Read, Write, Editpage 13

Practice Activity 6

“[One woman was expecting directness;] [to her indirectness is

dishonest.]

[The other was expecting her

indirectness to be understood;] [to her, directness is rude.]”

[I sympathize with the second woman]

[because her indirectness is just a

way to be nice].

At least she didn’t hurt the first woman’s

feelings by directly telling her [she doesn’t

want to have lunch with her.]

[But I don’t understand] [why she

doesn’t want to be friends with the first

woman.]

That’s strange to me.

I don’t sympathize with the second

woman for missing and opportunity to start a friendship.

However, her indirectness should have gotten through to the first woman.

[I probably would do the same thing] [if I didn’t want to be friends with somebody.]

I don’t blame the second woman for

being annoyed.

Read, Write, Editpage 16

A. Errors in Noun Forms

** = the example is incorrect.

**1. Conversational style has often been the focus of Deborah Tannen’s researches.

1. Conversational style has often been the focus of Deborah

Tannen’s research.“Research” is a non-

count noun.

**2. I have read three of Tannen’s article.

2. I have read three of Tannen’s articles.

“Article” is a count noun. Here, it has to

be plural

Most English nouns are count nouns. There is a

list of common non-count nouns on page 163 of Read, Write

Edit.

**3. She always gives some informations

about how problems in conversation can

be avoided.

3. She always gives some information about how

problems in conversation can be avoided.

Information is a non-count noun.

**4. It is my believe that the differences she writes about are often cross-cultural, not just American.

4. It is my belief that the differences she writes about are often cross-

cultural, not just American.“Belief” is the noun. “Believe” is a verb.

**5. I have seen these differences result in

many bad feeling between peoples.

(2 errors)

5. I have seen these differences result in many

bad feelings between people.

These are both count nouns in the plural. “People” is an

irregular plural.

**6. When you are trying to communicate successfully, sometimes the greater expectation you have, the greater

disappointed you have.

6. When you are trying to communicate successfully,

sometimes the greater expectation you have, the

greater disappointment you have.

“Disappointment” is the noun. “Disappointed” is an adjective.

**7. The feeling of sad may last for a long

time.

7. The feeling of sadness may last for a

long time.Here you also need the

noun and not the adjective.

Read, Write, Editpage 17

B. Errors in Verb Forms

**8. Being too direct can causes some

misunderstanding.

8. Being too direct can cause some

misunderstanding.Always use the base

form of the verb after a modal.

**9. My cousin was very upset when his

girlfriend told him she had decide not to see

him any more.

9. My cousin was very upset when his girlfriend told him she had decided not to see him any

more.The past perfect uses the past

participle.

**10. She said he still wanted to going out

with her even though she hurted him.

(2 errors)

10. She said he still wanted to go out with her even though she hurt him.

Use base form after “to” for infinitive; “Hurt” is an

irregular past tense.

There is a list of irregular verbs on page 169 of Read,

Write, Edit.

**11. He was use to being with her every

weekend.

11. He was used to being with her every

weekend.“Used to” an adjective

with –ed.

**12. Her directness made him felt so sad.

12. Her directness made him feel so sad.

“Make someone do something”—use

base form.

**13. In my opinion, they should break up;

he has chose the wrong girlfriend.

13. In my opinion, they should break up; he has

chosen the wrong girlfriend.

“Chose/chose/chosen.” See the list on page 169.

**14. He think that he won’t find another

girlfriend as great as she is, but I’m sure he can success in finding one.

(2 errors)

14. He thinks that he won’t find another girlfriend as great as she is, but I’m sure he can succeed in

finding one.-s on simple present for he, she, it

(the third person singular);“success” is the noun, “succeed”

is the verb.

Read, Write, Editpage 17

C. Errors in Adjective Forms

**15. If a speaker prefers directness,

the listener might feel confusing if he or she prefers indirectness.

15. If a speaker prefers directness, the listener

might feel confused if he or she prefers indirectness.Learn about present and part participle adjectives:

Study Grammar Handout #7.

**16. We all want to avoid

misunderstandings in our everydays lives.

16. We all want to avoid

misunderstandings in our everyday lives.

In English, adjectives have no plural form.

**17. Having cross-cultural problems is

very frustrated for all of us.

17. Having cross-cultural problems is very

frustrating for all of us.Study Grammar Handout #

7, present and past participle adjectives.

**18. Increasing communication by e-mail and voice mail can lead to problems because we may

lose our origin way of communicating with

others.

18. Increasing communication by e-mail and voice mail can lead to problems because we may lose our original way of communicating with others.

“Origin” is the noun. “Original” is the adjective.

**19. Building good communication skills

requires one to be patience.

19. Building good communication skills

requires one to be patient.“Patience” is the noun.

“Patient” is the adjective.

**20. Being open-mind also helps with

good communication.

20. Being open-minded also helps with good

communication.“Open mind” is a noun

phrase, and “open-minded” is the adjective.

Read, Write, Editpage 18

D. Errors in Adverb Forms

**21. In one case, I felt that my sister and I could not talk very

comforted.

21. In one case, I felt that my sister and I could not talk very comfortably.“Comforted” is a past participle

adjective which means that somebody or something. comforted the person.

“Comfortable” means “feels good,” and the adverb is formed by adding –ly.

**22. This might have happened because

we don’t oftenly talk about our personal

problems.

22. This might have happened because we

don’t often talk about our personal problems.“Often” is one of the

irregular adverbs that does not add –ly.

**23. However, we usually talk very

honest about school and our parents.

23. However, we usually talk very honestly about school and our parents.

“Honest” the adjective, and the adverb is formed by adding –ly in the normal

way.

**24. Also, some time we discuss our plans

for the future.

24. Also, sometimes we discuss our plans for the

future.“Some time” is a noun phrase: for example, “We had to wait for some time.” The adverb of

frequency is “sometimes.”

**25. When we talk about the future, we can speak very direct

and open.

25. When we talk about the future, we can speak very

directly and openly.“Direct” and “open” are

adjectives that form adverbs in the normal way, by adding

“-ly.”

Read, Write, Editpage 21

Activity 10

**Greeting a business partner in China is a lot difference from greeting a business partner in the U.S.

Greeting a business partner in China is a lot

different from greeting a business partner in the

U.S.“Difference” is a noun and “different” is the adjective.

**Recently, increasing international trade has made

Chinese business people more awared of cultural differences and has helped them get use

to Westerners’ frequent use of body gesture.

Recently, increasing international trade has made Chinese business people more

aware of cultural differences and has helped them get used to Westerners’

frequent use of body gesture.“Aware” is an adjective and not a verb. Because there is no verb “aware,” there

can be no past participle adjective “**awared.”

“Used to” has –d on it.

**When meeting for the first time, for instance, Chinese

people evaluate the sincere of prospective business partners

by the degree to which the partners meet their

expectations about the entire arrangement of the meeting.

When meeting for the first time, for instance, Chinese people evaluate the

sincerity of prospective business partners by the degree to which the

partners meet their expectations about the entire arrangement of the meeting.“Sincere” is the adjective and “sincerity” is the noun. You know that you need a noun here because the of article “the.”

**In other words, if you reserve a nice conference room, prepare some gifts, and pick up your Chinese

partners at their convenient, you are more likely to gain their trust.

In other words, if you reserve a nice conference room, prepare

some gifts, and pick up your Chinese partners at their

convenience, you are more likely to gain their trust.

“Convenient” is the adjective and “convenience” is the noun.

**This is a different method from those ignorance former investors who just call them up, tell them to come to the

hotel they are stay at and don’t even bother to see them off at the front door when the

meeting is finish.

This is a different method from those ignorant former investors who just call them up, tell them to come to the hotel they are stay at and don’t even bother to see them off at the front door when

the meeting is finished.“Ignorance” is the noun and “ignorant” is the adjective; “finish” is a verb, and you would never put the base for of a

verb after “is.” Here, you want the past participle adjective.

**This frustrated way of doing business can

causes potential partnerships with

Chinese business people to fail.

This frustrating way of doing business can cause potential partnerships with

Chinese business people to fail.Here you need the present participle adjective and not the past participle

adjective to describe the subject of the verb “frustrate”: – this way of doing

business frustrates people; always use the base form of the verb

after a modal.