Lab Activity 52: Tips for Second Language Writers

Lab Activities
Lab Activity 52: Tips for Second Language Writers

Objective To practice reducing typical errors when English is not the writer's first language.

Step 1: Rewrite the following items in correct English.

Example:
U.S. Constitution has 4,440 words, and it oldest and shortest written constitution of any government in world.
The U.S. Constitution has 4,440 words, and it is the oldest and shortest written constitution of any government in the world.


		1. Henry elected as a delegate to Constitutional Convention, but declined, saying "smelled a rat." To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		2. Shallus he wrote by hand Constitution for fee of $30, which would be about $300 today. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		3. The entire Constitution displayed only at September 17 on each year because was day the Framers signed document. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		4. Number of delegates the Constitutional Convention did not sign document, partly because not include bill of rights. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		5. Ben Franklin he was needing help sign the Constitution because on his poor health, and he is having tears streaming down face as he signed. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		*Step 2:* Now, imagine you are visiting or living in a place in which you do not speak the language very well. Write a paragraph of at least five sentences using that topic. You can write about an actual or a fictional experience of this type. After you finish, check your paragraph carefully for errors in omission of subjects, articles, and verbs as well as mistakes in the use of verbs, adjectives, and prepositions. Then, correct any errors you find. You may refer to Chapter 52. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		*Step 3:* For each sentence below, select the choice that uses correct English. If the original sentence is correct, select "No change." 1. When Constitution was written in 1787, people thought of the spelling differently than they do today. [Hint]

		2. People agreed spelling the same word in two or even three different ways. [Hint]

		3. For example, over that time a acceptable alternative spelling for the word choose was chuse. [Hint]

		4. Many people they also approved of to use what we now consider British spellings, such as defence for defense and labour for labor. [Hint]

		5. Jacob Shallus, who wrote out the Constitution, should have been knowing how to avoid the one obvious misspelling in the document. [Hint]

		6. Shallus he was clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. [Hint]

		7. Howerver the one obvious misspelling in the Constitution is the word Pensylvania, which is missing an n. [Hint]

		8. Another misspelling in Constitution still commonly made today. [Hint]

		9. The word it's is used in Article 1, Section 10, but should have been spelled its. [Hint]

		10. Most of these interest misspellings are in original Constitution, which written quickly after end of convention. [Hint]

		*Step 4:* Now that you have practiced recognizing the correct use of English, think about your own most common errors in writing correct English. You may refer to Chapter 52. Write a paragraph of at least five sentences explaining what you need to do to learn to avoid those errors. After you finish, check your paragraph carefully for any omissions of subjects, articles, and verbs as well as mistakes in the use of verbs, adjectives, and prepositions. Then, correct any errors you find. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Answer choices in this exercise are randomized and will appear in a different order each time the page is loaded.