CORRECTIONS TO TEXTS BY RUSSIAN LEARNERS OF ENGLISH [with their permission] Here I have selected pieces of text [purple print, mistakes marked in blue] and appended a corrected version. Explanation follows by number in square brackets. An asterisk shows something missing. My version is in black print with the suggested alternatives in red. Please e-mail me with information if you have problems with the readability of the quotes in Russian. I am still in the experimental stage as regards Cyrillic on the net. These corrected texts are intended as a kind of drop by drop effect. WE all make mistakes in a foreign language and looking at corrections [of our own work or others] is a useful learning experience. Read the purple text, note blue mistakes and pause to think what perhaps it should be. Then read the following black version and the red substitutions. Remember also to notice where words have been dropped [mostly THE and A] or moved in the word order. These will have appeared in blue but the missing ones of course will not show in red. INDEX - click on title to go to corrected passage My most frightening experience
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THIS FIRST SNIPPET IS THE KIND REPLY OF ONE OF MY RUSSIAN FRIENDS GIVING ME PERMISSION TO USE THESE CORRECTIONS. I'M STARTING WITH IT BECAUSE IT RAISES A COUPLE OF INTERESTING POINTS. Many thanks! You are flattering for me... Whether you are considering this interesting, please use it. Many thanks! You flatter me [1]. If [2] you consider [3] this interesting, please use it. [1] To flatter is transitive. It takes a direct object without a preposition. [2] 'Whether' is interchangeable with 'if', only in reported speech. When someone asks a yes/ no question, such as, 'Is your father a teacher?', in reported speech this would be either, 'He asked if his/her father was a teacher'. or 'He asked whether his/her father was a teacher'. The only other use of whether that comes to mind is weighing up ideas, plans etc. and deciding between them. I don't know whether to go or not. He didn't know whether to wear the green tie or the yellow one. In these two examples 'if' can not be used. As far as I can think at the moment, in all other situations 'if' would be the right choice. [3] Verbs of opinion, like think and consider, are normally used in the present simple not present continuous. Only when they refer to the activity, such as, 'Wait a minute; I'm thinking', is the present continuous used. |
MY MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. It happened 25 years ago. I had a friend, who was born in Odessa's village. At that time he left our village and worked and lived in the city. He was 5 years older than me and very liked to wear the well done and modern clothes. He always wore the broad-brim hat and carried the briefcase. It happened 25 years ago. I had a friend, who was born in a village near Odessa. At that time he left our village to work and live in the city. He was 5 years older than me and liked very much to wear well made and modern clothes. He always wore a broad-brim[med] hat and carried a briefcase. His job located very close to the main, central district of city the intersection of the Deribassovskaya and Sadovaya streets. At that time, it was the fall, the subway was building there, and a lot of ditches filled with a very liquid mud were inside this area. Some of the small, very narrow bridges across those ditches didn't have the handrails at all. It was pretty dangerous to walk by this way even for the young, adroit people. His job was located very close to the main, central district of city near the intersection of Deribassovskaya and Sadovaya streets. At that time, it was the fall, and the subway was being built there, and there werea lot of ditches filled with a very liquid mud in this area. Some of the small, very narrow bridges across those ditches didn't have handrails at all. It was pretty dangerous to walk this way even for young, agile people. Now you can already guess, it happened, he was fall down from the bridge into the mud. His face was dipped immediately in the mud so well as his hat, briefcase and clothes. The mud was very similar with a marsh mud, so he had a problem to get up. Now you can already guess, it happened, he fell from the bridge into the mud. His face went into the mud as well as his hat, briefcase and clothes. The mud was very similar to marsh mud, so he had a problem getting up. He hold out me his slimy right hand, and I began to draw out him . It was very difficult to do that because I didn't have a possibility to catch hold something else and to keep myself on the bridge. Very quickly his hand was slipped out from my hand and he was fall down into the same mud, but now he was landed on his back. I was pretty greasy too, but he looked like a clay God. He held out his slimy right hand to me, and I began to draw him out. It was very difficult to do, because I couldn't catch hold of anything to keep myself on the bridge. Very quickly his hand slipped from my hand and he fell down into the mud again, but now he landed on his back. I was pretty greasy too, but he looked like a clay God. The people began to gather around the bridge. They wanted to see what I was trying to do down in the ditch. Someone helped us. He holt me, and I pulled my friend. Finally I rescued him and after that we trying to be hidden to reach his home for a walk during the 3 hours and it was not possible, being in such condition, to use any kind of public transport. A few months later we laughed a lot about that accident, but seems to me, his laugh was a little nervous. People began to gather around the bridge. They wanted to see what I was trying to do down in the ditch. Someone helped us. He held me while I pulled my friend out. Finally I rescued him and after that we tried to remain hidden on the way to his house. It was a 3 hour walk and it was not possible, being in such condition, to use any kind of public transport. A few months later we laughed a lot about that accident, but seemed to me, his laugh was a little nervous. |
Winter had come in Moscow last weekend. It was the first day when day and night temperature below zero. I visited my parents-in-law and was driving to Klin (85 km north from Moscow). Leningradsky Highway had been covered thin ice layer. You can imagine what happened on the road in high traffic float. Winter came to Moscow last weekend. It was the first day that the day and night temperature fell below zero. I visited my parents-in-law and was driving to Klin (85 km north from Moscow). The Leningradsky Highway had been covered by a thin ice layer. You can imagine what happened on the road at peak times for traffic. Many drivers did not exchange summer tires to winter ones with tips. Thank God, I did. Even big jeeps a real kings of Russian roads with impudent drivers (usually gangsters or government officers – differency is not big) were dungled* from side to side. No car or truck had advance. As a result I counted 14 incidents: 5 or 6 cars I saw in ditch, 4 hard crash (obviously with wounded), others are just kisses with pillars, road fence and each other. Many drivers had not exchanged summer tires for winter ones with tips. Thank God, I had. Even big jeeps the real kings of Russian roads with impudent drivers (usually gangsters or government officers –the difference is not big)* were skidding from side to side. No car or truck could overtake. As a result I counted 14 accidents**: 5 or 6 cars I saw in ditches, 4 hard crashes (obviously with wounded), others were just kisses with pillars, road fences and each other. Usually I reached* my parents-in-law's house in 40 minutes but that day it took more than two and a half hours. I heard by "Auto Radio" that more than 230 traffic incindents had happend on [the] Moscow Ring Road (this is a highway around Moscow with 5 lines for driving in each direction). Every year winter come unexpectedly in Moscow! :-))) ...especially for [the]municipal services :-((( Usually I reached** my parents-in-law's house in 40 minutes but that day it took more than [ I heard by "Auto Radio" that more than 230 traffic incindents had happend on [the] Moscow Ring Road (this is a highway around Moscow with 5 lines for driving in each direction). Every year winter come[s] unexpectedly in Moscow! :-))) ...especially for [the]municipal services :-((( NB or * There is not a big difference. ** An incident is simply something that happened. An accident is несчастный случай. Confusion can arise because in English we also use the expression 'it was an accident' simply meaning that something was unintended. reached * I think it would be present as I presume that the journey still normally takes that amount of time. dungled* lovely expressive word but I'm afraid it doesn't exist.
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TO BLAME + TO BE TO BLAME Y. West* countries' leaders are to blame** Russia in the violations of - - - - - DAF. Western countries' leaders blame [2] Russia for violations of - - - - - * west = юг but western [adjective] = южный ** 'to be to blame' = быть виноватым. The verb 'to blame' is transitive -- to blame s.o. for sth. Y. Why did you exclude "are to"? I was sure that original may be translated as "Лидеры западных стран ДОЛЖНЫ обвинить Россию..." DAF. I would translate that as ' The Western leaders must blame Russia'. 'To be to blame' is used differently as mentioned above. For instance, in the above example where the Western leaders were blaming Russia, the Russians could reply, 'We are not to blame.' |
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Your questions are more simple to ask than to answer. I'm afraid, we need some sociologic researches to understand this. Your questions are simpler* to ask than to answer. I'm afraid, we need some sociological research ** to understand this. * The rule of thumb [i.e. a general rule that mostly works] is -- Words of one or two syllables take ER as an ending. Words of three or more syllables + more. ** Research is uncountable in English. |
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FROM A DISCUSSION ON SOME RUSSIAN WRITERS As far as I feel, lots of people read nothing, many ones read "yellow" press and pocket books like Marinina, Poliakova, Bushkov, Kivinov, Dashkova, as well as foreign authors. As far as I can see * lots of people read nothing, many read the "yellow" press and pocket books like Marinina, Poliakova, Bushkov, Kivinov, Dashkova, as well as foreign authors. I know that Russian youth are considering brothers Strugatsky as cult writers now. I hate any cults nevertheless they are always my favorite authors. I know that Russian youth consider ** the brothers Strugatsky *** cult writers now. I hate all **** cults[,] nevertheless they are still ***** my favorite authors. * We can say, 'I feel that . . . .' but but not 'As far as I feel'. For that we would say, "As far as I can see, . . ." or "In my opinion, . . .". If it is more of a fact than an opinion, we can say, 'As far as I know . . ." ** Certain verbs such as want, consider, like, and several others are not used in the continuous tenses. Strangely enough, they tend to be verbs that have an essentially on-going character in that they are essentially equivalent to Russian imperfective verbs. *** To see s.o. / think of s.o. as . . . . but to consider s.o. . . . [without "as"]. I'm afraid I can't come up with any sensible, logical explanation of this. I suppose this is the English equivalent to Russian instrumental because it requires no preposition -- to consider oneself a ...... Eg. "I consider myself an average person." **** "Any" is used with interrogative and negative verbs. ***** Always = all the time. Still means that an action is still continuing, as in "He is still studying" ie. he has not stopped studying or [here] that these people have not ceased to be your favourite authors. As to me personally, I have very limited time to read something other my work. Even in * free time I have to read various Microsoft Press *, etc. Sometimes I reread classics again to discuss them with my daughter, who is a schoolgirl. But I can't tell that the most of them give me new ideas or some explanations of our life. As to me personally, I have very limited time to read anything * other than my work. Even in my free time I have to read various Microsoft material / texts / information, etc. Sometimes I re-read the classics again to discuss them with my daughter, who is a schoolgirl. But I can't say [3] that any [1] of them give me new ideas or any [1] explanations of our life. NB * The choice between something and anything is the same as between some and any; some is used with affirmative statements and any with questions or negative statements. I realise that your sentence is not really negative but having limited time is a negative idea. ** I think the name of the company is just Microsoft and here it is being used adjectivally so you need a noun after it. The press = newspapers. ***"To tell" is either a transitive verb requiring a direct object such as "a story" or "a lie", or it means to give information to s.o.. In the latter usage the person who is told sth. is essential. Eg. He told ME that she was ill. I can't tell YOU about it. Remember the definition TO TELL S.O. STH. [and the sth. is always in reported speech not direct speech]. In the example above there is no other person mentioned, so "say" is the appropriate verb. [If you go to 'Mini lessons' on this site you will find a longer explanation] In fact, Pushkin is out of competition till now: all children listen to his fairy tales, schoolchildren people have to read his poems. Later we try to realise various facets of his Eugenij Onegin or Captain's Daughter. Among other Russian classics who are accepted by me, I could mention maybe Chekhov and Bunin. In fact, Pushkin is still beyond comparison: all children listen to his fairy tales, schoolchildren have to read his poems. Later we try to understand * various facets of his Eugenij Onegin or Captain's Daughter. Among other Russian classical writers that I like *** I could mention maybe Chekhov and Bunin. My relations are more hard with poetry. I'm really in puzzle to realise. I understand everything but I do not realise the essence of the poetry usually. I have more difficulty with poetry. I find it really hard to understand. I understand all the words **** but I do not usually ***** understand / appreciate the essence of the poetry. * To realise has two basic meanings - to achieve sth. as in " He realised his ambition" or to come to know or understand sth. that previously you had not known, as in "I suddenly realised that she was really clever". ** The classics are the books, not the writers. *** "Accepted by me" implies that you are a publisher accepting or refusing work for publication. **** "Everything" would include the essence of the poetry. ***** Note the word order.
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ON THE SUBJECT OF USEFUL SONGS There is only one exclusion for me* - Vladimir Vysotsky. I accept him completely. Actually, I do not think the literature is a key point** in my life. I consider myself as an average person with *** average life. There is only one exception for me* - Vladimir Vysotsky. I accept him completely. Actually, I do not think literature is a key component / factor** in my life. I consider myself an average person with an average life. Literature, theater, music and other intellectual stuff are entertainment for me but they are not my life style. Literature, theater, music and other intellectual stuff are entertainment for me but they are not my lifestyle . NB * A better word order would be - For me there is only one exception. ** A point in one's life is a particular time or moment. *** To see s.o. as / to think of s.o. as . . . . but to consider s.o. . . . [without "as"]. I'm afraid I can't come up with any sensible, logical explanation of this. Moreover I hate any admiration of art. Generally I strictly disagree with well-known formula "Поэт в России, больше поэтa". I hate a process of upbringing by art. I hate the process of upbringing by art. Generally I strictly disagree with well-known formula "Поэт в России, больше поэтa". I hate the process of upbringing by art. Russian school teachers tell "Литература должна воспитывать.." Further depends on * political position of the speaking man. I do not understand such * process and hate any upbringing. Russian school teachers say, * "Литература должна воспитывать..". What is more, it depends on the political position of the person who is speaking**. I do not understand such a process and hate any kind of moulding ***. * To tell s.o. a story, to tell s.o.. some information [in reported speech] but to say sth [direct speech] e.g.. He said, 'I am a teacher'. But He told me he was a teacher. [see mini lessons] ** "A speaking man" sounds like a man who is capable of speech, as if this were not the norm, like "a talking dog". Many of the Russian noun clauses with a participle in English have to be a proper subordinate clause. This is one of the facts that make translating Dostoevski a real pain. He wrote such enormously long sentences using that trick. My friend who translated The Brothers Karamazov always wanted to be true to Dostoevski and keep his long sentences. We nearly came to blows many times because I would point out that English did not have a facility for stringing several subordinate clauses together. *** Moulding has more precicely the idea of changing children. Upbringing tends to include even the most liberal and non-prescriptive rearing of children. it is probably impossible to look after children until they are adult without bringing them up. I like a quote of Russian movie "A Blonde Over * Corner" is referring to the matter: "Не учите меня жить, лучше помогите материльно." I think of art (at least modern one) as a type of business in general. I like the quote from the Russian movie "The Blonde Over in the Corner * " concerning ** the matter: " Не учите меня жить, лучше помогите материльно." I think of art (at least modern art ***) as a type of business in general. P.S. Please note, as you requested I've spoken of Russian art only. The Foreign authors are not less interesting for me than Russian ones; last time I read more foreigners. Foreign authors are not less interesting for me than Russian ones, recently I have read **** OR at present I read more foreigners. P.P.S. My limited English skills do not allow me to express my thoughts adequately. As well as I'm sorry for probable grammar errors. Thanks for * patient. Also I'm sorry for probable grammar errors. Thanks for being patient. [1] Definite article when referring to sth. specific. Here it is not just any film but that named one. [2] "Over" alone would mean above the corner. [3] Art is generally uncountable, so "one" is not appropriate as a substitution. [4] Since "read" is written the same for present and past [although pronounced differently] there are two possibilities here. -- recently I have read more foreigners [and perhaps have stopped now]. At present / now / these days I read more foreigners or -- I am reading more foreigners. |
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All New Year Day parties finished and I have returned. It was remarkable New Year! As I told we met it in a country. Our parties started on 31 December at 7 p.m. and finished on 1 January near 6 a.m. All New Year's * Day parties have finished **. It was a remarkable New Year! As I told you *** we celebrated ****it in the country*****. Our parties started on 31 December at 7 p.m. and finished on 1 January about ******6 a.m. [1] The apostrophe S is there as a genitive because it means 'the day of new year. This is similar to 'a winter's night, a summer's day' etc. [2] Present perfect because it is connected to the present, ie. there were parties and now there are no longer parties. The simple past woud be used if you were talking about this next month, say, and everything would be a series of past tense events no longer connected to the present. [3] Told is either a transitive verb where the direct object is 'a story', 'a lie' etc., or it is used with reported speech and an indirect object; eg. I told you that . . . [4] We say 'to celebrate' a прадник rather than 'to meet it'. [5] In a country means in Russia / England / Wales etc. В деревне is 'in the country.' [6] We don't use 'near' for time. |
Today the TV channels in my county start to prepare people to Y2K problem. They advice to people to store water, can food, prepare the lanterns, warm cloth, and many another things. Today the TV channels in my county are starting to prepare people for the Y2K problem. They advise people to store water, can food, prepare lanterns, warm clothes, and many other things. They tell about a lot of local unexpected technical problems could be happened... They say a lot of local unexpected technical problems could happen... |
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It was a real festive Marathon. There were dancing, funny concours, after New Year coming thousands * petards, rockets and other fire crackers were been launching, blowing out and flaring... It was a really [1] festive Marathon. There was [2] dancing, funny competitions [3], at midnight [4] thousands [5] of petards, rockets and other fire crackers were launched / were set off / were lighted, all sorts of fireworks started exploding and flaring [6]... [1] Real is an adjective and qualifies a noun. To qualify an adjective the adverb is necessary. [2] I know it is not very logical but a list of things beginning with sth. singular is preceded by there was, not there were. [3] concours is a French word. [4] We always use 'midnight' for the moment that begins the new year in this context. [5] Hundreds, thousands and millions, used in the plural in this way as an imprecise number, require 'of'. The precise numbers, of course, do not. [6] This bit is tricky. Firstly I don't think we use the word 'petard' now. It was some kind of explosive weapon of war, used now only in the expression : to be hoist by one's own petard [when sth. one was doing causes damage or a problem to oneself instead of to the person against whom one was plotting. Secondly we say 'to light / to set off ' a firework [including rockets] but can aso say 'to launch' a rocket. Thirdly 'blow out' is, as far as I know, used only as a noun and means a burst tyre which occurs while one is driving. Fourthly 'rockets were launched requires a passive and flare etc. are active [it's what the fireworks do, not what you do to them] so one cannot make them part of the same construction as the passive. Nextdoor villages [1] highlighted [2] by fireworks and roared by canonades too. Of course there were excellent drink and meal, traditional campfire and shashliks on carbons with red French wine. Also carnival [6] and presents from Farther Frost and Snegurochka. Neighbouring villages were lit up by fireworks and their silence shattered by bangers [3] too. Of course there wasexcellent drink and food [4] , a traditional campfire and barbecued [5] shashliks with red French wine. There was a real carnival atmosphere and presents from Farther Frost and Snegurochka. [1] Nextdoor is only used of houses or people: the house nextdoor, the people nextdoor and there can be only a maximum of two houses next door [immediately adjacent], whereas there could be several neighbouring villages. The two houses nextdoor to each house nextdoor are called nextdoor but one. [2] To highlight was until recently used only in an abstract way -- to highlight a dificulty = to draw people's attention to it and to give it some kind of priority. Now, however, it has acquired a new use in computing = to block some text with a coloured background. [3] Again one cannot have one passive and one active verb in the same construction, and I cannot think of a suitable verb for what the bangers [more usual word for firecrackers] do to a village. To roar is to make a noise like a lion or heavy traffic and is only intransitive. The word cannonade is used these days only for ceremonial firing of a cannon. [4] 'There was' [singular] because drink with no article is uncountable. 'Food' [being also uncountable] is better here than 'meal', but you could say 'a meal' if it was a sit-down affair. [5] 'To barbecue' = to cook outside over charcoal [NB not carbon]. [6] A carnival is a local public celebration, usually including a carnival queen and all kinds of fun and games. Usually in Britain it is an annual affair, mostly in villages, but there is also the Notting Hill Carnival in London, which is one of the biggest grand events in Britain. It is organised by the West Indian immigrant population [most of whom now are actually British by birth] and has splendid fancy dress, floats and jazz bands. I like New Year's Day in a country because relaxation is come in full and I can *taschitisia (I do not know English equal word, should [1] anybody know it please help me) of simple joy. I like New Year's Day in the country because all the excitement is over and I can just relax and enjoy myself. *taschitisia (I do not know an equivalent English word, if anybody knows it please help me). [1] 'Should anybody know it' implies that it is unlikely. [See lesson on conditionals in mini lessons]
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People who can't say * and understand normally look like idiots and have to ask somebody for help practically every time. If they have child who understand[s the] language better, than teenagers very soon begin to think about** their parents understand nothing*** in this life, and you know what follows after that... Teenagers often think about that even in normal situation, but here it is amplifies to 100 times . People who can't say speak* and understand normally look like idiots and have to ask somebody for help practically every time. If they have child who understand[s the] language better, than then teenagers very soon begin to think ** that their parents understand nothing*** in this life, and you know what follows after that... Teenagers often think that even in normal situation, but here it is amplified 100 times . [1] "to say" requires words in either direct or indirect speech. If, as here, there is no such clause following [e.g.. 'Hello' or --that he would go] then you need to use "to speak". To speak is intransitive except for to speak a language. I have just cobbled together those rules, but I think you will find they work. [2] to think about something = думать о. to think [that - optional], i.e.. express an opinion = считать что. [3] Note word order. I wish we had something to insert arrows as I do on paper <g>
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