Could you have a look at this stuff ?

1 2 3
   Share on Facebook  
Anonymous  #205391  Sun, 12 Mar 06 09:19 AM
Hmm, I was wondering if you could take a look at the following text and make some corrections and then explain why you've corrected something this way, not the other.
(These are not mine texts, however I wanna check how many errors I've spotted)

Hi Tom,
Three days ago I arrived to London. I stay in the Grand Hotel, it isn’t so expensive hotel but very comfortable. Food is very tasty, especially dinners.
Tomorrow I want to visit the Buckingham Palace.
I hope that you have also good time.
See you soon
XYZ

and

Dear Sir/Madame,

I am writing to you because I have reserved by the Internet and next I have paid for Course: ‘English in Two Weeks. Level Pre-intermediate” in your school in Exeter. I have not got any answer from you until now, so that I am worried.

I have called to you three times but nobody answered and I have left messages on your answerphone. I am really bad surprise about this situation because now I cannot plan my journey. I ask you to confirm my participation on your course or refund my money.

I hope that this situation will be quickly solve, because I have heard only good opinions about your school.
Thank you for your assistance.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully.
XYZ

best wishes, thanks !
  
paco2004  #205401  Sun, 12 Mar 06 10:37 AM
Hi

I'll do the first part.
 Anonymous wrote:
Hi Tom,
Three days ago I arrived to London. I stay in the Grand Hotel, it isn’t so expensive hotel but very comfortable. Food is very tasty, especially dinners.
Tomorrow I want to visit the Buckingham Palace.
I hope that you have also good time.
See you soon
XYZ
Three days ago I arrived in London. I'm staying in the Grand Hotel. It's very confortable, but not so expensive.. Food is very tasty, especially dinners.
Tomorrow I want to visit the Buckingham Palace.
I hope that you also have a good time.
See you soon

paco
  
Top 25 Contributor
Joined on Wed, Nov 17 2004
Senior Member (4,095)
In Japan today even dogs are learning how to bow-wow in English.
Anonymous  #205422  Sun, 12 Mar 06 12:01 PM
Paco, thanks for you post. I had doubts about "the" before "Buckingham...", I thought that maybe the one who has written the letter was thinking that "Buckingham Palace" is unique and therefore "the" is needed...

  
Clive  #205451  Sun, 12 Mar 06 04:06 PM

Hi,

I've suggested a number of changes, mainly related to vocabulary but some other things as well. I haven't explained the reason for every change, so if you don't understand anything, please write again.

Dear Sir/Madame,

I am writing to you because I have reserved by the Internet and next I have paid for Course: ‘English in Two Weeks. Level Pre-intermediate” in your school in Exeter. I have not got any answer from you until now, so that I am worried. I would re-organize this paragraph as follows, to first state what you have done and then indicate what the problem with it is. 'Reserve' is not a good choice of words, I suggest 'enroll'. 

I have enrolled, via the Internet, and have also paid for your course, ‘English in Two Weeks. Level Pre-intermediate', in your school in Exeter. I am writing because I have not yet received any response from you, and I am worried.

I have called you three times but nobody has answered, and I have left messages on your answerphone. I am really concerned about this situation because now I cannot plan my trip. I ask you to confirm my participation in your course or to refund my money.

I hope that this situation will be quickly resolved, because I have heard only good opinions about your school.
Thank you for your assistance. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully.
XYZ

I'd also like to add one small comment to Paco's corrections. I'd say 'The food is very tasty', as it's a specific reference to the food in the hotel.

Best wishes, Clive

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member (23,116)
ModeratorTeachers
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
MrPedantic  #205452  Sun, 12 Mar 06 04:11 PM

One small footnote:

1. I hope that you have a good time.

— the "good time" refers to some future event. Perhaps the correspondent will be going on holiday soon.

2. I hope that you're having a good time.

— the "good time" refers to some current event. Perhaps the correspondent is also on holiday.

MrP

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004
Veteran Member (12,231)
Proficient SpeakerSystemAdministrator
...opella forensis / adducit febris...
Believer  #205597  Sun, 12 Mar 06 11:25 PM

This is my version:

Hi, Tom,

I arrived in London three days ago. After arriving here, I stayed in the Grand Hotel and found it to be inexpensive and comfortable. Food was tasty, especially the dinners. Tomorrow, I want to visit the Buckingham Palace.  I hope you are having a good time too.

See you soon,

XYZ

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing to you because I completed the application for your course, English in Two Weeks, the Pre-intermediate level, in Exester, by the internet and then, I did make a payment for the course. I am worried because I have not received any replies since.

I called you three times but have not received an answer yet. I did leave messages on your answering machine. I am sad about the situation because I have to plan my journey and I cannot do so. I am asking you to confirm my reservation for the course or refund the money.

I  want to let you know that I heard only good things about your school and hope this incident will not make me think otherwise about your school. 

Thank your for your anticipated cooperation on this matter and looking forward to hear from you soon.

Faithfully yours,

XYZ 

I would welcome any comments on mine too. Is my version too passionate and personal? 

  
Top 50 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Jan 2 2006
Contributing Member (1,969)
MrPedantic  #205609  Mon, 13 Mar 06 12:15 AM

Hello Believer

I've put one or two corrections in sq. brackets:

_________________

Hi, Tom,

I arrived in London three days ago. After arriving here, I stayed in the Grand Hotel and found it to be inexpensive and comfortable. Food [The food] was tasty, especially the dinners. Tomorrow, I want to visit the Buckingham Palace.  I hope you are having a good time too.

See you soon,

XYZ

___________________

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing to you because I completed the application [form] for your course, English in Two Weeks, the Pre-intermediate level, in Exester [Exeter?], by the internet and then, I did make a payment for the course [and made a payment for the course at the same time]. I am worried because I have not [yet] received [a reply] any replies since.

I called you three times but have not received an answer yet. I did leave [also left] messages on your answering machine. I am sad [very worried] about the situation because I have to plan my journey and I cannot do so. I am asking you to confirm my reservation for the course or refund the money.

I  want to let you know that [up till now] I [have] heard only good things about your school.  and hope this incident will not make me think otherwise about your school. [I hope that this incident won't lead me to change my mind.]

Thank your for your anticipated cooperation on [in] this matter and looking [I look] forward to hear from you soon.

Faithfully yours,

XYZ 

_____________

MrP

  
pieanne  #205698  Mon, 13 Mar 06 09:47 AM

I have two questions  Smile [:)]  :

- Do we have to put the article before "pre-intermediate level"?

- Shouldn't it be "look forward to hearing from you"?

  
Top 25 Contributor
Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005
South of France ...But I'm Belgian!
Veteran Member (7,512)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
paco2004  #205711  Mon, 13 Mar 06 10:46 AM
 MrPedantic wrote:
I've put one or two corrections in sq. brackets:

_________________

Hi, Tom,

I arrived in London three days ago. After arriving here, I stayed in the Grand Hotel and found it to be inexpensive and comfortable. Food [The food] was tasty, especially the dinners. Tomorrow, I want to visit the Buckingham Palace.  I hope you are having a good time too.

See you soon,

XYZ

Hello MrP

Could you cofirm for me whether we should modify "Buckingham Palace" with THE? I checked "went to Buckingham Palace" and "went to the Buckingham Palace" in google. The former hit 13200 sites whereas the latter did only 52 sites, and I found an article like below in the Wikipedia.

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch (or sovereign), and the largest "working" royal palace remaining in the world. The expression "Buckingham Palace" or simply "The Palace" has become a common way of referring to the source of press statements coming from parts of the British Royal Family.


paco
  
1 2 3
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service