Errors in the tests

[stew.t.]

Hi Amy

The editing of the tests is sth that should be addressed I agree.

As for the us of a, it is incorrect, the phrase is "mutton dressed as lamb" and yes it is derogatory.
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[Linda]

Hi Torsten,

There might be some people who wouldn't use that comment but to say that all North Americans wouldn't is kind of a blanket statement. Also, I'm from Canada, originally, and Canada, besides having its own unique culture, is also influenced by the US and Britain.

As far as I know, the statement originated in Britain and 23% of Canadians have British ancestry. On top of that, Canada is still part of the Commonwealth so a British influence is still very much a part of the country.

I'm from Canada and my husband is from the US and we both knew what the slang term meant.

Having said that, if you don't think it's appropriate, let me know.

Take care,

Linda
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[Yankee]

Hi Linda

As I've mentioned on a number of occasions, I think it would be appropriate to let test-takers know whenever a test is testing something with extremely limited usage -- particularly slang usages and usages which are basically limited to a particular version of English or to a particular geographical location.

"Blanket statements" are frequently made about language usage. There is nothing terribly unusual about that. For example, I've heard the blanket statement that you should not use the word ain't. Yet, that word is sometimes used to good effect by speakers whose English would otherwise be considered very grammatical and eloquent. I could go on and on with examples of "blanket statements" that are made about language every day.

If you happen to know a) what percentage of Canadians and b) what percentage of North Americans use the idiom in question, that would be interesting to know. As far as I know, however, the idiom is not in general use in North America.

To be honest, the fact that I'd never heard this particular idiom before (despite the fact that I have lived in quite a few different places), and then also the fact that you added the indefinite articles suggested to me that you might have simply picked out an idiom from a book on "English idioms", and that the idiom was not one that you actually used yourself or were even particularly familiar with. Sorry if that's not the case, but that was the only explanation I could think of.

That doesn't mean I don't appreciate the idiom, but I do feel that ESL students benefit from usage information. As I have already said, that was the reason for my comment about this idiom. I feel that this sort of thing ought to be mentioned in the tests -- perhaps in the title of the test itself. However, I also think it is just as silly and misleading to call a test something such as "British Idioms", for example, if most of the idioms are also widely used in American English.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Mister Micawber]

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I wasn't able to respond to this questioner because I think the sentence HERE needs a little reworking-- I don't think we have volitional control over our eyes. It needs to read 'my eyes adapted...'. In any case, I suspect 'accommodate' works too-- I'm looking forward to enlightenment, however.
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who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Torsten]

[Alan]

Hi,

Surely the point to remember is that language and the usage of individual words is not static. For all we know a new English word may well be created today on the other side of the world from wherever you are and tomorrow may become common currency throughout the world. I can't really see the value of issuing 'health warnings' to some words and expressions indicating 'this word may seriously damage the health of your current vocabulary.'

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Not Really

[Mister Micawber]

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If I may hijack back this thread...

The quiz sentence here is a comma-splice error; it needs a conjunction or different punctuation after 'angry':

http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic20688.html#67871
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Mister Micawber]

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And I believe this one should read 'faces' rather than 'face':
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic20689.html#67875
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_________________
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who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Torsten]

Hi Charles,

Thanks a lot for your comments -- I've made the changes and they'll go online soon.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Mister Micawber]

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Question #4 needs the article placed in the answers, not in the question-- as it stands, only the answer that begins with a vowel sound is possible!

Actually, this whole quiz I now see is in very bad shape:

#5 has S-V disagreement with both distractors.
#6 has S-V disagreement with distractor B.
#7 has S-V disagreement with distractor C, which is a very weak distractor anyway-- 'pasts'?!
#8 has S-V disagreement with both distractors.
#9 Distractor B is uncountable and distractor A is very weak.
#10 both distractors are very weak.

This test should be moved out of 'Advanced', certainly-- and any others of its ilk.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Linda]

Hi Charles,
First of all, I'd like to say that I appreciate the feedback on this forum because we can all work together to make the tests as good as they can be.
And, I see what you're saying.
But, the questions test students' knowledge of the vocabulary, which was my intent, among other things. I know that some think that the distractors should always be in agreement with the questions but, because this is an advanced test, I think the questions should test the "mechanics" aspect of conveying a thought because it's important as well.
For example, they may not know the answer but they can deduce the answer, or which one is certainly not correct, if they use their grammar skills etc. It is a matter of opinion but I believe that the ability to solve for an unknown word "algebraically" is an important skill that can help students, in the long run, as it provides them with a tool to use if they are otherwise stymied by a word they don't know or understand. Does that make any sense to you?
As far as number 7, I don't think you read the question right. The possible choice for C is the word 'pasta.' Not, pasts.
As far as your last comment, I think that if Torsten and Alan are not in agreement with me, the test can be modified but I don't think it should be removed altogether.
Thanks again for the input.
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[Tom]

[Tom]

[Linda]

Hi Tom,
I'm well and I hope you are too. The distractor "pasts" is a typo that I didn't see at first. It's supposed to read "pasta."
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[Yankee]