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 Wed Feb 20, 2008 22:23 pm Errors in the tests |
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You mentioned that you'd been fence-sitting, Alan. If you'd read my post carefully, you'd have noticed that I wasn't on the fence at all.
I attempted to present my arguments for "my side of the fence" clearly and objectively. Your flippant response can't possibly mean that you disagree with everything I wrote, so I'll just have to assume you don't like it when someone other than you makes a valid point. In fact, I suspect you secretly agree with me. 
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| Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:09 am Errors in the tests |
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| Quote: | | Isn't that precisely what I've just written: 'reach' past perfect', 'feel' past simple as in the correct answer. |
Right you are, Alan. Please ignore my confused post. Past perfect remains odd in the sentence, though.
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| Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:51 am Errors in the tests |
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Hi Charles,
Thanks for the courtesy.
Alan
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Alan
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| Thu Feb 21, 2008 13:28 pm Errors in the tests |
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I still find the past perfect odd in the sentence, too.
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Amy
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Yankee
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| Thu Feb 21, 2008 21:37 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi Alan
I'm still trying to figure out how/why you might interpret 'by the time' as being similar to 'after'. Would you find it plausible to replace the word 'after' with the phrase 'by the time' in the following sentence? Wouldn't the use of 'by the time' change the meaning to something similar to 'before'?
I will send you the feedback about the training classes after we have attended the course.
If we agree that 'by the time' cannot replace 'after' in that sentence, maybe that will get us a step closer to agreeing on the test sentence.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
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Location: New England
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| Sat Feb 23, 2008 21:14 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi everybody
I have been following this discussion very closely. Please do not leave it as "unfinished business"--I mean, let's agree on some point.
In fact, I am enjoying the discussion.
Tom |
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Tom
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| Sun Feb 24, 2008 15:36 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi Tom
I fear you won't be seeing any further discussion on this point. However, I take Alan's refusal to discuss the points I made to be his way of agreeing with what I wrote.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee
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Location: New England
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| Sun Feb 24, 2008 18:45 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi Tom,
Before any more assumptions are made like these: | Quote: | However, I take Alan's refusal to discuss the points I made to be his way of agreeing with what I wrote.
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| Quote: | I suspect you secretly agree with me.
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I feel it's necessary to respond. My original answer to why I chose past perfect in the test is set out in my post of Feb 20th. Charles and Amy considered the choice 'odd', the latter repeating this in yet another forum. So be it. What I find odd is first the assumption that Amy knows what my reaction is and second the suggestion that I am 'refusing' to answer. I didn't know I was answerable to an outside contributor! No doubt if your friend wanted, she could plough through the 400+ tests I've written together with the whole mass of material I've written for the site and find other things she might find 'odd'. A bit sad really if that's the case.
So Tom, I shall have to disappoint you by not wishing to get involved in any further comments on this particular topic.
Alan
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| Sun Feb 24, 2008 21:55 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi Alan,
I noticed that Tom's post from yesterday had gone unanswered, so I replied.
I have worked in ESL for many years, so it should come as no surprise to you that I have discussed the usage of not only the past perfect, but also 'by the time' hundreds (maybe thousands) of times both with colleagues and especially with students. From what you wrote in your last post, I gather that someone you don't know contacted you via PM regarding this particular question. However, I did not ask Tom to post a question here, nor did I ask him or anyone else to contact you about it.
Personally, I find it sad that you thought it appropriate to insult a person who apparently contacted you privately. It's even sadder that you "don't wish to get involved" in a discussion of an atypical usage of by the time and the past perfect. After all, the usage does appear in a test on your site.
Nobody has questioned the fact that you've put in a lot of time and effort to this site, and nobody has suggested that it's all odd.
Perhaps a private forum would be a better place to discuss and settle a question such as this.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
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Location: New England
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| Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:47 am Errors in the tests |
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Oh dear! What is all this?
| Quote: | I gather that someone you don't know contacted you via PM regarding this particular question. However, I did not ask Tom to post a question here, nor did I ask him or anyone else to contact you about it.
Personally, I find it sad that you thought it appropriate to insult a person who apparently contacted you privately |
This is pure fiction. When I said I was in fact referring to YOU. I sometimes wonder whether in fact we do speak the same language!
Alan
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| Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:07 am Errors in the tests |
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Ah HA!
"Outside contributor" = someone who posts on this site
"another forum" = somewhere else on this site
Gee, thanks for clearing up who it was that you were insulting where, Alan.
As for me, I will continue to tell students that they should not use 'by the time' if they mean 'after'.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 7248
Location: New England
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| Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:58 am Errors in the tests |
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Hi,
By the time I had read your comment | Quote: | | and nobody has suggested that it's all odd. |
, I felt much better. By the way 'insulting' seems a bit strong.
Alan
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| Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:03 am Errors in the tests |
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A word has apparently been accidentally omitted in question 3 of this test:
http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ii275/esl-test.php
I would suggest adding the word 'last':
And now at last it was a reality and her dream was about to be ..........
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 7248
Location: New England
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Alan
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Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 7140
Location: UK
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| Help for sentence sequence quiz | Coordinate: I didn't recive any thing from you about my lesson... |
