Identifying Errors (Grammar)

Question

The answer key only showed the underlined words having the errors, but it didn't have an explanation. I'm not sure if my answers are correct. I asked the opinions of other people and they gave me different answers. Some says that there's no error on the underlined words and my answer key is incorrect. Please explain what's wrong. Thank you

1. The time will come when consumers will realize that everytime they buy imported goods they helped worsen our employment situation.

-"they have helped worsen our employment situation"?

2. A boy gave us the directions to the village, but they were so confusing we couldn't hardly follow them.

-"couldn't" to "could"?

3. The Board of Directors have approved salary increase for all deserving office employees.

-"have" to "has"? Why should it be singular?

4. Dr. Del Mundo is one of the women doctors who is cited for providing valuable services to the community.

-"is" to "are"? Why should it be plural? Are we basing it? Is it on the "doctors"?

5. The editor scanned the pages I handed him glanced at what I had wrote and told me the article would be printed in the next day's paper.

-I think between "him" and "glanced" there should be a comma? And "wrote" to "written"?

Answer 1

Hello from Maria -- I'm happy to provide assistance. Here's an example of what's wrong and why with the first example you've provided.

1. The time will come when consumers will realize that everytime they buy imported goods they helped worsen our employment situation.

My response: First, everytime should be two words (every time). Second, a comma is needed after goods because every time states when and the rest of the sentence is a complete sentence. Third, "they buy" is present progressive verb tense so "they help" must be used to create the same verb tense. Consistency must be maintained, so "they helped" is incorrect -- it would work only if preceded by "they bought" which is not what is written. So, the correct/accurate sentence is: The time will come when consumers will realize that every time they buy imported goods, they help worsen our employment situation.

Answer 2

Hi Antonette M.,

Briefly:

1) "they help worsen" is corrected. "Every time" sets up a temporary present-tense condition

2) yes, "could" is correct

3) "Board" is singular. "of directors" merely modifies it, it doesn't change the number of boards!

4) your analysis is correct, "who" modifies "doctors". If ONLY Dr. Mundo were being referred to (special note: "were" is correct here because it is a condition-contrary-to-fact setting up the subjunctive case!), there would have been a comma after "doctors".

5) your analysis is correct. Some old fuddy-duddies like me also put a comma before the "and told me", but I think that's now acceptable either way.

Thank you for including your analyses; that is our guarantee that you are indeed trying the assignment!

-- Cheers, --Mr. d.