Verb tenses
I look forward to seeing you next week
Right. After you use - to look forward to or looking forward to - you always use the -ing form of the verb never the infinitive.
Please remember me to post these letters, won't you?
Wrong - you remind somebody else to do something.
Could you like to go to the cinema, this evening?
Wrong - WOULD you like to ......
You'll phone me as soon as you get there, won't you?
Right - Remember that a question tag for a positive sentence must be negative.
And
A question tag for a negative sentence must be positive.
By this time next week, we'll be in the south of France.
Wrong. The South of France is a protected region and so should have a capital S.
Mr Smith teached us for five years.
Wrong - Mr Smith taught us for five years.
We had so nice weather last week, it was really hot.
Wrong - We had such nice weather ……….
‘Such’ is followed by an adjective and a noun…’such nice(adjective) + weather(noun)
To use ‘so’ the sentence structure would need to change.The weather was so nice.
You will pass your exam if you will work hard.
Wrong - Once you have used will in the sentence you must not use it a second time.
You will pass your exam if you work hard.
How's the food like? Is it ok?
Wrong - How's the food? Is it OK?
or - What's the food like? Is it OK?
Jane's mother, whose seventy, plays tennis regularly.
Wrong - Although it sounds correct when you say it, the use of ‘whose’ is incorrect. ‘Whose’ is used to show ownership.
Jane's mother, who's seventy ....
He didn't finish doing his homework, yet.
Wrong. When we use the perfect tenses we must use a form of ‘to have’, also, the second verb is a past participle so must be in the PAST tense.
Correct sentence - He hasn’t finished doing his homework yet.
The weather is less colder today than it was yesterday.
Wrong - We could use ‘less cold’ but it is not the best way of expressing it.
Think about how a simile is used
The weather is not as cold today as it was yesterday.
It wasn't a good idea to phone at midnight. I might be asleep.
Wrong - It wasn't a good idea to phone at midnight. I might have been asleep."
There isn't much furniture in my house.
Right - furniture is an uncountable noun so we use MUCH
Is there anything more you'd like me to get you?
You could say ‘get for you’ but it has no difference in meaning.
While I was digging the garden, Sue was making dinner.
Right - two actions happening at the same time in the past -past progressive/continuous.
Success depends for luck as well as talent.
Wrong - Success depends ON luck....
If I were you, I'd sell now. You're not likely to get a better offer.
Right - In standard English, the verb "to be" takes the form "were" for all subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
Dear Madam............. Yours sincerely, John Smith
Wrong - If you do not know the person's name, you use - Yours faithfully not sincerely.
I luckily had had my hair cut before I appeared on TV.
Right - this is using the past perfect to describe an action before another action in the past.
She had always regarded him as her friend.
Right - The past perfect is used to describe an action that has happened before another action, both in the past.
At a point in the past you can assume that they stopped being friends.
Before that they were friends.
They looking loving at eachother.
Wrong - They are looking lovingly at eachother.
If you should see John, tell him I'll phone him tomorrow evening.
Right - It is often taught that a modal auxiliary verb – would, should, could, may, might needn’t, will and can- cannot be used in an ‘if clause’ but this is incorrect. In polite English they are occasionally used.
Can I lend your pen please?
Wrong - can I borrow your pen please?
Lend to
Borrow from
One of the nicest parks in London is the Hyde Park.
Wrong - Hyde Park? NOT the Hyde Park
Most two word place names do not use an article. There are some exceptions – The Hungerford Bridge, The Millennium Wheel