Camilla's Grammar and Spelling Rules and Tips

In class today we covered a wide range of common grammatical and spelling errors.  Here is the text of the handout.  You may also get a copy of the handout in the classroom, or under "handouts" on this blog page.

COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS
there = location
their = possession
they’re = they + are

to = connection
too = also, in addition
two = the number 2

your = belonging to you
you're = you+are

then = under those conditions/at that time
than = in comparison to  (one thing compared to another: “This is better than that.”)

its = belonging to it
it's= it+is

Your example:

COMMONLY MISSPELLED CONTRACTIONS:
CORRECT: could've WRONG: "could of"
CORRECT: should've WRONG: "should of"

Your Example:

DOUBLED CONSONANTS CHANGE THE VOWEL SOUND AND THE MEANING:
hopping
hoping

rapping
raping

filling
filing

Your example:

PLURAL RULES: PLURAL means MORE THAN ONE. Use a plain s (or -es or -ies) to form the plural. Do not form the plural by adding 's!

Your examples:




HOW TO FORM THE PLURAL OF WORDS ENDING WITH “Y”:
community - communities
opportunity – opportunities
family – families
responsibility – responsibilities

Your example:

WHEN TO USE "an": Use "an" when the noun begins in a vowel, for instance:
an apple
an egg
an incident
an opinion
an umbrella

Your examples, one for each vowel:

1a:

2e:

3i:

4o:

5u:

EXAMPLES OF SOME WORDS THAT SOUND THE SAME, ARE SPELLED DIFFERENTLY, AND MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS:
write = inscribing
right = correct

whether = comparison
weather = type of day it is

weigh = measurement
way = direction, method

through (thru) = traveling
threw = to throw something

hear = with your ears
here = at this place


SOME EXAMPLES OF WORDS THAT SOUND THE SAME AND ARE SPELLED THE SAME BUT MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS:
light = bright
light = weight

right = correct
right = direction

Your example:

WORDS YOU CAN ONLY INTERPRET THROUGH CONTEXT - THEY ARE SPELLED THE SAME BUT PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY:

read = verb to read in the present tense
read = verb to read in the past tense (pronounced “red.”)

resume = to start again
resume = a document about your work history

Your example:

WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY AUGHT TO BE ONE WORD, BUT ARE ACTUALLY TWO:
No one
A lot

Your example:

A question you have, or an example of a grammar problem not mentioned in this handout: