students to solve the mistake identification questions in national secondary education examination

Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I: INTRODUCTION
I. Rationale for selecting the topic of the study.
II. Purposes of the study.
III. Objects of the study.
IV. Scope of the study.
V. Bases of the study.

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PART II: DEVELOPMENT
TYPES OF MISTAKES
1. Grammar mistakes
2. Meaning mistakes

04

I.

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II. HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND CORRECT THE MISTAKE
1. Grammar mistakes
.
1.1 Mistakes in form or tenses of verbs
1.2 Mistakes in harmony between nouns and verbs (N-V)
1.3 Mistakes in word form
1.4 Mistakes in prepositions / verbs phrases
1.5Mistakes in clause structure or sentence structure
2.Meaning mistakes
III. PRACTISE EXERCISES
PART III: CONCLUSION
I. Study results
II. Suggestions

Hoang Thi Toi

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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

PART I: INTRODUCTION
I. Rationale for selecting the topic of the study:
Error Identification Questions has become an inevitable part of almost
every standarlized examination, especially in the important examinations such
as the GCSE (General Certificate Secondary Education Examination) or the
extrance one before. Moreover English is the compulsory subject in the test of
National Secondary Examination which will be organized for nationwhile
students by the Ministry of Traning and Education since 2015. Commonly, there
are from 3 to 5 questions of error identification in regular or periodical tests in
each academic school-year. Consequently, the correct answers to the questions
of error identification part greatly contribute to the students’s total exam results,
which may decide their success or fairlure in these tests or examinations, even
these results can open or close doors of opportunities for candidates into their
pomising world!
Through my own practical teaching in the recent years, I notice that in
order to identify errors correctly, the students are required to have a general and
thorough knowledge of almost all the aspects of the English language such as
grammatical structures, written expressions, verb tenses and forms, parts of
speech, genders and numbers, subject and verb agreement, ...etc…. However,
most of the students at Mai Anh Tuan High School come from poor rural

communes where the local people have not really paid much attention to their
children’s learning English. Meanwhile, there is the lack of synchronization in
teaching and learning English at primary and lower secondary schools in our
district. As a result, the students’knowledge of English is rather limited, even
they lack basic knowledge. Thus, error identification questions have become a
big challenge that may make the students confused and nervous. Moreover, the
English textbooks in the upper secondary education have very few exercises of
this type designed in the form of the exam questions, so that there is little chance
for the students to practise and get familiar with these exercise. What is more,
there are not many useful references to skills in solving error identification
questions in English Tests and Examinations for teachers to use and to apply in
teaching, which leads to certain difficulties in improving the quality of teaching
and learning English in general, as well as the sudents’s results in tests and
examinations.
From the reasons mentioned above, I have made a decision to select the
topic “Helping students to solve the mistake Identification Questions in
National Secondary Education Examination” to study in my teaching
experience initiative.
II. Purposes of the study:
With this study, I wish to help my students be aware of the importance of
error identification questions in National Secondary Education examinations and
useful skills in doing these exercises effectively. On that basis, the students will
be helped to raise their awareness of training their skills in doing such exercises.
Hoang Thi Toi

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Mai Anh Tuan High School

Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

Besides, I would like to provide the students with typical skills to solve
questions of error identification in a detailed and logical system that is easy for
them to learn, to use and to apply in practice rappidly and productively.
Furthermore, through this experience initiative, I hope to contribute some ideas
on issues related to error identification to the teaching experience sources for my
teacher colleagues to use as a reference in their teaching English.
III. Objects of the study:
In this experience initiative, researching a system of typical skills in
solving error identification questions in English tests and examinations, and
supplementary exercises based on these certain skills for further practice has
been specially focused.
IV. Scope of the study:
The topic was studied in the English programme at high school level at
Mai Anh Tuan High School in the school-year 2016-2017, and in tests, exam
preparation tests, entrance exams into university or college designed by the
Ministry of Education and Training, English exams for gifted students in Thanh
Hoa and other provinces.
V. Bases of the study:
The experience inititative has been studied based on my own practical
teaching experiences, referring to documents related to the research topic,
observing other teachers’lessons, and consulting my colleagues.

Hoang Thi Toi

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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

PART II: DEVELOPMENT
Identifying errors in sentences is, in fact, finding out problematic parts
which need correcting in the sentences. There are 2 main categories, including
grammar mistakes and meaning mistakes[5]. The following skills will probably
help students in solving this type of exercises.
I. TYPES OF MISTAKE
1. Grammar mistakes
This is the most important knowledge in the error identification part, divided
into small categories as follows:
1.1. Mistakes in forms or tenses of verb
1.2. Mistakes in harmony between nouns and verbs (N-V)
1.3. Mistakes in word form
1.4. Mistakes in prepositions and verb phrases
1.5. Mistakes in clause structure or sentence structure (conditional sentences,
inversion, parallel structures, relative clauses, double comparison, special
structures: no sooner… than…; so/such… that; too… to…)
2. Meaning mistakes
If you check that all answers are grammatically correct Check whether the
meaning of the sentence is correct, the vocabularies use the correct meaning of
the sentence.

II. HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND CORRECT THE MISTAKES
1. Grammar mistakes:

1.1. Mistakes in forms or tenses of verb
- Knowledge mainly checked of this exercise form is tenses of verb, so
underlined parts are often verbs in the sentence. In a sentence, there are adverbs
or adverbial clauses of time to help you determine tense.
When/as

just as

While

Before

After

as soon as

Until/till

whenever

As long as
Since [5]

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4

Mai Anh Tuan High School

Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

Some examples below will show the effective application of the mentionedabove adverbs.
Example 1: Find mistakes in the sentence and correct them:
I learned (A) English since (B) I was (C) 6 years (D) old. [4]
Answer: A
In the sentence, we see that main verb “learn” is underlined and divided in the
past simple tense. However, there is “since” which is an adverb of the present
perfect tense, so answer A is the most accurate.
Correct the mistake: learned -> have learned
Example 2: Find mistakes in the sentence and correct them:
I will go (A) with (B) as soon as (C) I will finish (D) my homework. [9]
Answer: D
Examining underlined answers, we pay special attention to answers A, D
(because these are verbs in the sentence). Because there is a verbial clause of
time “as soon as”, after it, the verb must be divided in the present simple tense,
the other side is divided in the simple future tense so we choose answer D.
Correct the mistake: will finish -> finish
We also need to pay attention to other signs than adverbs, such as verbs.
Example 3: Find mistakes in the sentence and correct them:
John practices (A) to play (B) the (C) violin with (D) Jane everyday. [4]
Answer: B
A and B are main verbs in the sentence. We see that “every day” is an adverb of
the present simple tense, the subject “Jonh” is a third-person singular form, so
answer A is correct and answer B needs correcting
Correct the mistake: to play -> playing
1.2. Mistakes in harmony between nouns and verbs (N-V)
The underlined answer are often:

• Main verb in the sentence (should check whether it is divided in
accordance with the noun)
• Object in the sentence (should check whether it is modified in
accordance with the noun)
• Noun as subject
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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

- In sentences of this type, nouns and verbs do not usually stand next to each
other but are interwoven by other elements (relative clauses, relational pronouns,
complementaries...).
Example: Find mistakes and correct them:
Nobody in (A) 20 students like (B) doing (C) that job alone (D). [9]
Answer: B
“Nobody” is the main subject of the sentence. Thus, the main verb “like” must
be divided according to the main subject but not according to “20 students” (“in
20 students” is a complement placed between noun and verb) so we choose
answer B.
Correct the sentence: like -> likes
- In English tests and examinations, mistakes often appears where a pronoun is
used in the place of another type of pronouns, or another type of words is in
the place of a pronoun/ possessive adjective, or a pronoun/ possessive

adjective does not agree with the noun it refers to.[5]
Example: 1. They saw Steve and I at the cinema last night after class.
2. The people I admire most are those who manage to solve theirs own
problems.
3. If a person really wants to succeed, they must always work hard.[1]
In the 1st example, “I” isn’t correct because in the place of “I”, its object
“me” is needed to modify the verb “saw”. In the 2nd example, “theirs” is
incorrect because it isn’t followed by a noun. It should be the possessive
adjective “their”. In the 3rd example, “they” does not agree with the noun “a
person” that it refers to, “he/ she” should be used.
1.3. Mistakes in word form
- Underlined answers are often word forms in the sentence, including noun,
adjective, adverb, verb.
Example: Find mistakes and correct them:
Women wear (A) make-up (B) to beautiful (C) themselves (D). [2]
Answer: C
Skimming the underlined words, we see that answer C is wrong. Before the
reflexive pronoun "Themselves", we need to use a verb. “Beautiful|” is an
adjective, so it is not reasonable.
Correct the sentence: beautiful (adj) -> beautify (V)
1.4. Mistakes in prepositions/verb phrases
Hoang Thi Toi

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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

The test of knowledge will be about the use of prepositions, prepositions
followed by verbs, prepositions followed by adjectives, verb phrases, etc. Thus,
the underlined answers will usually be prepositions in sentences.[5]
Example: Find mistakes and correct them:
They were unaware (A) about (B) the fact that (C) he was a famous opera singer
(D). 2]
Answer: B
Skimming answers, we pay attention to answer B
We have: to be unaware of something/V-ing = do not know or perceive
something
Thus B is the answer.
Correct the mistake: about -> of
1.5. Mistakes in clause structure or sentence structure (conditional sentences,
inversion, parallel structures, relative clauses, double comparison, special
structures: no sooner… than…; so/such… that; too… to…)
- For conditional sentence, passive voice, direct and indirect speech, inversion,
… underlined answers are often verbs.
Example 1: Find mistakes and correct them:
If I hadn’t been (A) to (B) the party last night (C), I wouldn’t have been (D)
tired now[6].
Answer: D
Checking the meaning of the sentence, we see that this is a mixed conditional
form. The clause "if" expresses the unreal condition in the past; the other clause
expresses the fact unfounded in the present based on the adverb “now”. choose
D.
Correct the mistake: wouldn’t have been -> wouldn’t be
Example 2: Not until he got (A) home he realised (B) he had forgotten to give
her (C) the present

(D). [4]
In the 2st example, the inversion is needed because the beginning of the sentence
is not until , so “he realised” should be changed into “did he realise”
- With the comparison, the underlined answers are usually comparative forms
of adjectives, adverbs.
Example 3: Find mistakes and correct them:
Peter is (A) rich (B), handsome (C), and many people like him (D). [8]
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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

Answer: D
After "to be", we need to use adjectives. In the underlined answers, both B and
C are correct, because they are adjectives. In the parallel structure there are
conjunctions (and), so the word type must be the same, and they are adjectives
in this case. Only D is a sentence. Thus, D is the answer.
Correct the mistake: many people like him - > likeable (adj)
- With relational clauses, they are often underlined in relational pronouns,
reduced forms of relational clauses, etc.
- Example 4: Have you ever(A) felt that (B)life is not being fair to you because
(C) you cannot seem to get the job where (D) you want or that is really suitable
to you?[7]
“Where” is an adverb of place. “The job” is a noun of object, so we must use the

pronoun “which” to replace this noun.
Correct the mistake: where -> which
2. Meaning mistakes
After checking all the answers and finding that they are grammatically correct,
we turn to the meaning of the sentence Underlined answers are often nouns or
conjuctions.
Example: Find mistakes and correct them:
Susan didn’t come to (A) the party with (B) her (C) boyfriend last night in spite
of (D) the bad weather.[7]
Answer: D
After checking all the answers and finding that they are grammatically correc,
we examine the meaning of the sentence. The sentence is translated as follows:
Susan didn’t come to the party with her boyfriend last night in spite of the bad
weather.
We see that the two sides of the sentence use incorrect linking word, so D is the
correct answer.
Correct the mistake: in spite of - > because of
III. PRACTICE EXERCISES
Choose the underlined part that is not correct.
1. Ultraviolet rays (A)are invisible to(B) humans, and(C) ants and honeybees are
sensitive (D)to them. [9]
Answer: C
Hoang Thi Toi

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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

Examining the answers, we see that both are not wrong in sentence structure.
Examining the meaning of the sentence, we see that two clauses of the sentence
have the opposite meaning do not use the linking word "and".
Correct the mistake: and -> but
Translate the sentence: Ironwood trees are highly resistant to storm damage, so
they usually live a long time.
2. Ironwood trees are(A) highly(B) resistant of(C) storm damage, so they
usually(D) live a long time. [9]
Answer: C
- be resistant to sth: be immune or impervious to something
Correct the mistake: registrant of -> resistant to
3. After the(A) civil war, a wave(B) of new immigrants(C) in the United States
came, included (D)Italy, Spain, Greece, Poland, Russia, and China. [9]
Answer: D
The sentence has active meaning, so the reduced form of the relative clause uses
the present participle (V-ing) choose D
Correct the mistake: included -> including
4. Mathew likes to gossip about other people(A), so(B) he doesn’t like them(C)
being to gossiped about(D). [4]
Answer: B
Based on the meaning of the sentence, we see that the two clauses of the
sentence have the opposite meaning do not use the linking word “so” but use
“but”.
Correct the mistake: so -> but
5. The Greek historian Herodotus stated that one hundred thousand men are(A)
hired for(B) about twenty years to build(C) the Great Pyramid at(D) Gizeh. [4]
Answer: A

Base on the narrative verb “reported” The sentence is divided in the past simple
tense Answer A is wrong in tense.
Correct the mistake: are -> were
6. In electronic, reecho is a reflective wave received by radars or radios. [4]
Answer: A

Hoang Thi Toi

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Mai Anh Tuan High School


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

After the preposition “in”, we can not use an adjective but use a noun Answer A
is wrong in word form choose A.
Correct the mistake: electronic (adj) -> electronics (n)
7. Eli Whitney, who was born in Westborough, Massachusetts in (A) 1765, was
always interested in machines, working (B)in his father’s shop, taking(C) apart a
watch(D) and putting them back together. [6]
Answer: D
We pay attention to "putting them back together". "Them" is the object to
indicate "watch" this noun must be plural.
Correct the mistake: a watch -> watches
8. In many cities, unless (A)you travel late at night, or in the wee(B) early hours
of the morning, there are not means (C)of avoiding(D) a traffic jam. [6]
Answer: C

- no + N(s)
- not + adj
Correct the mistake: not means -> no means
9. Bone needles which were found(A) at archaeological sites prove(B) that
clothes(D)have been sewn for 17,000 years ago(D). [3]
Answer: D
In the present perfect tense, after the preposition "for", it is a time period choose
D.
Correct the mistake: years ago -> years
10. Although(A) artist Tatun was totally blind in one eye and had only slight(B)
vision in the another(C), he became(D) an internationally famous jazz musician.
[4]
Answer: C
- another = one more thing (in many things)
In this case we do not need to use "another" , because objects have 2 only (eyes)
Correct the mistake: another -> the other
11. Because (A)early balloons were at the mercy of shifting(B) winds, they
are(C) not regarded as a practical means of transportation until the(D) 1850s.[2]
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School

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Mai Anh Tuan High


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

Answer: C
Sentences are about things in the past, so they must be divided in the past tense;
Correct the mistake: are -> were
12. It is sometimes thought that(A) the desire to wear sunglasses are(B) more a
need to make impress than(C) to protect the(D) eyes.[2]
Answer: B
The main subject of this sentence is a singular noun "the desire", not
"sunglasses".
Correct the mistake: are -> is
13.The scientific(A) process consists of (B)forming hypotheses, collect(C) data,
and testing results(D).[1]
Answer: C
The sentence is listed. Verbs are listed in V-ing (forming, testing) The verb
"collect" is still in its original form The sentence is wrong in parallel structure.
Correct the mistake: collect -> collecting
14.This is the first(A) time Lana has taken(B) so challenge (C) course, but she
plans to complete(D) it.[1]
Answer: C
Answers A, B, D are grammatically correct.
With regard to noun, we do not use “so” but use “such” choose C
Correct the mistake: so -> such
15. The (A)man along(B) with his two partners have(C) been arrested and put
in(D) jail.[1]
Answer: C
When there are two subjects in the sentence and they are linked by "together
with", the verb will be divided by the first subject.
Correct the mistake: have -> has
16. In fact, political science, alike(A) the other (B)social sciences(C), is not an
exact(C) science.[5]
Answer: A

- alike (adj): similar
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School

11

Mai Anh Tuan High


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

In this position, we do not use an adjective, but use a preposition choose A
Correct the mistake: alike -> like
17. A paragraph(A) is a part of the text consists of(B) one or more sentences
(C)related to(D) the same idea.[5]
Answer: B
We use the present adjective (V-ing) to abbreviate the relative clause with active
meaning.
Correct the mistake: consists of -> consisting of
18. Jacobs stopped to smoke (A)because cigarettes are (B)unsafe to(C) his
health(D)[5].
Answer: A
- stop + to V = stop (other things) to do something
- stop + V-ing: finish or quit doing something.
Correct the mistake: to smoke -> smoking
.
19. About(A) 8,000 years(B) ago, individuals began(C) using certain animals to
carry themselves(D) and their belongings.[9]

Answer: D
We use a reflective pronoun when the subject of action is also the object of
action. In this sentence, we can not use "themselves" (because they will be
understood as "animals").
choose D; correct the mistake: themselves -> them
20. In(A) Canada a lot of(B) people communicate English, although(C) they
also(D) originated from England many years ago.[9]
Answer: C
All underlined answers are grammatically correct.
Considering the meaning of the sentence, we see that "although" is not suitable
Correct the mistake: although -> because

Hoang Thi Toi
School

12

Mai Anh Tuan High


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017
PART III: CONCLUSION

I. Study results:
In teaching English at Mai Anh Tuan High School, I have gradually
provided the students a system of knowledge of English and useful skills that
help them in solving error identification questions in English tests and
examinations. Different goals have been set for different students based on their

own levels of English. After applying the method to teaching for some time, I
notice that most of the students have had a thorough grasp of basic knowledge
and certain skills to solve error identification questions that they often encounter
in English tests and examinations. However, it is quite difficult for weak
students to understand and to apply these skills in practice because to practise
well with these skills, the students must have a wide range of knowledge
covering various contents in English. Thus, through my lessons, I constantly
help the students revise and consolidate the knowledge that they have learnt as
well as improve their practical skills day by day.
Below are the results of the study after being applied to teaching English
in the classes 12D and 12H at Mai Anh Tuan High School in the school-year
2016-2017 (The error identification part including 3 multiple choice questions
in the 60 minute test, 0,2 point/ question):
1. Test results of error identification questions at the beginning of the
school-year:
Clas No. of
Number of correct answers to error identification
s
student
questions
s
0
1
2
3
12D
46
8
12
16

10
12H
40
6
10
13
11
st
2. Test results of error identification questions at the end of the 1 semester
Clas No. of
Number of correct answers to error identification
s
student
questions
s
0
1
2
3
12D
46
4
9
19
14
12H
40
3
6
15

16
nd
3. Test results of error identification questions at the end of the 2 semester:
Clas No. of
Number of correct answers to error identification
s
student
questions
s
0
1
2
3
12D
12H

46
40

0
0

7
6

14
12

25
22

The results mentioned above have indicated that the number of students
who have had more correct answers to the error identification questions has
Hoang Thi Toi
School

13

Mai Anh Tuan High


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

been gradually increasing and the number of students who have had a few
correct answers has been declining. Although the initial results have not been
very impressive, I would like to share this initiative in the hope that it could help
contribute a little to improving the quality of teaching English at the upper
secondary education. Moreover, I does hope that the study would be of some
value to both teachers and students in their English teaching and learning
process.
II. Suggestions:
It is certain that the study still has certain limitations. Thus, it would be
my pleasure to get as many constructive ideas or suggestions as possible to
better the study and to help it become more productive in the English teaching
and learning process at high schools in the
future.
I would like to express my sincere thanks!
The confirmation of the principle

Thanh Hoa, May 10th2017
I promise not to have copied
Signature
Hoang Thi Toi

REFERENCES
Hoang Thi Toi
School

14

Mai Anh Tuan High


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

[1]. The website violet.vn
[2]. The website hocmai.vn
[3]. The website English123.com
[4]. UE National Secondary Education Examination by Ministry of
Education and Training, in 2016
[5]. UE National Secondary Education Examination by Ministry of
Education and Training, in 2015
[6]. Oxford guide to English grammar, John Eastwood.
[7]. The illustrative English test for the National Secondary Education
Exam-(2017)- the Ministry of Traning and Education
[8]. Understanding and using English grammar, Betty Schrampfer Azar.
[9]. Test questions designed by the Ministry of Education and Training, and

high schools all over the country.
[10]. English grammar explanations, Mai Lan Huong and Ha Thanh Uyen.

Danh mục các đề tài SKKN đã đạt được

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Mai Anh Tuan High


Experience Initiative

School-year: 2016-2017

Họ và tên tác giả: Hoàng Thị Tới
Chức vụ và đơn vị công tác: Giáo viên trường THPT Mai anh Tuấn

TT
1

Cấp đánh giá xếp
loại (Phòng, Sở,
Tỉnh...)

Tên đề tài SKKN
Một số hoạt động thiết kế lại cho
phần “After you read” tiếng anh 12

Hoang Thi Toi
School

Sở GD&ĐT Thanh
Hóa

16

Kết quả
đánh giá xếp
loại (A, B,
hoặc C)
C

Mai Anh Tuan High

Năm học
đánh giá
xếp loại
2011 - 2012