In this lesson plan, students will focus on reading a text and correcting its mistakes. The number of mistakes is written next to the title. The stories are quite amusing, and your students will be well entertained while fishing for the clever little mistakes peppered throughout. Below the text with the mistakes is the same text with the answers highlighted. There is also an explanation for all the corrections given below that.

The three stories

1. Big Old Mansion (10 Mistakes)
2. The Police (12 Mistakes)
3. When I Arrived (8 Mistakes)

Text 1 – Big Old Mansion (10 Mistakes)

Everyone avoided the big old mansion. It believed to have spirits and a lot of people say they have heard screams inside it. Well, I have ever been a person that believes in ghosts but I find it very interesting and I have started to interview some people to discover the truth or something that could change my mind.

First, I interviewed my neighbors and I found Mr. Paul, a kind senior who born and grew in that area. He told me that the last owner and his whole family was murdered in that house and that their spirits live there yet.

Afterwards, I talked with another interesting person, Mr. Melissa. She said that the current owners “The Charlies” make up a story that the house is haunted because they want to keeped people far away from the house.

In my opinion both stories are not real because I have never heard or seen anything stranger there, but you never know. In the 21^st century, you don’t believe in ghosts, can you?

Corrections of Text 1 – Big Old Mansion

Everyone avoided the big old mansion. It was believed¹ to have spirits and a lot of people said they had heard screams inside it. Well, I have never² been a person that believed in ghosts but it’s a very interesting topic to me and I have started to interview some people to discover the truth or something that could change my mind.

First, I interviewed my neighbors and I found Mr. Paul, a kind senior who was born³ and grew up⁴ in that area. He told me that the last owner and his whole family was murdered in that house and that their spirits still live there⁵.

Afterwards, I talked with another interesting person, Mrs.⁶ Melissa. She said that the current owners “The Charlies” made⁷ up a story that the house is haunted because they want to keep⁸ people far away from the house.

In my opinion both stories are not real because I have never heard or seen anything strange⁹ there, but you never know. It’s the 21^st century, you don’t believe in ghosts, do¹⁰ you?

Explaining the mistakes

1. It was believed (passive verb) – This is the passive form of “People believe”. When we don’t know or don’t care about the subject of the sentence, we use the passive voice. In this case, past simple passive.
2. I have never (adv.) – We only use “ever” with questions, for example: “Have you ever…”
3. Was born (v) – In this case, we always use the passive form for someone who is born, for example: “I was born in December”
4. Grew up (phr. v.) – This is a phrasal verb and without the “up” has a different meaning. Grow, by itself refers only to height.
5. Still live there (adv.) – We use “still” in affirmative sentences and “yet” in negative and interrogative sentences.
   • I haven’t finished my homework yet.
   • Have you fixed the car yet?
   • I am still working on it.
6. Mrs. Melissa (n) – We use “Mr.” for men. “Ms.” for unmarried women and “Mrs.” for married women.
7. Made (v) – This verb refers to actions in the past and so should be in the past form.
8. Keep (v) – This verb is “Keep” in the present and “Kept” in the past.
9. Strange (adj.) – Stranger is a mistake because there is no comparison on the sentence.
10. Do you (Question tag) – When you use a question tag you must follow the auxiliary verb used in the first half of the sentence:
    • I haven’t seen it, have you?
    • I can’t do it, can you?
    • I don’t believe in ghosts, do you?

Downloadable Student Worksheet

Text 2 – The Police (12 Mistakes)

The police had been unable to find the three friends, but my family and I had very worried.

Everything started when my daughter Anne and her friends Debbie and Monica decided to go out, perhaps for cinema or mall, nobody knew for they didn’t say where they would go.

It had already was two days and existed no news about them, so on the third day I was watching TV when the journalist said that three girls had been rescued from a car which had crashed near the Blue beach and they had been taken to the Central Hospital. From the same time my heart almost jumped out of my body and I ran over there.

Monica, my daughter’s friend, was driving calm on the road when suddenly she lost control of the car, they fell off the mountain and the car only stopped when it hit a rock near the beach. They three lost consciousness.

Fortunately, some surfers saw the car and they called the ambulance. I was very relieved see my daughter and her friends saved.

Corrections of Text 2 – The Police

The police had been unable to find the three friends, but my family and I were¹ very worried.

Everything started when my daughter Anne and her friends Debbie and Monica decided to go out, perhaps to the² cinema or the³ mall, nobody knew because⁴ they didn’t say where they would go.

It had already been⁵ two days and there was⁶ no news about them, but⁷ on the third day I was watching TV when the journalist said that three girls had been rescued from a car which had crashed near the Blue beach and they had been taken to the Central Hospital. At⁸ the same time my heart almost jumped out of my body and I ran over there.

Monica, my daughter’s friend, had been⁹ driving calmly¹⁰ on the road when suddenly she lost control of the car, they fell off the mountain and the car only stopped when it hit a rock near the beach. They all¹¹ lost consciousness.

Fortunately, some surfers saw the car and they called the ambulance. I was very relieved to¹² see my daughter and her friends saved.

Explaining the mistakes

1. were (v.) – Past tense of the verb “to be”. Used before adjectives as an auxiliary. E.g. ” I was happy to see her.”
2. to the (deter.) – When we go somewhere, we use “to the”. E.g. I am going to the store”.
3. the (deter.) – We need to use the determiner “the” before a noun, in this case, “the mall”.
4. because (conj.) – Some students confuse “for” and “because”. Because is used when giving a reason. In this case, the reason nobody knew was because they didn’t say where they were going.
5. had already been (v.) – When using past perfect we need to use the past participle of the verb. (to be: is – was/were – been)
6. there was (v.) – A lot of students use “have/had” or “existed” as a way of showing the existence of something. In English, the correct way of doing it is using “there is/there was/ there had been”
7. but (conj.) – “But” is used to show contrast between two ideas.
8. At the same time (phr.) – Meaning simultaneously.
9. had been driving (past perfect) – When talking about an action which occurred before another action, we need to use the past perfect.
10. Calmly (adv.) – After a verb, we cannot use an adjective, we must use an adverb:
    • She was a nice girl. (adjective)
    • She behaved nicely. (adverb)
11. All (adv) – When referring to three options we must use “all” to show that everyone is being referred to.
12. relieved to see (v.) – When we have two verbs together, the second verb must be either in the infinitive or gerund. This depends on the first verb:
    • I enjoy watching movies. (gerund)
    • I like to go to the park with you. (infinitive)
    • Me and my friends hate seeing people fighting. (gerund)
    • Remember to buy me a sandwich before you get home! (infinitive)

Downloadable Student Worksheet

Text 3 – When I Arrived (8 Mistakes)

As soon as I arrived, I could sense that something was out of place. It was so strange because I have ever been a very observant person and I noticed anything was wrong.

I started walking around my home when suddenly I noticed that my window had been broken, then I saw a message into a rock that said: “ I love you, currently I have always been in love with you”

I can’t believe that nightmare was coming back into my life.

A long time ago I had insane friend called Brian, who had fallen in love with me, but he had been arrested because of drugs. However, I couldn’t understand this message because he was locked away in Central Prison. At that very moment, I saw him on the broken window. He had escaped!

I carefully took my cellphone and rang up to the police. Fortunately, there was a police car in my street, they arrived quickly and arrested Brian again.

Correction of Text 3 – When I arrived

As soon as I arrived, I could sense that something was out of place. It was so strange because I have always¹ been a very observant person and I noticed something² was wrong.

I started walking around my home when suddenly I noticed that my window had been broken, then I saw a message attached³ to a rock that said: “ I love you, *⁴ I have always been in love with you”

I couldn’t⁵ believe that nightmare was coming back into my life.

A long time ago I had an⁶ insane friend called Brian, who had fallen in love with me, but he had been arrested because of drugs. However, I couldn’t understand this message because he was locked away in Central Prison. At that very moment, I saw him through⁷ the broken window. He had escaped!

I carefully took my cellphone and rang up *_⁸ the police. Fortunately, there was a police car in my street, they arrived quickly and arrested Brian again.

Explaining the mistakes

1. Always (adv.) – Some students mistake “always” and “ever”. When we are talking about something, we do all the time we use “always”.
   • I always walk to school.
   • Have you ever been to Paris?
2. Something (pron.) – Something is used in used in affirmative sentences, anything is used with questions and negatives.
   • I saw something moving under the car.
   • Have you bought anything yet?
   • You haven’t broken anything, don’t worry.
3. Attached (v.) – When something is glued to something else.
4. Currently (adv.) – In this case, it is not necessary to add the word “currently”.
5. Couldn’t (v.) – This text is told in the past so we must use the past simple form of “can’t” which is “couldn’t”.
6. An (deter.) – We use a/an/the before a noun.
   • I saw a car driving past your house this morning.
   • An elephant is bigger than a whale, right?
   • We have to go to the supermarket before 2pm otherwise it’ll be too late.
7. through (prep.) – When looking out a window we use through.
8. to (prep.) – This preposition is unnecessary here.

Downloadable Student Worksheet

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