[Grammar] A cell phone is a really handy piece of equipment.

[nininaz]

Hello,
Which of the following sentence is correct?!

1"A cell phone is a really handy piece of equipment. I learnt how to use it by trial and error."

2"A cell phone is a really handy piece of equipment. I learnt using it by trial and error."
Can we use "verb + ing" after the verb 'learn'?!

 

[emsr2d2]

Sentence 1 is correct. Sentence 2 is incorrect. You can also omit "how" in the first: I learnt to use it by trial and error.

 

[nininaz]

Sentence 1 is correct. Sentence 2 is incorrect. You can also omit "how" in the first: I learnt to use it by trial and error.

The second sentence was written by my teacher who is an IELTS examiner !!
I have searched all the dictionaries , but I couldn't find the v+ing after verb. I though I was wrong then I decided to post it. I wonder how he can make that mistake in the book which was published

 

[SoothingDave]

"Cell phone" is American and "learnt" is British.

 

[emsr2d2]

The second sentence was written by my teacher who is an IELTS examiner! [strike]!![/strike]
I have searched all the dictionaries (no comma here) but I couldn't find the v+ing after verb. I thought I was wrong then I decided to post it. I wonder how he can make that mistake in the book which was published.

Well, I'm afraid your teacher is wrong. Did your teacher write "the book which was published" (that's what your post suggests)?

 

[nininaz]

Well, I'm afraid your teacher is wrong. Did your teacher write "the book which was published" (that's what your post suggests)?

I meant my teacher who is an examiner published the book which contains the mistake ( that I posted here)

 

[emsr2d2]

So your teacher only published the book, he didn't write it. I think he needs to find a new proofreader/editor for his publishing business.

 

[nininaz]

So your teacher only published the book, he didn't write it. I think he needs to find a new proofreader/editor for his publishing business.

Oh, sorry for my English.
He wrote the book that was published by another company.He actually wrote the book by himself.
I found another mistake : "I learnt using cell phone by experience". he made the same mistake again.

 

[emsr2d2]

There is more than one error in that sentence! I'm afraid your teacher's standard of English is not great.

 

[nininaz]

There is more than one error in that sentence! I'm afraid your teacher's standard of English is not great.

Another disappointing thing about the book is that it is considered to be one of the best speaking reference book for students who want to take the IELST exam
Could you please tell me what the another error is in the following sentence?!
"I learnt using cell phone by experience".

 

[emsr2d2]

"I learnt using cell phone by experience".

As SoothingDave already pointed out, it mixed BrE (learnt) with AmE (cell phone). There is also a word missing.

In BrE: I learnt [how] to use a mobile phone by experience.
In AmE: I learned [how] to use a cellphone by experience.