Spot the flaws：There, they're, their
【明報專訊】Can you spot any errors in the letter? Please circle them and make corrections.
Dear Pat,
As a fan of superhero movies, I went to the cinema today to watch the new series. However, their were three kids throwing popcorn at each other, chatting, and laughing loudly. They had no movie manners at all. The chaos they created disrupted the entire experience. Their completely oblivious to the annoyed looks from other moviegoers.
Finally, staff members, who happened to be superheros, stepped forward. With authority in there voice, they asked the kids to leave. As they left, the cinema returned to peace, and I could finally enjoy the movie without distractions.
Yours sincerely,
Bill
(Answers on this text)
◆How should we behave when watching movies in the cinema?
˙Phones on silent
˙Keep the chatter for the end of the movie
˙Take your rubbish with you
What are some others cinema etiquette that you know?
■English highway﹕
The words ''they're'', ''their'' and ''there'' sound the same but have different meanings and uses:
''They're'' is used to indicate that a group of people or things exists or performs an action.
E.g. They're going to the birthday dinner tonight.
''Their'' is a possessive pronoun that indicates ownership or belonging to a group of people.
E.g. Their teacher is angry today.
''There'' is an adverb used to indicate a location or point to something. It can also be used to introduce a sentence or indicate the existence of something.
E.g. The restaurant is over there.
E.g. There is a new superhero movie releasing next week.
■Gear up
Fill in the blanks with ''there'', ''they're'' or ''their''.
1. I heard ___________ planning a surprise party for their friend's birthday.
2. The students left ___________ backpacks in the classroom.
3. ___________ going to the park to play soccer this afternoon.
4. ___________ is a beautiful sunset over the horizon.
5. The employees celebrated ___________ team's victory with a party.
6. They said ___________ would be a special guest at the event tonight.
(Answers on next text)
■Glossary
manner (n) 禮儀
oblivious (adj) 無意的
authority (n) 權威
chatter (n) 喋喋不休地談話
■Answer
their were three kids → there
Their completely oblivious → They're
With authority in there voice → their
(Criticisms on this publication, if any, are aimed at pointing out the errors or defects of certain systems or policies with a view to rectifying or eradicating such errors or defects, as well as prompting improvement or remedy for them via lawful means. There is absolutely no intention of inciting hatred, discontent or hostility towards the government or other classes of the community.)
[Smarties' Power English 第416期]
