DEC 10 Common Errors

1. DEC 10 Common Errors Week 2: Past Tenses

2. Find the verbs • Space exploration started in 1957, when Russia launched Sputnik 1. • This was followed closely by Sputnik 2, which sent the first living creature into space. • Yuri Gagarin had just become the first person in space when Alan Shepherd became the first American in space in May 1961. • Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, orbited the earth 48 times. • Because Russia had already won the race to get into space, the US concentrated its efforts on reaching the moon. • Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in July 1969 and returned safely to the earth. • By the time the Apollo program ended, twelve astronauts had walked on the moon. • Viking 1 was launched in October 1975 and had landed on Mars by the end of June 1976. • 1981 saw the launch of the first space shuttle, and in 1990 the Hubble telescope started its orbit. • Spacecraft landed on Mars in the 1980s and began exploring its surface in the 1990s. • If the space program had not existed, titanium might not have been developed.

3. past simple or past perfect? • Space exploration started in 1957, when Russia launched Sputnik 1. • This was followed closely by Sputnik 2, which sent the first living creature into space. • Yuri Gagarin had just become the first person in space when Alan Shepherd became the first American in space in May 1961. • Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, orbited the earth 48 times. • Because Russia had already won the race to get into space, the US concentrated its efforts on reaching the moon. • Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in July 1969 and returned safely to the earth. • By the time the Apollo program ended, twelve astronauts hadwalked on the moon. • Viking 1 waslaunched in October 1975 and hadlanded on Mars by the end of June 1976. • 1981 saw the launch of the first space shuttle, and in 1990 the Hubble telescope started its orbit. • Spacecraft landed on Mars in the 1980s and began exploring its surface in the 1990s. • If the space program hadnotexisted, titanium might not have been developed.

4. past simple or past perfect? • Space exploration startedin 1957, when Russia launchedSputnik 1. • This was followedclosely by Sputnik 2, which sentthe first living creature into space. • Yuri Gagarin hadjust becomethe first person in space when Alan Shepherd becamethe first American in space in May 1961. • Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, orbitedthe earth 48 times. • Because Russia hadalready wonthe race to get into space, the US concentratedits efforts on reaching the moon. • Neil Armstrong walkedon the moon in July 1969 and returnedsafely to the earth. • By the time the Apollo program ended, twelve astronauts hadwalkedon the moon. • Viking 1 waslaunchedin October 1975 and hadlandedon Mars by the end of June 1976. • 1981 sawthe launch of the first space shuttle, and in 1990 the Hubble telescope startedits orbit. • Spacecraft landedon Mars in the 1980s and beganexploring its surface in the 1990s. • If the space program hadnotexisted, titanium might not have been developed.

5. past simple or past perfect? In most sentences about the past we use the past simple. With a few adverbs, e.g. already (some time earlier) and just (a very short time earlier), we often use the past perfect. With the time phrases by + specific time and by the time + clause (past simple), we often use the past perfect. To speculate about an imaginary past (and not what really happened), we can use subject + could/might/would + have + past participle in the main clause and if + subject + past perfect in the conditional clause. However, as mentioned initially, in most sentences about the past we use the past simple.

6. Review Three of these sentences are correct, and seven have errors. Correct the errors by adding, deleting or changing ONE WORD. • Space shuttles had carried parts to the International Space Station. • The Hubble telescope had allowed further exploration of space than ever before. • After it explored the surface of Mars, the rover had sent back interesting and useful information. • Before they returned to Earth, Armstrong and Aldrin planted a flag on the moon. • If the space shuttle program had continued, more human lives have been put at risk. • Every astronauts who landed on the moon returned home safely. • Numerous devices explored the surface of Mars during the Rover and Landing expeditions. • A number of failures occurred on expeditions to Mars in the late 1990s. • A great deal of interests has been shown in human travel to Mars. • A few people have proposed sending human to Mars who will never return.

7. Example Three of these sentences are correct, and seven have errors. Correct the errors by adding, deleting or changing ONE WORD. Example: The moon landing had occurred in 1969. Answer: The moon landing hadoccurred in 1969.

8. Three of these sentences are correct, and seven have errors. Correct the errors by adding, deleting or changing ONE WORD. • Space shuttles had carried parts to the International Space Station. • The Hubble telescope had allowed further exploration of space than ever before. • After it explored the surface of Mars, the rover had sent back interesting and useful information. • Before they returned to Earth, Armstrong and Aldrin planted a flag on the moon. • If the space shuttle program had continued, more human lives have been put at risk. • Every astronauts who landed on the moon returned home safely. • Numerous devices explored the surface of Mars during the Rover and Landing expeditions. • A number of failures occurred on expeditions to Mars in the late 1990s. • A great deal of interests has been shown in human travel to Mars. • A few people have proposed sending human to Mars who will never return.

9. 1 Space shuttles had carried parts to the International Space Station. Space shuttles hadcarried parts to the International Space Station.

10. 2 The Hubble telescope had allowed further exploration of space than ever before. The Hubble telescope hadallowed further exploration of space than ever before.

11. 3 After it explored the surface of Mars, the rover had sent back interesting and useful information. After it explored the surface of Mars, the rover hadsent back interesting and useful information.

12. 4 Before they returned to Earth, Armstrong and Aldrin planted a flag on the moon. Before they returned to Earth, Armstrong and Aldrin planted a flag on the moon.

13. 5 If the space shuttle program had continued, more human lives have been put at risk. If the space shuttle program had continued, more human lives wouldhave been put at risk.

14. 6 Every astronauts who landed on the moon returned home safely. Every astronautsastronautwho landed on the moon returned home safely.

15. 7 Numerous devices explored the surface of Mars during the Rover and Landing expeditions. Numerous devices explored the surface of Mars during the Rover and Landing expeditions.

16. 8 A number of failures occurred on expeditions to Mars in the late 1990s. A number of failures occurred on expeditions to Mars in the late 1990s.

17. 9 A great deal of interests has been shown in human travel to Mars. A great deal of interests interesthas been shown in human travel to Mars.

18. 10 A few people have proposed sending human to Mars who will never return. A few people have proposed sending human humansto Mars who will never return.

19. Do you want to see that again? I’ll publish materials from each week’s lecture on my blog on Thursday afternoon. hicktony.wordpress.com If you have any questions about today’s lecture, email me: tony.hickey@sydney.edu.au