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ESL forum > Message board > classic error    

classic error



_babz
Canada

classic error
 
Do any of your students do this mistake?
 
I could of went
 
(when it should be I could have gone)
 
I just finished some essays, and this error keeps on showing up this year...

18 Nov 2009      





English971
Guadeloupe

Guess u have French students................LoL..........

18 Nov 2009     



_babz
Canada

nice guess Sherlock!

(I wouldn �t have much of a job if I were teaching ESL in English-Canada now would I?)
 
thanks anywayThumbs Up
 
 

18 Nov 2009     



alien boy
Japan

I don �t know babz... you might be trying to teach them �real � English, not Canadian English (such weird accents...) LOL



18 Nov 2009     



English971
Guadeloupe

What I meant is that u should consider that point if u really want 2 help them, Watson.........LoL.......LOL

18 Nov 2009     



_babz
Canada

weird accents? this coming from an Australian LOL x 100
 
�maybe the dingo ate your baby � lol
 
nough said.
 
 
ps: define real English....?? lol

18 Nov 2009     



_babz
Canada

I would, if it were relevant to do so....but seeing as how some anglophones do it as well, I, guessing that it has nothing to do with one �s ethnic background.

hence old chap I was wondering if this was merely a case of bad spelling on the part of certain students..
 
cheerio

18 Nov 2009     



English971
Guadeloupe

Please, I �m not talkin � abt ethnic background but it can help to consider the language spoken by our students............and I understand that it �s not always relevant but it doesn �t mean we should not keep on tryin �...........
 
 
~~ The End ~~
 
LOL
 

18 Nov 2009     



sophiegirl67
Canada

In regard to your question "Do any of your students do this mistake? I could of went".
 
Yes, I have seen this error many times with my students.  I think it �s because when we utter this sentence it sometimes sounds like "of" and not "have".  I actually remember making the same mistake in spelling as a young student and English is my first language.
 
 
 
 
 
P.S.
I teach ESL in "English-Canada" and have a great job (in reference to "I wouldn �t have much of a job if I were teaching ESL in English-Canada now would I?")
 

18 Nov 2009     



alien boy
Japan

well, �of � & �have � have similar sounds for starters, so that may add to the linguistic confusion, the meaning can be similar...

& it doesn �t just happen to French speakers... it �s a common problem for Japanese EFL students too!

�real � English, like from England, none of that North American gobbledygook... wot!!!

& remember ... o u t spells �out � not �oot �!!!

Wink
oops gotta run... it �s dingo feeding time at the station!



18 Nov 2009     



Spagman63
Hong Kong

I think they are spelling according to what they hear.  We say "could of" phonetically but it should be "could have".  We also use the contraction "could �ve"  so it could �ve been from that.  :)  Since NONE of us in this discussion are from England, we can �t attest to "real" English.  Not that it is superior.;)

18 Nov 2009     

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