Say No to Habitual Errors

Good English learners must take a serious approach to learning English. This helps learners learn faster and better.

Learners can learn from mistakes and it is necessary to encourage learners not afraid of making mistakes, yet there is a danger to reinforce the error patterns that will eventually make learners suffer from habitual mistakes. As a result, learners will spend more time to unlearn the mistakes.

Mistakes Versus Habitual Errors

In the process of learning English, mistakes cannot be really avoided. They are also part of the learning because it is difficult to meet the standard without making any mistake in the process of learning. But it does not mean habitual errors are OK. Habitual errors can impede learning and frustrate learners in a long run. So, learners should insist avoiding habitual mistakes as far as they can.

Why must we avoid errors?

It is because it is much easier to learn to do thing incorrectly than to learn to do it correctly in the first place. However, when errors have been repeated enough times and they soon develop into a bad habit and the habitual error is then much harder to correct and it will take more time to unlearn the wrong thing and relearn the right thing.

How shall we do to avoid habitual errors?

• learn standard and correct knowledge and skills of pronunciation, spelling, grammar, usage, listening, writing, and reading comprehension from good teachers.


• take time to digest your learning to make sure you've mastered both the knowledge and skills of English correctly.


• speak slowly to ensure that you can produce error-free message.


• learn to write error-free sentences as far as you can. Learn to type without frequently using the backspace key or delete key.


• read and get the message without misunderstanding the writers' intention.

Well, it is easy to say than to do thing right. But doing things right in the first place can save you a lot of time and create a professional and smart image for you!

HKCEE Oral Practice - Task 1

Part A - Group Discussion ( Children Left Home Alone )

Your group is working on a presentation topic on a recent social issue regarding the children being left home alone without supervision by adults. You will talk about the problem, and discuss possible causes and solutions.

Spend three minutes writing down the ideas you have regarding the social issue. You may want to talk about:

• possible causes of the problems: why do you think it is a problem to the society in Hong Kong?
• ways to solve the problem
• Things to do to help the parents and children
• anything else you think is important

Try to imagine you are participating in the small group discussion which will last for about five minutes. Make sure you have a keen interest in helping one of the parties that may invovle in the social issue. Take a position. In other words, you'll discuss the question from the viewpoint of: parents, children, government, or the general public. So, you won't get lost in the discussion.

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Part B Individual Response

Each individual candidate will be asked to response to a question based on the items discussed. You need to think of ideas for a one-minute response speech after the group discussion.

Possible questions are:

1. Apart from money, what other helps do parents need?
2. Who do you think are responsible for the problem? What should they do to help solve the problem?
3. What are the possible reasons for parents leaving their children alone at home?
4. How can people in Hong Kong help to ease the problem?

Good luck and enjoy your preparation for the coming exams!

By the way, you may want to go to the link below to see the official movie for the HKCEE Oral Exam for more information.

http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/files/wmv/ce07_eng_p4_video.wmv

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Language that may help you with the discussion.

Asking for an Opinion
What do you think of .........?
How do you feel about .....?
What’s your opinion of ........?

Giving an Opinion
In my opinion, .........
Personally, I think that ........
It seems to me .........
As far as I’m concerned, .........

Agreeing

(a) That’s right. (b) You’re right. (c) I think so, too. (d) I agree with you.
(e) I definitely agree. (f) I completely agree with you.

Expressing Reservations
Yes, but.....
Possibly. but.....
Yes, but the problem is....

Disagreeing
I don’t really agree with you.
I’m not sure I agree with you. The reason is that.....
Yes, that may be true, but.....

Getting Attention
To indicate that you want to speak, you can use nonverbal signals such as leaning forward or raising your hand. You can also gain the attention of the group members during a pause by saying :
May (could) I ask a question?
May (could) I say something here?
May (could I make a suggestion?
or :
I have a question I’d like to ask.
I have a point I’d like to make.

Interrupting
If you feel that a interruption would be appropriate, you can wait for a pause in the conversation and then say :
Excuse me, but........
Pardon me, but........
Excuse me for interrupting, but.......
Sorry to interrupt, but........

Keeping Your Turn
Excuse me, I’d just like to finish this point.
If you could wait for a second, I’m just about to finish my point.
Could I please just finish my point?

Continuing after an Interruption
Anyway, .......
As I was saying, ........
In any case, .......
Going back to what I was saying,......
As I was saying, .........


Emphasizing a Point
It seems to me that the real issue is.......
I think the basic cause is......
As far as I can see, the main problem is......
In my opinion, the basic problem is......
in my opinion, the main thing is.....
As I see it, the most important point is....
I feel that the most important consideration is.....

Comprehension Passage II for L1 Students

In a Gift Shop

This is a museum gift shop. There are many toy animals in the shop. They are hamsters, dogs, cows, rabbits, cats, and horses.

Kathy, Sevina and Sisi are classmates. They are also good friends. They are in the gift shop.

Sevina likes cats. She says, "I like that cat. It is orange. It is small. It has a long tail.

"Sisi likes hamsters. She tells the other girls, "I like that hamster. It is yellow and white. It has short legs and hands."

Kathy tells Sevina and Sisi, " I like rabbits. I like that white rabbit. It is big. It has red eyes."

Sevina buys the small orange cat with a long tail. Sisi buys the yellow and white hamster with short legs and hands. Kathy buys a big white rabbit with red eyes. They are all very happy!

True or False
1. The children are in an animal musesum gift shop.
2. Sevina, Sisi, and Kathy are not classmates.
3. Kathy likes hamsters.
4. Sisi likes rabbits.
5. Kathy likes rabbits.
6. All the three friends are girls.

Comprehension Passage for L2 Students

Tom and Emma

Read the story and choose the correct answer.

Tom and Emma are classmates. They are also friends. They go to the same school. They sit next to each other. They share a desk, but they sit on two chairs. Their desk is near the window and next to the door of the classroom.

Tom has a vest, seven jackets, and one pair of shorts. He also has eight bottles of water and a box of ten crayons.

Emma has a dress and a T-shirt. She also has a school bag. In her school bag, there is a pencil case. In the pencil case, she puts two pencils, six pens, and five rulers.

Today, Tom says to Emma, “Hi Emma, let’s turn on the computer near the fan.
”Emma says, “No, please! The teacher is standing near the blackboard. She will get angry!”

Tom stands up. He goes to the teacher. He asks the teacher to let them play on the computer. The teacher says, “OK, turn on the light and play!” So they are very happy.

1. Tom and Emma are
a. sister and brother
b. man and woman
c. friends and classmates

2. Tom and Emma share
a. a book
b. a desk
c. a chair

3. Tom has a vest, ___ jackets, and ____ pair of shorts, ____ bottles of water, ____ box of ten crayons.
a. 7 …. 1 … 8 … 1
b. 7 …. 0 … 8 … 1
c. 7 …. 1 … 8 … 10

4. Emma has ____ dress, ____ shirt, _____ school bag.
a. 1 … 2 … 1
b. 1 … 1 … 1
c. 1 … 1 … 0

5. Emma has ____ pencils, ____ pens, and ____ rulers in her pencil case.
a. 2 …. 6 …. 5
b. 2 …. 5 …. 6
c. 6 …. 2 …. 5

Comprehension Passage for L1 Students

Walking Through The Jungle

Read the story and answer the questions.

There are many animals in the jungle: a tiger, a lion, a crocodile, a monkey, and a snake.
They are looking for their food.
Grrrrrrr.... the tiger is walking through the jungle for its food.
Roarrrrr.... the lion is leaping through the jungle for its food.
Snap, snap, snap, snap.... the crocodile is wading through the jungle for its food.
Chitter chatter.... the monkey is swinging through the jungle for its food.
Ssssss ... the snake is creeping through the jungle for its food.

Who finds the food? They all find their food.
Why?
Someone throws food to them from a helicopter in the sky. So, all the animals have their food and all are very happy!

1. How many animals are there in the jungle?
__________________
2. List the names of the animals.
_______________________________
3. How does the tiger move for its food?
________________________________
4. How does the lion move for its food?
________________________________
5. How does the crocodile move for its food?
________________________________
6. How does the monkey move for its food?
________________________________
7. How does the snake move for its food?
________________________________
8. Why do all the animals get their food?
________________________________

Happy Lunar New Year

This Chinese New Year, may I wish you …

A year of happiness,
A year with more friends,
A year of better decisions,
A year of more wonderful experience,
A year with greater control over your studies,
A year of better communication,

A year of health,
A year of love,
A year of hope,
A year of faith in God.

Yeaaaah! You'd have the year of Rat with everything turning out great.