English 11Errors to Avoid!

CapitalizationAlways capitalize the words English and French (and the names of any other languages for that matter…)

The word I is always a capital letter.

ContractionsAvoid all contractions in formal English:

Can’t = cannotIt’s = it isWe’d = we wouldWho’s = who isLet’s = Let usetc.

Sentence StructureAnd, But, Or: Not suggested to be used to begin a sentence.

Instead, try: Also, However, On the other hand…

**Transition words to be used at the beginning of a

sentence.Used as a transition word:Lisa arrived to her interview on time. Unlike her sister,

Laura slept in and arrived quite late.Not a transition word:Lisa arrived on time unlike her sister.

Used as a transition word: She was overjoyed by the arrival of summer.

However, she was worried about not yet having a job.Not a transition word:She loved summer; however, she needs to find a job

quickly.

Vocabulary

Gonna= Going toWanna = Want to

Would of = Would have

Could of = Could have

S or ’S??Plural:When there is more than one, add an « s »: I have five sisters.

Words ending in « y » are made plural with « ies »: one city, five cities

Apostrophe:When showing belonging: I borrowed my sister’s math book.

PunctuationNo comma needed before ‘‘because’’.

Ex: I improved my writing mark because I worked very hard at it.

SpellingA/An

Always use ‘‘ an’’ before a vowel

ex: an apple, an orange…

Spelling

A lot

“As a grammatically conscientious person who frequents Internet forums and YouTube, I have found it necessary to develop a few coping mechanisms.

But there is one grammatical mistake that I particularly enjoy encountering.  It has become almost fun for me to come across people who take the phrase "a lot" and condense it down into one word, because when someone says "alot," this is what I imagine:

“The Alot is an imaginary creature that I made up to help me deal with my compulsive need to correct other people's grammar.  It kind of looks like a cross between a bear, a yak and a pug, and it has provided hours of entertainment for me in a situation where I'd normally be left feeling angry and disillusioned with the world.”

“Similarly, when someone says "alot of _______", I picture an Alot made out of whatever they are talking about.”

“If someone says something like "I feel lonely alot" or "I'm angry alot," I'm going to imagine them standing there, sharing their feelings with an Alot.”

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

So the next time you are reading along and you see some guy ranting about how he is "alot better at swimming than Michael Phelps," instead of getting angry, you can be like "You're right!  Alots are known for their superior swimming capabilities."