Errors in the tests

[Torsten]

Hi Charles,

Many thanks for that. I've changed the sentences as you suggested in our data base and the new version will appear on the site with the next sever update.
Regards,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[MrPedantic]

Hello MM and Torsten,

In this test, item 2, the idiom in the "correct" answer seems askew to me: I would say that "pay you back in your own coin" is the usual version, not "pay you back with your own coin".

In item 7 in the same test, meanwhile, I would have chosen "play nice", rather than the "correct" answer ("play politics"): "playing politics" implies dissimulatory scheming of some kind, whereas the context simply requires "not showing one's dislike".

What do you chaps think?

MrP

[Linda]

Hi Mr.P,
I don't agree with the phrase "pay you back in your own coin." I've never heard that phrase before. I've always heard "pay you back with your own coin." That's the right preposition to use - in my opinion.

As far as "playing politics," I think the answer is a good one because one of the idiom's definition is: "To deal with people in an opportunistic, manipulative, or devious way, as for job advancement." In the question, the speaker is referring to "a good lumber deal that they will get if they choose to 'get along' or play politics with another party.

However, I do think that both "play nice" and "play politics" are possible answers so that will be changed soon.

[MrPedantic]

[Linda]

Mr. P,
Thanks for the information - I've never heard it like that before. However, it sounds like old English or quite uncommon English to me. Because the other phrase that contains "with" is common, I think the question/answer choices should remain the same.
Take care.

[Mister Micawber]

.
This OLD ONE still needs fixing, I think, Linda.

....To something like this?---

My grandmother ......... the wool for a beautiful blanket that she knitted by hand. I still have it today.

(a) spinned
(b) spun
(c) spint
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Linda]

Mi MM,
Thanks for the reminder. It's fixed now.

[MrPedantic]

Hello Linda,

[Yankee]

.
The phrase "pay (him) back with (his) own coin" would not be a commonly used phrase in my neck of the woods. In fact, it sounds even more unlikely/uncommon to me than the British original. I'd say it would be more common to hear the idiom "pay back in kind" used here.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Yankee]

Hi Torsten

There is a typo that needs fixing here:
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic28909.html#done_my_piece_vs_done_my_bit
"I have done my bit and have spoken to the head of the chemistry department to have arrange for an independent chemist to review our work."

I'm not 100% sure what the intended wording was, but the "to have arrange for" part definitely needs to be repaired.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Yankee]

Hi

Although questions 1 and 2 form a single sentence in this test, there is a period/full stop at the end of the first sentence and the first word in question 2 has been capitalized.
http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ii074/esl-test.php
In other words, the period should be deleted in question 1 and the word "was" should not be capitalized in question 2.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Torsten]

Hi Amy,

Thanks a lot for that. I've made both changes as you suggested and you can see the Javascript versions here and here. You will see the changed 'all-in-one' versions of the tests once Slava updates the data base. It's amazing that we haven't seen the Christmas Postman typo for such a long time. Many thanks for notifying us .

Regards,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Yankee]

Hi Torsten

Normally, I'd have also mentioned a possible rethinking of the use of the word "because" in question 2 since that's the sort of thing that a student might lose points on in a standardized test.

EDIT:
Your first link works, but the second one doesn't. No matter, though. It's nice to know that those corrections have been made.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Torsten]

Hi Amy,

Thanks for that -- I've corrected the second link so you can take a look at the test if you like.
Regards,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Zarghuna]

Salam all
I dont remember which test it was but it was one of the beginners' grammer tests that I think showed an incorrect answer as correct. It said something like "was listing" when it should have been "was listening"