CJS EFL - Error correction

Common Errors and False Friends

This is a kind of quiz as much as exercise.

See how many you can get right.

Of course, you should repeat the quiz at
intervals until you get them ALL right first time.

There are links to check meaning and SOUND

ADVANCED

Common Errors. Each example has ONE or TWO errors. See if you can correct them, read your sentence out loud and then toggle to check.

He sold the sales of his yacht at a boot sail.

He sold the sails of his boat at a boot sale.



He tried to stench the flow of blood with a turniquet.

He tried to staunch the flow of blood with a tourniquet. [ˈtʊənɪkeɪ]

staunch: verb = to stop the flow from a leak of any kind of flow
adjective = of an ally or friend: 'steadfast', 'reliable'



I complemented her on her beouf bourguignon.

I complimented her on her boeuf bourguignon. [ˈkɒmplɪmənt]

to complement is to go well with something and make it
seem better or more attractive when combining with it

Her boeuf bourguignon was complemented by a fine Bordeaux red.



The film slowly build up to a climatic ending.

The film slowly builds/built up to a climactic ending.

i.e. reaching a climax / climatic is relating to the climate



Yesterday it has taken over an hour to diffuse the bomb.

Yesterday it took an hour to defuse the bomb.

You need the SIMPLE PAST TENSE as the reference is to a specific time in the past.

for diffuse, see here



The gang hid in an unused building that had once been a factary.

The gang hid in a disused building that had once been a factory.

once used but now lying empty / unused = never been used



You can't starve in the dessert because of the sand witch is there!

You can't starve in the desert because of the sand which is there!

dessert is served after the main course



It's highly time to put plan B into affect.

It's high time to put plan B into effect.

'high time' = it's rather overdue/it really is time ....



My wound was badly inflected, so the doctor proscribed antibiotics.

My wound was badly infected, so the doctor prescribed antibiotics.

'to proscribe' is to prohibit or forbid



We spent an hour wandering round the Morrocan bizarre.

We spent an hour wandering round the Moroccan bazaar.



"Let us spray," said the Vicare.

"Let us pray," said the Vicar.

spray - noun: a liquid that is blown or driven through the air in the form of tiny drops
verb: to apply through the air in the form of tiny drops
prey = a creature which is the food of a predator



The morale of the story? You cant have your cake AND eat it.

The moral of the story? You can't have your cake AND eat it.

moral: the lesson - what the story teaches us

morale: spirits, mood, degree of optimism



His loutish behaviour was a broach of the piece.

His loutish behaviour was a breach of the peace. [briːtʃ]

to broach a subject = to mention, bring up a subject

loutish: like a lout, a loud, rude, uncouth and disruptive male



The scroo was so tinny that no scroodriver was small enough to undo it.



The screw was so tiny that no screwdriver was small enough to undo it.
tinny - made of cheap, thin metal - having a displeasingly thin, metallic sound



You need weeks of formation if you want to work in a laboratory.

You need weeks of training if you want to work in a laboratory.

formation: the way something is naturally made or the way it has been arranged
the development of something into a particular thing or shape



I could hear the clutter of hoofs on the road outside the house.

I could hear the clatter of hooves on the road outside the house.

clutter = a number of objects in an untidy, disorganised state
clatter = a noisy, rattling sound



He wielded the two pieces twogether using an oxyacetylene torch.

He welded the two pieces together using an oxyacetylene torch.

to wield?



The government needs to device a new strategum for reducing debt.

The government needs to devise a new strategy for reducing debt.

to invent, think up, design, develop / for device, see here



French was my faverite matter at school.

French was my favourite subject at school.

French, maths, physics, history etc are school subjects.



I absolutely loath sauerkraut; it tastes like roting straw.

I absolutely loathe sauerkraut; it tastes like rotting straw.

to really hate - to rot, rotting, rotted / loath = reluctant, unwilling



You have missed three concurrent meetings and so deserve censoring.

You have missed three consecutive meetings and so deserve censuring.

one after the other - concurrent means simultaneous
to censure is to reprimand - to censor means to deprive of free speech



He seized the wench and began to tighten up the leeking joint.

He seized the wrench and began to tighten up the leaking joint. [ˈliːkɪŋ]

a wench is an archaic word for a young girl [wentʃ]
wrench has several meanings - check here



The 1940 Potsdam Conference was a truly historical meeting.

The 1945 Potsdam Conference was a truly historic meeting.

MAKING history, not ABOUT it, which would be historical

1945! It marked the formal end of WWII!



The Railway Workers Syndicate has called for an immidiate strike.

The Railway Workers Union has called for an immediate strike.

a syndicate might be a group of people sharing the price of lottery tickets



His father was a defective in the police farce.

His father was a detective in the police force.

a farce is a humorous play or film where the
characters are involved in unlikely situations

defective = having a defect, faulty, not working properly



People with lots of whine usually keep it in a sellar.

People with lots of wine usually keep it in a cellar.

to whine is make a long, high, sad and/or complaining sound



He's an ancient soldier blessed in the war and now living on the streets.

He's an former soldier wounded in the war and now living on the streets.

ancient = very old: Ancient Rome / ancient ruins
blessed = given God's blessing by a priest, or very lucky thanks to God



I can't go to the party, I have these horrible spits all over my face.

I can't go to the party: I have these horrible spots all over my face.

the comma is WRONG: you can't link two clauses with a comma



She's a very jolly girl, beautiful even.

She's a very pretty girl, beautiful even.

jolly means gay or happy



I'm passing my maths exam tomorrow: I hope to succeed!

I'm taking my maths exam tomorrow: I hope to pass!

When you TAKE an exam you may either PASS or FAIL