Common Mistakes

SARS DONATION SPEECH

Collection vs. donation• We’ll make contribution next T

uesday. (implying WE)

• We’ll collect your contributions/ donations next Tuesday. (implying YOU)

Protection Gear• Surgical masks, eye-shields and

gowns are protection facilities• Surgical masks, eye-shields and

gowns are protection gear, not tools, not facilities.

• Quarantine hospitals /wards are a kind of facilities.

Dead / die• Many people were died.

• Many people were dead.

• Many people died.

Contribute• Let’s contribute to the SARS

outbreak.

• (Do you mean making it worse?)

• Let’s contribute some money to the SARS victims.

Children• There are three childrens.

• There are three children.

• Children is our future.

• Children are our future.

Stance• Everyone can donate as much

as you want.

• Every one of you can donate as much as you want.

• Everyone can donate as much as he wants.

Let’s• Let’s tell you a story. xx

• Let me tell you a story.

• Let’s join hands together. (including you)

• Let us join hands. (not including you)

There is / It is • There is a matter for the whole

society.

• It is a matter for the whole society.

SARS / SARS virus• They have SARS.

• They have the SARS virus.

• They have the SARS.

• SARS is a virus.

• SARS is a disease.

SARS / SARS virus• They have SARS. ok

• They have the SARS virus. ok

• They have the SARS. xx

• SARS is a virus. xx

• SARS is a disease. ok

Receipt / reply slip• You will get a reply slip for the

donation made. xx

• Hand in your reply slip for event tomorrow.

• You will get a receipt for the donation made.

Others / the other / another

• Let’s turn to another point.

• Let’s turn to other point.

• Let’s turn to other points.

• Let’s turn to the other point.

• Let’s turn to the other points.

Others / the other / another

• Let’s turn to another point.

• Let’s turn to other point. xx

• Let’s turn to other points.

• Let’s turn to the other point.

• Let’s turn to the other points. xx

Be creative!• Sacrificial, Appreciation,

Reflect, Service• (try to use parallel structure)• Sacrifice, Appreciate, Reflect,

Serve (v)• Sacrifice, Appreciation,

Reflection, Service (n)

If!• If you are a SARS victim, how

do you feel?

• If you were a SARS victim, how would you feel?

Save a life!• We need to help these sufferers

to keep their lives / to maintain their lives / pay their fees.

• We need to help these sufferers to keep their livelihood / to maintain their livelihood / make their ends meet.

Suffer• There are about 1700 people suf

fered with SARS. xx

• There are about 1700 people infected with SARS.

• There are about 1700 people who are infected with SARS.

pressure• They cannot afford such

pressure.

• They cannot bear / withstand / endure such pressure.

Parallel structure• Physical and mentally pressure

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome

• In areas such as environmental, economics and politics

Parallel structure• Physical and mental pressure

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

• In areas such as the environment, economics and politics