1. Error Correction 3
Idioma Modern II
2014

2. 1. Affirmative / Negative
• When you have a baby you don’t have time for
nothing.
• When you have a baby you don’t have time for
anything.
• Note: you could also say ‘You have no time’ or
‘You have time for nothing’ (less common).

3. 2. Word Order
• I like so much your ideas.
• I like your ideas so much / I really like your ideas.
• Note: this was very common in the forum and
Langblog. It is not a huge mistake but the
second sentences sound more natural.

4. 3. Vocabulary
• When we were younger we didn’t appreciate our
fathers.
• When we were younger we didn’t appreciate our
parents.
• Note: in English ‘father’ only refers to the male
parent

5. 4. Vocabulary
• Communication with your couple is the most
important thing.
• Communication with your partner is the most
important thing.
• Note: ‘couple’ means two people and ‘partner’
means one i.e. ‘boy/girlfriend’ / ‘husband’ / ‘wife’

6. 5. Vocabulary
• I decided to study the history career.
• I decided to study a course / a degree in history.
• Note: ‘career’ means work (from Macmillan
Dictionary: ‘a job or series of related jobs that
you do, especially a profession that you spend a
lot of your working life in’). It sounds like
‘carrera’ but does not refer to study.

7. 6. Infinitive forms
• It’s difficult adapt to a new situation at first.
• It’s difficult to adapt to a new situation at first.
• Note: ‘it’s + adjective + to infinitive’

8. 7. Word choice
• Some people buy a puppy for caprice.
• Some people buy a puppy on a whim.
• Note: the expression ‘do something on a whim’
means to make a quick decision (often to buy
something or do something fun). ‘Caprice’
sounds a little antiquated in English.

9. 8. Countable / Uncountable
• I have found two information about this place.
• I have found two pieces of information about this
place.
• Note: information is uncountable. Lots of people
are still making this mistake with advice too –
check your writing for this.

10. 9. Word form
• Study was very bored when I was a student.
• Study was very boring when I was a student.
• Note: bored is a feeling, boring describes the
thing that gives you this feeling. It is the same
for other –ed / –ing adjectives e.g. excited /
exciting, tired / tiring, worried / worrying

11. 10. Word choice
• I stayed two months of unemployment.
• I was unemployed for two months.
• Note: stay does not always translate directly into
English. In Spanish ‘me quedé (en situación X)’
would usually be ‘I was (adjective)’

12. 11. Prepositions / Verb Forms
• The matches could be useful for light a fire.
• The matches could be useful to light a fire.
• The matches could be useful for lighting a fire.
• be + adjective + to (verb)
• be + adjective + for (verb –ing)

13. 12. Articles
• I am very interested in the history.
• I am very interested in history.
• Note: history (general) takes no article
• a specific period can take an article e.g. The
history of ancient Egypt is fascinating.

14. 13. False friends / Vocabulary
• The sheet of plastic would be interesting.
• The sheet of plastic would be useful.
• interesting refers to something you want to
study / learn about / watch / listen to e.g. ‘That’s
an interesting movie, I highly recommend it’.
• useful refers to something practical e.g. ‘The
sheet of plastic would be useful to protect us
from the rain’.

15. 14. Collocation / false friends
• Insect bites could be an important problem.
• Insect bites could be a major problem.
• important = something positive / necessary e.g.
‘Penicillen was an important discovery’. / ‘It’s
important to eat healthily’.
• problem = something negative. You can say a
big problem / a major problem / a significant
problem

16. 15. Vocabulary / False Friends
• What do you think about my election?
• What do you think about my choice?
• election is a political event