Brush Up Your English

These exercises were originally written (in BASIC) for the Apple, they were converted to GWBasic (for MS-DOS) in July 1991 by D.Gardner, Language Centre, HKU. They were further updated on 31/10/91 by D.Gardner. Then, they were converted to web-based exercises in July 1999 by WebRight, English Centre, HKU.

Series 1 - Common Problem with Verbs

This series of lessons is designed to help you avoid making certain "common errors" in English.

• 1.1 Transitive Verbs 
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 1.2 More Transitive Verbs
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 1.3  Intransitive Verbs
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 1.4  Passives 
  •   Introductory Material
  •   Follow-up Questions
• 1.5 Some '-ed' Endings
  • Introductory Material
• Follow-up Questions
• 1.6 Review Lesson 1
  • Introductory Material
• Follow-up Questions

Series 2 - Common Problems with Nouns

This series deals with various problems with nouns including countable nouns... ----- Uncountable nouns and plurals.

• 2.1 Noncount Nouns
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 2.2 Collective Nouns
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 2.3 Invariable Plurals
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 2.4 Problems with Plurals
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 2.5 The Definite Article ('the')
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 2.6 Review Lesson 2
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions

Series 3 - Verbs Tenses and Parts of Speech

The lessons in this series deal with errors involving matters such as verb tense and wrong parts of speech.

• 3.1 Verb Tense
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 3.2 Time Adverbials
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 3.3 Verb Patterns
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 3.4 Some 'It' Adjectives
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 3.5 Word Class Problems
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 3.6 Review Lesson 3
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions

Series 4 - Sentence Combinations

These lessons are designed to help you avoid certain errors in English frequently made by students in Hong Kong. This particular series deals with a variety of problems related to matters such as sentence combination.

• 4.1 Cause and Effect
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 4.2 Giving Examples
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 4.3 Expressing Opinions
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 4.4 Contrast and Comparison
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 4.5 Sentence Combination
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 4.6 Review Lesson 4
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions

Series 5 - Question Formation and Frequently Confused Words

These lessons are designed to help you avoid certain errors in English frequently made by students in Hong Kong. This particular series deals with a variety of problems such as question formation and frequently confused words.

• 5.1 Questions
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions
• 5.2 Commonly Confused Words
  • Introductory Material
  • Follow-up Questions