IELTS Grammar: correct the mistakes

Here are some phrases (parts of sentences) that people wrote below Thursday's writing task 1 lesson. Can you find and correct the mistakes?

Note: I'm focusing here on the parts of people's sentences that contained a problem. Don't worry about the information that I've missed out.

1. The highest numbers of sales were 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively.
2. The highest sales figures for Fairtrade coffee and bananas was recorded in Switzerland.
3. Switzerland was earning 15 million euros of fairtrade bananas.
4. ...with the sales figures for coffee and bananas stood at 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively.
5. Switzerland was the highest sales in fairtrade of coffee and bananas.

In case you didn't see it, here's my correct version:

In 1999, Switzerland had the highest figures for sales of both Fairtrade coffee and Fairtrade bananas, with 3 million and 15 million Euros of sales for the two respective products.

Comments

[Pongsathon]

1. The highest figures for sales were 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively. (numbers of -> figures for)
2. The highest sale figures for Fairtrade coffee and bananas were recorded in Switzerland. (sales -> sale, was -> were)
3. Switzerland earned 15 million Euros of Fairtrade bananas. (was earning -> earned, euros -> Euros, fairtrade -> Fairtrade)
4. ...with the sales figures for coffee and bananas reaching 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively. (stood at -> reaching)
5. Switzerland saw the highest sales in Fairtrade of coffee and bananas. (was -> saw, fairtrade -> Fairtrade)

[hn]

1. numbers of -> figures for.
2. was -> were.
3. was earning -> earned;
fairtrade -> Fairtrade.
5. was -> saw;
fairtrade of -> Fairtrade.

[lana]

Dear Simon,
I am not sure I found the mistakes, may you give your answers for each sentence?
Thanks

[lana]

And please tell why.
Thanks

[lana]

And why is Fairtrade written in capital?

[Seoyoung]

1.The highest numbers of sales were 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively.
- numbers of -> figures for ...

2. The highest sales figures for Fairtrade coffee and bananas was recorded in Switzerland.
- was -> were..

3. Switzerland was earning 15 million euros of fairtrade bananas.
- was earning -> earned, of-> from..

4. ...with the sales figures for coffee and bananas stood at 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively.
- stood -> standing..

5.Switzerland was the highest sales in fairtrade of coffee and bananas.
- was -> showed

[Jacqueline]

@altay_aliyev I am free at Tue Wed Fri Sat afternoon
before start to speak I think we need the topic

[Simon]

ANSWERS FROM SIMON

First, here are the problems:

1) "numbers of sales" shouldn't be followed by an amount of money. It would need to be followed by the number of items sold.

2) "figures... was" is wrong because we need a plural verb.

3) The present continuous is the wrong tense for this kind of description. Also, we need to say "earn...from" not "earn...of".

4) "stood" is wrong here. After "with", we can either miss the verb, or use the "ing" form ("standing").

5) We can't say "Switzerland WAS the highest sales".

[Simon]

FROM SIMON (continued)

Here are my corrected versions:

1) The highest sales figures were 3 million and 15 million Euros (for Fairtrade coffee and bananas respectively).

2) The highest sales figures for Fairtrade coffee and bananas were recorded in Switzerland.

3) Switzerland earned 15 million Euros from sales of Fairtrade bananas.

4) ...with the sales figures for coffee and bananas standing at 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively.

OR:

..with sales figures for coffee and bananas of 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros.

5) Switzerland had/saw the highest sales of Fairtrade coffee and bananas.

[Simon]

Note:

I've used "Fairtrade" with a capital "F" because this is how it was written in the original question. Fairtrade is a kind of brand name given to products that have fulfilled certain requirements. We can also say "fair trade" as two separate words, and this means the practice of trading fairly (not the brand award).

[lana]

I can't thank you enough.

[Eric]

Thank you Simon, your posts and blog really help us a lot

[Winnie]

You've really been helpful Simon! Thanks for all your kind instruction !

[Mahyar]

Hi Dear Simon
Could you please answer my question
IN THIS SENTENCE "The highest numbers of sales were 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively"
using "were" is correct? I think it is better use "was" instead of "were" because of subject and verb agreement

[Ngoc Tram]

thank you very much, i got 6.0 Ielts only by studying on your website !!!

[Mich]

Dear Simon,

With reference to the following sentence written by myself, any grammar mistakes?

From the ancient History, when Greeks and Romans would interrupt battles to participate in the games, to the more recent international disputes, when athletes from Palestine and Israel would forget their differences, compete peacefully and even embrace each other after an event.

[reihan]

Hi simon
I have a question, I have a problem with vocabulary, how can I improve it?
please help me

thanks a lot

[Maria]

Hi Simon,

Can you tell me which one is right (was or were):

1. Angel's (company name) sales (total) in 2015 was 4 billion dollars.
2. Angel's (company name) sales (total) in 2015 were 4 billion dollars.

Thanks a lot,