Meaning of "the man fell over half way through"

[zainab]

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #25 "Mark Idioms", question 3

The dancers were marked down in the competition because the man fell over half way through.

(a) lost marks
(b) failed marks
(c) took marks
(d) caught marks

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #25 "Mark Idioms", answer 3

The dancers were lost marks in the competition because the man fell over half way through.

Correct answer: (a) lost marks
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dear sir:
what is the meanning of "the man fell over half way through" & the word "mark"

with best regads

zainab

[Alan]

Hi zainab,

The man fell over half way through means the man fell on to the floor in the middle of his performance. Mark as a noun is a point - in other words 1 out of a total 5 would be low and 5 out of 5 would be the highest point/mark. Mark is also a verb and the words The dancers were marked down means they got low marks/points.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Baubau]

1. To be honest, I'm very intrigued by the use of "mark" (= score). It means, at the same time, a grade (What mark did you get in your history test?) and a point, the sum of which gives the grade. In other words, a mark is the sum of the marks. If someone could spare the time, please enlighten me, it sounds kind of unnatural. "low points" does too.
2. Can one say "a big/small mark", "many/a few marks"?
3. "The dancers were lost marks" seems to be incorrect. It is likely I'm wrong though, I'm a perpetual beginner in the tenses field.

Regards.

[Esl_Expert]

Hello Baubau,

Here are my comments on your questions:

1. If someone is in a figure skating competition, for example, and they fall, they will in essence receive "minus points" -- they will be marked down because of the fall (the error), and this will ultimately result in their final score being lower than it would have been had they not fallen. Being marked down for the fall ultimately results in a reduced/lower total score.

We also use "mark down" when talking about reducing prices of things in shops/stores, for example. If a pair of pants has a regular price of $50 at the beginning of a season, but that pair of pants remains in the store, unsold, for months, the pants will eventually be "marked down". In this case, that means the price is reduced.

2. I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. The word 'mark' has various different meanings. It would be helpful if you tried to put the phrases into the sort of context (full sentences) you want to use them in.

3. "The dancers were lost marks" IS incorrect. However, it would be OK without the word "were".

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"If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

[Baubau]

Many thanks for the explanations Esl_Expert.
My questions refer to the use of the noun "mark" when it means score, grade, point.
"I got a small mark at Biology last semester."
"The teacher gave me only a few marks for this composition, I'm furibund."
Are the above phrases grammatically correct? What adjectives do the native speakers normally use to describe marks?

[Haihao]

Hi Baubau,

IMO, that might be referred to as a "point" with your examples. But let's wait for a native speaker's decisive answer.

(BTW, It seems to me that it was the content of that composition that made the teacher give the composer only a few points.) -- no need any more. Thank you, Baubau.

[Alan]

Hi,

'Marks' as I know it, can refer to points/a score/when used to give a numerical assessment for a performance or piece of work. We can talk of 'high marks' ( a good result)'low marks'(a poor result) and 'top marks' (the best result possible) . I wouldn't usually use 'small' or 'a few marks' as a description of what the assessment is. You could however use 'a few marks' when referring to a reduction in the total score as in: She lost a few marks in the skating competition for landing on the wrong foot.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Baubau]

Thank you all very much.