| Can you pass a 1913 English test? 14:02 - Jan 23 with 1776 views | Keno |
From the BBC
Correct or justify four of the following sentences, giving your reasons:
(a) I hope you are determined to seriously improve.
(b) Comparing Shakespeare with Aeschylus, the former is by no means inferior to the latter.
(c) I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you.
(d) The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit.
(e) It has the largest circulation of any paper in England.
(f) The lyrical gifts of Shakespeare are woven into the actual language of the characters.
|  |
| |  |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 14:19 - Jan 23 with 1652 views | J2BLUE |
Nah fam, ain't got time 4 dat |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 14:28 - Jan 23 with 1613 views | bluelagos |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 14:19 - Jan 23 by J2BLUE |
Nah fam, ain't got time 4 dat |
You missed a fullstop there J2. |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 14:31 - Jan 23 with 1584 views | MattinLondon |
Completed it. |  | | |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 14:40 - Jan 23 with 1524 views | NthQldITFC |
I got two of the four what was wrong. |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 14:48 - Jan 23 with 1494 views | homer_123 |
Yes. |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 15:57 - Jan 23 with 1372 views | phillymark |
Probably not, but I'll give it a go - can't necessarily justify my changes though
(a) I hope you are determined to seriously improve.
(b) Comparing Shakespeare with Aeschylus, the former is by no means inferior to the latter.
(c) I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you.
(d) The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit.
(e) It has the largest circulation of any paper in England.
(f) The lyrical gifts of Shakespeare are woven into the actual language of the characters.
a) split infinite - should be "I hope you are determined to improve seriously" - or I think "I hope you are determined to make serious improvements"
b) The "comparing" clause is redundant - the second part is a comparison. "Shakespeare is by no means inferior to Aeschylus" is all that is needed.
c) "I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you" - there's a tense problem here. "I admit that I was willing to make peace with you". Can't explain it!
d) "The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit."
Any one should become "anyone" unless you're emphasizing "any one person," which is less common. That means we can drop the "who was" and the sentence becomes "The statement was incorrect, as anyone familiar with the spot and acquainted with the facts will admit."
e) I see no issue with this one
f) I see no issue with this one |  | | |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 16:38 - Jan 23 with 1302 views | Keno |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 15:57 - Jan 23 by phillymark |
Probably not, but I'll give it a go - can't necessarily justify my changes though
(a) I hope you are determined to seriously improve.
(b) Comparing Shakespeare with Aeschylus, the former is by no means inferior to the latter.
(c) I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you.
(d) The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit.
(e) It has the largest circulation of any paper in England.
(f) The lyrical gifts of Shakespeare are woven into the actual language of the characters.
a) split infinite - should be "I hope you are determined to improve seriously" - or I think "I hope you are determined to make serious improvements"
b) The "comparing" clause is redundant - the second part is a comparison. "Shakespeare is by no means inferior to Aeschylus" is all that is needed.
c) "I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you" - there's a tense problem here. "I admit that I was willing to make peace with you". Can't explain it!
d) "The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit."
Any one should become "anyone" unless you're emphasizing "any one person," which is less common. That means we can drop the "who was" and the sentence becomes "The statement was incorrect, as anyone familiar with the spot and acquainted with the facts will admit."
e) I see no issue with this one
f) I see no issue with this one |
very impressive!! | |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 16:59 - Jan 23 with 1260 views | hoppy |
That's nothing. Factors passed a 1319 English test, in real time. |  |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 17:19 - Jan 23 with 1204 views | Keno |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 16:59 - Jan 23 by hoppy |
That's nothing. Factors passed a 1319 English test, in real time. |
yes and it only took him until half past 1 | |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 17:21 - Jan 23 with 1196 views | DJR |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 15:57 - Jan 23 by phillymark |
Probably not, but I'll give it a go - can't necessarily justify my changes though
(a) I hope you are determined to seriously improve.
(b) Comparing Shakespeare with Aeschylus, the former is by no means inferior to the latter.
(c) I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you.
(d) The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit.
(e) It has the largest circulation of any paper in England.
(f) The lyrical gifts of Shakespeare are woven into the actual language of the characters.
a) split infinite - should be "I hope you are determined to improve seriously" - or I think "I hope you are determined to make serious improvements"
b) The "comparing" clause is redundant - the second part is a comparison. "Shakespeare is by no means inferior to Aeschylus" is all that is needed.
c) "I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you" - there's a tense problem here. "I admit that I was willing to make peace with you". Can't explain it!
d) "The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit."
Any one should become "anyone" unless you're emphasizing "any one person," which is less common. That means we can drop the "who was" and the sentence becomes "The statement was incorrect, as anyone familiar with the spot and acquainted with the facts will admit."
e) I see no issue with this one
f) I see no issue with this one |
Well done.
A few other thoughts.
As regard (c), I wonder whether the subjunctive comes into play, with were replacing was. Alternatively, (or as well?) perhaps "to make peace" replaces "to have made peace".
As regards (e), newspaper rather than paper?
As regards (f), I am not sure the actual is necessary. |  | | |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 17:27 - Jan 23 with 1155 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 17:21 - Jan 23 by DJR |
Well done.
A few other thoughts.
As regard (c), I wonder whether the subjunctive comes into play, with were replacing was. Alternatively, (or as well?) perhaps "to make peace" replaces "to have made peace".
As regards (e), newspaper rather than paper?
As regards (f), I am not sure the actual is necessary. |
I would agree the ‘actual’ is superfluous.
For (e), the beginning pronoun ‘it’ isn’t descriptive enough in a stand alone sentence such as this. I’d use the proper noun, e.g. The Times has the largest circulation…. I’m not sure if that’s what they would have been looking for though. |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 18:00 - Jan 23 with 1079 views | factual_blue |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 16:59 - Jan 23 by hoppy |
That's nothing. Factors passed a 1319 English test, in real time. |
Ic hæfde gōdne rædnesse on þā teost of þǣm gēare 683 |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 18:54 - Jan 23 with 994 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
a) Do better!
b) Shakespeare is no worse than Aeschylus.
c) I can make peace with you if you make the first move.
d) You were wrong! Everyone can see that!
e) It's populist nonsense.
f) Shakespeare wrote plays.
My reasoning. They were all far too verbose. |  |
| |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 19:08 - Jan 23 with 968 views | Smoresy |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 15:57 - Jan 23 by phillymark |
Probably not, but I'll give it a go - can't necessarily justify my changes though
(a) I hope you are determined to seriously improve.
(b) Comparing Shakespeare with Aeschylus, the former is by no means inferior to the latter.
(c) I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you.
(d) The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit.
(e) It has the largest circulation of any paper in England.
(f) The lyrical gifts of Shakespeare are woven into the actual language of the characters.
a) split infinite - should be "I hope you are determined to improve seriously" - or I think "I hope you are determined to make serious improvements"
b) The "comparing" clause is redundant - the second part is a comparison. "Shakespeare is by no means inferior to Aeschylus" is all that is needed.
c) "I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you" - there's a tense problem here. "I admit that I was willing to make peace with you". Can't explain it!
d) "The statement was incorrect, as any one familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit."
Any one should become "anyone" unless you're emphasizing "any one person," which is less common. That means we can drop the "who was" and the sentence becomes "The statement was incorrect, as anyone familiar with the spot and acquainted with the facts will admit."
e) I see no issue with this one
f) I see no issue with this one |
They've also dangled the particle in b), which is the cardinal sin, but I enjoy letting those hang myself from time to time. I'm also fond of the occasional split infinitive. The writer is the subject of the particle in b) but they don't make that explicit, not that they need to. We all get what you're saying mate. It would have caused some Victorians to lose their freak though.
F) annoys me the most despite being grammatically sound. | | | |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 20:53 - Jan 23 with 865 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
| Can you pass a 1913 English test? on 18:00 - Jan 23 by factual_blue |
Ic hæfde gōdne rædnesse on þā teost of þǣm gēare 683 |
You funny old þing! | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
