TOEIC Error Recognition 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Identify the error: "The company has been expanding its operations oversea for the past five years."
- "oversea" should be "overseas" (Correct answer)
- "has been expanding" should be "is expanding"
- "for the past five years" should be "since five years"
- "its operations" should be "their operations"
Correct answer: "oversea" should be "overseas"
'Overseas' is the correct adverb meaning in or to a foreign country. 'Oversea' is not a standard English word.
'Overseas' is the standard English adverb/adjective meaning abroad or in another country ('overseas operations,' 'working overseas'). 'Oversea' is not a recognized standard English form. 'Has been expanding' (present perfect progressive) is correct with 'for the past five years.'
Question 2: Find the grammatical error: "Please inform me as soon as the client will arrive at the office."
- "will arrive" should be "arrives" (Correct answer)
- "Please inform me" should be "Please to inform me"
- "as soon as" should be "as soon"
- "at the office" should be "to the office"
Correct answer: "will arrive" should be "arrives"
In time clauses introduced by 'as soon as,' 'when,' 'until,' and 'before,' the present simple tense is used instead of future tense.
Time clauses (introduced by as soon as, when, until, before, after) use the present simple tense to express future meaning. 'As soon as the client arrives' (not 'will arrive') is the correct form. This is a standard English grammar rule that differs from many other languages.
Question 3: Identify the error: "Each of the candidates were asked to submit a portfolio of their work."
- "were asked" should be "was asked" (Correct answer)
- "Each of" should be "Each from"
- "to submit" should be "for submitting"
- "their work" should be "his or her works"
Correct answer: "were asked" should be "was asked"
'Each' is a singular pronoun and takes a singular verb. 'Each of the candidates was asked' is the grammatically correct form.
'Each' is always treated as singular in formal English grammar, even when followed by a plural noun ('each of the candidates'). The verb must be singular: 'was asked.' 'Were asked' (plural) is incorrect. Note: 'their' is acceptable as a gender-neutral singular pronoun in modern usage.
Question 4: Find the error: "The report was very well-write and impressed all of the senior managers."
- "well-write" should be "well-written" (Correct answer)
- "was very" should be "is very"
- "all of the" should be "all the"
- "impressed" should be "has impressed"
Correct answer: "well-write" should be "well-written"
'Well-written' is the correct compound adjective using the past participle of 'write.' 'Well-write' is not a standard English form.
Compound adjectives formed with 'well-' use the past participle: well-written, well-known, well-designed, well-organized. 'Write' is the base form; 'written' is the past participle. 'Well-write' is a non-standard form. 'Was very well-written' is the correct passive structure.
Question 5: Identify the grammatical error: "We need to discuss about the changes to the project timeline at the next meeting."
- "discuss about" should be "discuss" (Correct answer)
- "We need to" should be "We are needing to"
- "at the next meeting" should be "in the next meeting"
- "the changes to" should be "the changes of"
Correct answer: "discuss about" should be "discuss"
'Discuss' is a transitive verb that does not take the preposition 'about.' You 'discuss something,' not 'discuss about something.'
'Discuss' is a transitive verb that directly takes an object without a preposition: 'discuss the changes.' 'Discuss about' is a common learner error influenced by verbs like 'talk about' or 'think about.' 'At the next meeting' is correct — 'at' a specific event is standard. 'Stative' verbs like 'need' are not used in continuous form.
Question 6: Find the error: "The new employee has showed great initiative during her first two weeks on the job."
- "showed" should be "shown" (Correct answer)
- "has showed" should be "had showed"
- "great initiative" should be "a great initiative"
- "during" should be "for"
Correct answer: "showed" should be "shown"
'Shown' is the past participle of 'show' required in the present perfect tense (has + past participle). 'Showed' is the simple past, not the past participle.
The present perfect uses 'have/has + past participle.' The verb 'show' has an irregular past participle 'shown' (not 'showed'). 'Has shown' is correct. 'Has showed' is non-standard in formal English. 'Initiative' in the sense of showing initiative is typically uncountable ('great initiative,' not 'a great initiative').
TOEIC Error Recognition 3
Identify the error: "The company has been expanding its operations oversea for the past five years."