TOEFL Grammar: Error Identification PDF Materials for Practice
Error Identification TOEFL PDF Download: How to Improve Your Grammar Skills for the Test
If you are preparing for the TOEFL test, you probably know that grammar is one of the most important skills you need to master. Grammar is not only tested in the writing section, but also in the reading and listening sections, where you have to identify and correct errors in sentences. In this article, we will explain what error identification is, why it is important for TOEFL, what are the common types of errors tested on TOEFL, and how to download error identification TOEFL PDF materials for practice. We will also give you some tips on how to identify errors in sentences and how to avoid errors in your own writing. By the end of this article, you will be more confident and ready to ace the grammar part of the TOEFL test.
erroridentificationtoeflpdfdownload
Introduction
What is error identification and why is it important for TOEFL?
Error identification is a skill that involves finding and correcting mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, or sentence structure. Error identification is important for TOEFL because it shows your ability to understand and use English correctly and accurately. It also reflects your attention to detail and your awareness of the rules and conventions of academic writing.
What are the common types of errors tested on TOEFL?
The TOEFL test covers a wide range of grammar topics, but some of the most common types of errors tested on TOEFL are:
Subject-verb agreement: The subject and the verb must agree in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third).
Verb tense and aspect: The verb must match the time frame (past, present, or future) and the aspect (simple, continuous, perfect, or perfect continuous) of the sentence.
Pronoun and modifier: The pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the word it refers to) in number, gender, and case. The modifier must be placed close to the word it modifies and avoid ambiguity or confusion.
Parallelism and comparison: The words or phrases that are coordinated or compared must have the same grammatical form and structure.
How to download error identification TOEFL PDF materials for practice?
One of the best ways to improve your error identification skills is to practice with authentic TOEFL materials. You can find many error identification TOEFL PDF materials online that contain exercises, explanations, answers, and tips. Some of the sources you can use are:
TOEFL - Error Recognition Test 20: This PDF file contains 20 questions based on the fifth part of the Test Of English for International Communication. Each question has one grammar mistake and you have to choose the underlined portion that has the mistake.
TOEFL-MATERIAL: This Google Drive folder contains various TOEFL materials, including error identification exercises, grammar rules, vocabulary lists, and sample essays.
TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Questions: This PDF file contains 10 reading passages with questions, including error identification questions. You can check your answers and explanations at the end of the file.
Body
How to identify errors in sentences?
Identifying errors in sentences can be challenging, especially if you are not a native speaker of English. However, you can use some strategies to help you spot and correct errors more easily. Here are some of them:
Read the whole sentence carefully
Don't just focus on the underlined parts of the sentence. Read the whole sentence carefully and try to understand the meaning and context. Sometimes, the error may affect the coherence or logic of the sentence, so you need to pay attention to the whole picture.
Look for subject-verb agreement errors
One of the most common errors on TOEFL is subject-verb agreement. To avoid this error, you need to identify the subject and the verb of the sentence and make sure they agree in number and person. For example:
Incorrect: The number of students are increasing every year.
Correct: The number of students is increasing every year.
In this example, the subject is "the number" (singular) and the verb is "are" (plural). They do not agree in number, so the verb should be changed to "is" (singular).
Check for verb tense and aspect errors
Another common error on TOEFL is verb tense and aspect. To avoid this error, you need to identify the time frame and the aspect of the sentence and make sure they match with the verb form. For example:
Incorrect: She said that she will go to the library tomorrow.
Correct: She said that she would go to the library tomorrow.
In this example, the time frame is past (she said) and the aspect is simple (she will go). They do not match with the verb form, so the verb should be changed to "would go" (past simple).
Watch out for pronoun and modifier errors
A third common error on TOEFL is pronoun and modifier. To avoid this error, you need to make sure that the pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number, gender, and case, and that the modifier is placed close to the word it modifies and avoids ambiguity or confusion. For example:
Incorrect: The teacher gave their students some homework.
Correct: The teacher gave his or her students some homework.
In this example, the pronoun "their" (plural) does not agree with its antecedent "the teacher" (singular). The pronoun should be changed to "his or her" (singular).
Incorrect: He saw a dog running down the street with a collar.
Correct: He saw a dog with a collar running down the street.
In this example, the modifier "with a collar" is placed far from the word it modifies "a dog". It creates ambiguity or confusion because it could also modify "the street". The modifier should be placed close to "a dog".
Avoid parallelism and comparison errors
A fourth common error on TOEFL is parallelism and comparison. To avoid this error, you need to make sure that the words or phrases that are coordinated or compared have the same grammatical form and structure. For example:
Incorrect: She likes to read books, watch movies, and listening to music.
Correct: She likes to read books, watch movies, and listen to music.
In this example, the words "read", "watch", and "listening" are coordinated by "and". They should have the same grammatical form (infinitive), but "listening" is a gerund. It should be changed to "listen" (infinitive).
Incorrect: The weather in New York is colder than Los Angeles.
Correct: The weather in New York is colder than that in Los Angeles.
In this example, the phrases "the weather in New York" and "Los Angeles" are compared by "than". They should have the same grammatical structure (noun phrase), but "Los Angeles" is a proper noun. It should be changed to "that in Los Angeles" (noun phrase).
How to avoid errors in your own writing?
Besides identifying errors in sentences, you also need to avoid errors in your own writing. This will help you score higher on the writing section of the TOEFL test. Here are some tips on how to avoid errors in your own writing:
Review the grammar rules and exceptions
The first step to avoid errors in your own writing is to review the grammar rules and exceptions that are relevant for TOEFL. You can use the error identification TOEFL PDF materials that we mentioned earlier to refresh your memory and practice your skills. You can also use other online resources, such as grammar guides, quizzes, videos, or podcasts, to learn and review the grammar topics.
Use a variety of sentence structures and transitions
The second step to avoid errors in your own writing is to use a variety of sentence structures and transitions. This will make your writing more coherent, clear, and interesting. You can use simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex sentences to express your ideas and arguments. You can also use transitions, such as conjunctions, adverbs, or phrases, to connect your sentences and paragraphs. For example:
Simple sentence: He likes coffee.
Compound sentence: He likes coffee and he drinks it every morning.
Complex sentence: He likes coffee because it keeps him awake.
Compound-complex sentence: He likes coffee and he drinks it every morning although it makes him jittery.
Transition: He likes coffee. However, he prefers tea in the afternoon.
Proofread your writing and use online tools
The third step to avoid errors in your own writing is to proofread your writing and use online tools. Proofreading is the process of checking your writing for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, or sentence structure. You can proofread your writing by reading it aloud, asking someone else to read it, or using online tools. Online tools are software or websites that can help you check and correct your writing automatically or with suggestions. Some of the online tools you can use are:
Grammarly: This tool can help you find and fix grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, tone, and style errors in your writing. It also gives you explanations and examples for each error.
Hemingway: This tool can help you make your writing more clear and concise by highlighting long, complex, or passive sentences and suggesting simpler alternatives.
PaperRater: This tool can help you improve your writing by checking for plagiarism, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, readability, and feedback.
Conclusion
Summary of the main points and tips
In conclusion, error identification is a skill that involves finding and correcting mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, or sentence structure. Error identification is important for TOEFL because it shows your ability to understand and use English correctly and accurately. Some of the common types of errors tested on TOEFL are subject-verb agreement, verb tense and aspect, pronoun and modifier, and parallelism and comparison. You can download error identification TOEFL PDF materials for practice from various online sources, such as Scribd, Google Drive, or ETS. You can also improve your error identification skills by reading the whole sentence carefully, looking for subject-verb agreement errors, checking for verb tense and aspect errors, watching out for pronoun and modifier errors, and avoiding parallelism and comparison errors. To avoid errors in your own writing, you can review the grammar rules and exceptions, use a variety of sentence structures and transitions, proofread your writing and use online tools.
Call to action and final remarks
We hope that this article has helped you learn more about error identification and how to improve your grammar skills for the TOEFL test. If you want to practice more error identification questions and get instant feedback, you can try our online TOEFL error identification quiz. It contains 20 questions based on real TOEFL materials and covers all the common types of errors tested on TOEFL. You can also download the quiz as a PDF file for offline practice. To start the quiz, click on the link below:
TOEFL Error Identification Quiz
Thank you for reading this article and good luck with your TOEFL preparation!
FAQs
What is the best way to study for error identification on TOEFL?
The best way to study for error identification on TOEFL is to practice with authentic TOEFL materials that contain error identification questions. You can find many error identification TOEFL PDF materials online that contain exercises, explanations, answers, and tips. You can also use online quizzes or tools that can help you check and correct your writing.
How many error identification questions are there on the TOEFL test?
The number of error identification questions on the TOEFL test may vary depending on the difficulty level and the version of the test. However, you can expect to see about 10 to 15 error identification questions on the reading section and about 5 to 10 error identification questions on the listening section.
How are error identification questions scored on the TOEFL test?
Error identification questions are scored as either correct or incorrect. You will get one point for each correct answer and zero points for each incorrect answer. There is no penalty for guessing, so you should try to answer every question.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when answering error identification questions on the TOEFL test?
Some common mistakes to avoid when answering error identification questions on the TOEFL test are:
Not reading the whole sentence carefully and missing the context or logic of the sentence.
Not checking for subject-verb agreement, verb tense and aspect, pronoun and modifier, or parallelism and comparison errors.
Not knowing the grammar rules and exceptions that are relevant for TOEFL.
Not using a variety of sentence structures and transitions in your own writing.
Not proofreading your writing and using online tools to check and correct your writing.
Where can I find more resources to improve my grammar skills for the TOEFL test?
You can find more resources to improve your grammar skills for the TOEFL test from various online sources, such as:
TOEFL Go Anywhere: This is the official website of the TOEFL test that provides information, tips, practice tests, and registration services.
Magoosh: This is an online platform that offers comprehensive TOEFL preparation courses, video lessons, practice questions, study plans, and blogs.
Khan Academy: This is a free online learning platform that offers video tutorials, exercises, quizzes, and articles on various grammar topics.
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