大家好，我是SK2的Rosa，最近在顧問時間中，發現同學常常都會犯一些相同的文法錯，而文法錯太多，會直接影響到作文的質感，導致作文成績不高。
在練習作文的過程中，同學常常會擔心自己的文法是否會太弱？對於托福作文，記憶有些久遠的國高中文法夠用嗎？需不需要看一些文法書來加強文法呢？
其實，托福作文並非要你使用很艱難的句型或是文法。由於托福考的是你是否能夠清楚表達自己的立場，並提供理由支持你的論點，因此，只要具備足以讓讀者理解你論點的文法即可。
以下我列出了同學最常錯的十大文法錯，同學不妨拿紙筆，試試看你看不看得出來這些錯誤吧！
假如你每題都看得出來，那麼便代表你文法很好，要寫一篇高分的托福作文絕對沒問題，可以多聚焦在審題想點的練習上面。
假如你發現每題都看不太出來，你的文法顯然有待加強，至少，先把這十個最常見的文法錯學起來，練到有把握寫作文時不會犯這些錯誤。
請先試著找出每題的文法錯，再比對答案。
- People are eager to carry out dreams, and in order to make dreams come true, we have to save money for the future.
沒錯！這題人稱不一樣，既然主詞為people，代名詞應該要用they才對。
整句改為：People are eager to carry out dreams, and in order to make dreams come true, they have to save money for the future.
- My father saved plenty of money, which brought us a better life than before.
這題的文法錯是同學常常會犯的。看出來了嗎？關係代名詞修飾的對象應該為money，而不是整句話喔！這句句意為我爸爸省下了許多錢，導致我們生活更好。是在講整件事情的影響，而不是受詞（錢）的影響。此時，應該要用分詞構句，因為分詞可以修飾的對象比較廣。
整句改為：
My father saved plenty of money, bringing us a better life than before.
3. For example, my husband got fired without notice last year, I need to make sure that I have enough money to pay the bills and buy necessities.
這題有注意到嗎？在英文裡面，兩句話的中間需要放一個連接詞。For example是整句話跟上句話的轉折詞，所以不算連接詞喔！
整句話應改為：For example, my husband got fired without notice last year, and I need to make sure that I have enough money to pay the bills and buy necessities.
4. If a guy has a sense of humor, that usually means he is an easy going person.
這也是同學寫作裡面常常出現的問題。在口說裡，this/that常用來指代上句話的概念，但請記得，在寫作裡，this/that單獨出現時，修飾的對象並不清楚，請同學少用，可以直接使用代名詞會更清楚，或是在this/that後面加普通名詞。
可改為：If a guy has a sense of humor, he is usually an easy going person.
5. So I can clearly comprehend the difficult concept.
這也是同學常犯的問題，當一個句子沒有主要動詞或是主要子句時，是無法構成獨立的句子的。此時，我們便稱呼這樣的錯誤句子為fragment。請同學務必弄清楚哪些是連接詞，需要連接兩個子句，哪些是帶有連接詞性的副詞，可以單獨存在於句首。如：So SVO. 為fragment，但Thus, SVO. 為sentence。
可改成：Thus, I can clearly comprehend the difficult concept.
6. The reading implies that the collagen can indicate living bone tissue. Once again, the professor opposed the reason in the passage.
看得出來嗎？這題時態不一致，前面在講reading的立場時使用現在式，後面描述聽力立場時卻使用過去式。描述立場，應該當成是事實，用現在式處理。
應改成：The reading implies that the collagen can indicate living bone tissue. Once again, the professor opposes the reason in the passage.
7. Most of the people like to make friends with someone who has a sense of humor.
這題也是常見的錯誤。同學常常搞不清楚什麼時候要用限定，什麼時候要用非限定。基本上，只要有特定概念的，就要加the。如果在講一般的情況，沒有特定的概念，就不需加the，可用a/an表單數，或是直接加s變成複數。這裏在講的是一般人，而不是某特定族群的人，所以不需要加the。
可改成：Most people like to make friends with someone who has a sense of humor.
8. On the other words, making friends with smarter people can help people make money.
慣用法請小心使用，這是約定俗成的用法，用錯了很奇怪，不會用不如不用，只要使用了，就要有把握用對。只有In other words與On the other hand，沒有On the other words這種用法。
可改成：On the other hand, making friends with smarter people can help people make money.
9. Therefore, the reason in the reading cannot be believed.
被動盡量少用，通常主動會比較清楚，且比較完整地表達句意。
可改成：Therefore, the reason in the reading is not persuasive.
10. The speaker points out that the collagen might be left by humans who have touched the fossil.
相較於其他語言，英文的動詞其實已經很簡單了，主要可分為簡單式或完成式。現在完成式傳達一個動作或者其效果持續到現在，而過去完成式在表達過去的過去。時態應準確表達作者的意思。沒有必要，就不需使用完成式。
可改成： The speaker points out that the collagen might be left by humans who touched the fossil.
做個總結，同學最常犯的十大文法錯為：
- 人稱不一致
- 關係子句與分詞構句混用
3. run-on sentence
4. this/that 單獨使用
5. fragment
6. 時態不一致
7. 亂用the
8. 慣用語用錯
9. 使用被動
10. 用錯時態
現在懂了這些觀念後，再挑戰一次吧！下列十題應該能夠做對喔！請先想完怎麼改，再對以下答案。建議使用筆電直接複製貼上題目，或是把題目印出來，認真改寫看看。
1. People usually want to be happy and having friends with a sense of humor can let us be happy.
2. Jack only speaks of the upcoming exam, which makes me feel more nervous.
3. Last year I was uncertain which university to attend, one of my humorous friend, Jessica, only made fun of me.
4. People always want to have better performance, and having smart friends can help them achieve that.
5. If my friend weren’t intelligent, my mother may still in a terrible situation.
6. When my cousin chilled out with friends in pubs on weekends, he suddenly gets an incredible idea.
7. I am the person who don’t do research before buying things.
8. As the result, I prefer to have intelligent friends.
9. The shapes are relate to red blood cells.
10. Every time Stacy sharing her funny experiences with me, I laugh so hard that I shake with laughter.
正解為：
1. People usually want to be happy and having friends with a sense of humor can let them be happy.
2. Jack only speaks of the upcoming exam, making me feel more nervous.
3. Last year when I was uncertain which university to attend, one of my humorous friend, Jessica, only made fun of me.
4. People always want to have better performance, and having smart friends can help them achieve the purpose.
5. If my friend weren’t intelligent, my mother may still be in a terrible situation.
6. When my cousin chilled out with friends in pubs on weekends, he suddenly got an incredible idea.
7. I am a person who don’t do research before buying things.
8. As a result, I prefer to have intelligent friends.
9. The shapes are related to red blood cells.
10. Every time Stacy shares her funny experiences with me, I laugh so hard that I shake with laughter.
同學常會好奇文法錯會不會扣分？ETS有表明，只要文法錯不至於太多，而且不影響讀者理解，仍然有可能獲得高分，甚至是滿分。但是只要文法錯太多，如：同一個字一直拼錯、每句話幾乎都有文法錯，就會影響讀者理解，便會扣分。
在文法錯誤裡面，又以fragment或是run-on sentence較嚴重，因為犯了fragment，整句話句意不完整便不合邏輯，即使寫得再好，讀者仍然無法理解，因此，便會是無效的一句話。
(以下出自TOEFL-ibt Official Guide)
For both the writing tasks on the TOEFL iBT, the people evaluating your writing recognize that your response is a first draft.
You are not expected to produce a well-researched, comprehensive essay about a highly specific, specialized topic.
You can receive a high score with an essay that contains some errors. That is, If your essay includes a few minor lexical or grammar errors, you can still get a high score.
However, if you make a lot of grammar errors and if those errors make it hard to understand your meaning, you will get a lower score.
看完了托福OG裡面的解釋，同學應該會清楚了解，文法在托福作文評分裡面的角色。文法好的同學，可以把練習著重於發展例子。而文法不好的同學，也別氣餒。至少避免犯這十個常見的文法錯，作文會清楚很多喔！;D
