Error Identification: The sun seems to have been formed...

[Rosalisa]

Hi,

1. The sun seems [color=red]to have been formed [color=green]when the universe was [color=olive]already 10 billion [color=darkblue]years. [color=blue]( I chose “to have been formed” and it should be changed to “to be formed”.)

2. Former United States President Herber Hoover lived longer after the end of his term of office than any another President. [color=blue]( I chose “another” and the correct one is “other”…but why “President” does become plural because of “other”?

3. Because the skin is relatively dry and constantly sheds and discards groups of cells from its outer surface, it provides a mechanic barrier against invading microorganisms. [color=blue]( “sheds and discards” is an error…but i think one verb should be reduced…

4. There are almost a million people with Spanish surnames in Los Angeles, out of a total population of more than seven millions. [color=blue](The error should be “b”, but the correct is not clear for me…

5. The famous artist painted with exacting technique a strange world in where objects such as bones and rocks are grouped in fantastic structures. [color=blue](The error is “in where”…“in” should be erased.)

Do you think you could tell me if I am right?
Thanks.

[Yankee]

[color=green]Hi Rosalisa

You can find my comments in the quote.

@Rosalisa

1. The sun seems to have been formed when the universe was already 10 billion [color=red]years. [color=blue]( I chose “to have been formed” and it should be changed to “to be formed”.)
   [color=green]
   “To have been formed” is correct. The error is “years”. It should be “years old”

2. Former United States President Herber Hoover lived longer after the end of his term of office than any [color=red]another President. [color=blue]( I chose “another” and the correct one is “other”…but why “President” does become plural because of “other”?

[color=green]Right

3. Because the skin is relatively dry and constantly sheds and discards groups of cells from its outer surface, it provides a [color=red]mechanic barrier against invading microorganisms. [color=blue]( “sheds and discards” is an error…but i think one verb should be reduced…

[color=green]Yes, just one verb would be enough, but I see the word “mechanic” as the most obvious error. (It should be mechanical.)

4. There are almost a million people with Spanish surnames in Los Angeles, out of a total population of more than [color=red]seven millions. [color=blue](The error should be “b”, but the correct is not clear for me…

[color=green]The error is “seven millions”. It should be “seven million”

5. The famous artist painted with exacting technique a strange world [color=red]in where objects such as bones and rocks are grouped in fantastic structures. [color=blue](The error is “in where”…“in” should be erased.)

[color=green]Right, and “in which” also works as the correction.

[Rosalisa]

Thank you very much, Amy. I’ve been clearer about them.

[Rosalisa]

HI Amy,

I want to correct my typo in the sentence.

Former United States President Herber Hoover lived longer after the end of his term of office than any another President. ( I chose “another” and the correct one is “other”…but why does “President” [color=green]not become plural because of “other”?

Could you please tell me the uses of ‘other’?

[Yankee]

Hi Rosalisa

Former United States President Herbert Hoover lived longer after the end of his term of office than any other President.

First, the phrase “any another” does not exist and would always be incorrect.

There are various different ways to use the word other. Dictionaries are helpful:
Webster’s Dictionary: other
ONELOOK

Here are some of the standard formats:

1. any other + singular noun:
   "… lived longer after the end of his term of office than any other President.

2. any other
   "… was the President who lived longer after the end of his term of office than any other

3. any of the other + plural noun:
   "… lived longer after the end of his term of office than any of the other Presidents.

4. any of the others

5. all of the other + plural noun
   “Mary arrived wearing jeans, but all of the other guests were formally attired.”

6. other + plural noun
   “John is nothing like most other men.”

7. each other
   “We should be kind to each other.”

8. one another (similar to “each other”)

9. the other = the one remaining (of two or more things mentioned)
   I have two sons. One is a doctor and the other is a dentist.

10. some other + singular or plural noun = (a) different
    I too busy to do that at the moment. I’ll do it some other time.

This site has some exercises for other and another:
other/another

Hope that helps.

Amy

[Pamela]

I was taught that reciprocal pronouns each other and one another have some differences,

Each other generally implies only two, one another two or more that two persons.
So, each other and one another can be interchangeable (when speaking of two persons). Am I right in my point?

[Yankee]

Hi Pamela

Yes, that’s basically the “rule” that is given in many grammar books. But, in reality, this rule seems to be one that was simply created by a grammarian who ignored the actual usage.

The two expressions have been used interchangeably for quite a long time. Even Shakespeare used “one another” in referring to only two. :shock:
.
Here’s a link about the topic from one of my favorite websites:
world wide words

But, if you want to “play it safe” on a language test, it may be best to follow this fake “rule.”

Amy

[Conchita]

@Pamela

I was taught that reciprocal pronouns each other and one another have some differences,

Each other generally implies only two, one another two or more that two persons.
So, each other and one another can be interchangeable (when speaking of two persons). Am I right in my point?

This is one of those things where opinions differ, Pamela. For some, both ‘each other’ and ‘one another’ are synonyms and interchangeable in the sense of ‘reciprocally’. For others, though, the use of one or the other depends on whether two or more people are concerned.

[Pamela]

Thank you, Amy and Conchita!