Why not: he says to me?

English as a Second Language English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
1

hello dear all,

i am very happy that i have found this side…just super!!!
i read this sentences in the elementary test-incomplete sentences
so my questions are:

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-10 “Present Tense”, question 5

Sometimes I … what the teacher says to me.

(a) don’t understand
(b) am not understanding
(c) understand not

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-10 “Present Tense”, answer 5

Sometimes I don’t understand what the teacher says to me.

Correct answer: (a) don’t understand

why not : he “says” to me?

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-6 “Start/Begin”, question 10

I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t … up that old argument again.

(a) start
(b) begin
(c) starts
(d) begins

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-6 “Start/Begin”, answer 10

I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t start up that old argument again.

Correct answer: (a) start

why not: “you don’t start up” or " you wouldn’t start up"

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-11 “Conditionals”, question 8

… you able to lend me some money if I promise you that you will get it back very soon?

(a) Are
(b) Was
(c) Were

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-11 “Conditionals”, answer 8

Are you able to lend me some money if I promise you that you will get it back very soon?

Correct answer: (a) Are

why not: “get it back”

thank you very much in advance

best wishes
judith

2

Dear Judith,

Many thanks for your posting. Are you sure the questions you are referring to are ‘Incomplete Sentences’? I’ve found the test where there is the phrase ‘…you will get back very soon’ and it’s an ‘Error in Sentences’ test and the correct entry is ‘… you will get it back very soon.’
Try it out here:
Test No. [color=blue]errors/inter-9 “Conditionals”[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, photographs: Waste disposal[YSaerTTEW443543]

3

hello torsten,

“Sometimes I don’t understand what the teacher say to me”
this sentence is written: elementary level-incomplete sentences test 10 question 5.

“Are you able to lend me some money if I promise you that you will get back very soon?”
this sentence is written: elementary level-incomplete sentences test 11 question 8.

“I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t start up that old argument again” why not: “you don’t start up” or " you wouldn’t start up"
i don’t understand why i have to say “didn’t start up”. is it because of the word “if”???

best wishes
judith

4

“Sometimes I don’t understand what the teacher say to me”
this sentence is written: elementary level-incomplete sentences test 10 question 5.

This was a mistake of ours - a ‘typo’. We have corrected it. Thanks for letting us know.

“Are you able to lend me some money if I promise you that you will get back very soon?”
this sentence is written: elementary level-incomplete sentences test 11 question 8.
Same here. We have corrected it. Please try again.

“I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t start up that old argument again” why not: “you don’t start up” or " you wouldn’t start up"
i don’t understand why i have to say “didn’t start up”. is it because of the word “if”???
Yes, this is a ‘conditional II construction’: It’s made up of two sentences - the condition (the ‘IF-clause’) and the result:

IF condition (past simple) result (WOULD + base verb)
If he knew her better he would invite her for dinner.
He would invite her for dinner if he knew her better.

Let me know if this makes sense.[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, photographs: Packing the meat[YSaerTTEW443543]

5

hello torsten,

ok, it’s clear now, thank you very much

one question to the side. what i am really missing is, a roll-over over the testnumbers which you shows what the main theme from the test is. because it is to hard to remember the numbers if i like to repeat the test 2days later or so.
?hhh can you understand me???
as i am self webdesign learned, so i know that it would be a “little bit” of work, but it would be soooo helpful.

best wishes
judith

6

Dear Judith, it’s very good you have brought up this issue. You see, adding the test title as ‘roll over text’ would increase the size of our start page resulting in a longer download. That’s why we soon will be offering a download version of all tests wit a number of interesting additional features such as a text based index.
The download version will be available for a very reasonable fee.[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, photographs: Downhill skiing[YSaerTTEW443543]

7

hello torsten,

thank you for your answer and i am glad you understood me. as i said i am very happy with this side and everything else is very clear and super!!! made.
i am sure i will learn a lot from your tests.

best wishes
have a nice day
judith

8

Dear Judith…

I see you are seemingly better in your English…

Can you please mind about using the capital [color=blue]I for identifying yourself at least. It is better we try [color=blue]to correct ourselves in front of our teachers in this site…

It is not an order but a request and it is upto you…

…