Over the course of March we’ve decided to try something new for our Word for Wednesday feature and choose each week’s word to fit around a specific theme. Our chosen theme is punctuation, starting with the word apostrophe. As today is National Grammar Day in the United States of America, it is important to point out that grammar and punctuation are not the same thing. Grammar refers to the whole system and structure of a language and you can find a Word for Wednesday post about the word’s origin here. Punctuation on the other hand refers to the written marks used to separate sentences in order to clarify meaning. Punctuation marks have a variety of...
The summer holidays are coming to an end and if you’re not back at school yet, you will be soon. To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite posts on grammar and punctuation. Commas are confusing, but luckily we’re here to help. Click here to learn how to use commas to separate clauses, here to learn how to use commas as part of a list, and here to learn how to use commas in direct speech. If you think commas are difficult to use, you’ll probably think semi colons are worse. This punctuation mark is used to denote a break that has more emphasis than a comma but is less final than a full stop. In this article, we look at the two common circumsta...
A few weeks ago, in part two of our series on Word Classes, we looked at pronouns. A pronoun used in a sentence to avoid repeating a noun that has been mentioned before. We use the term personal pronoun to describe pronouns used to replace words for people or things. Personal pronouns include: I, me, mine, you, yours, his, her, hers, we, they, and them. Personal pronouns can be categorised into the following four groups: Subjective Pronouns The term subjective pronoun is used to describe the pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. This is because these pronouns work as subjects of verbs in a sentence. Here are some examples of subjective pronouns: She threw the ba...
A contraction is a shortened version of a word created by the omission of a sound. In writing, the omission of a sound (which is usually a vowel) is marked with an apostrophe. It is important to note that while contractions are acceptable in conversation and informal writing, it is better to avoid them in formal writing. You can read more about contractions here. Today we’re going to look at three different contractions all of which are often confused with possessive pronouns. Confusing Words When should I use which word? It’s vs. Its It’s is short for ‘it is’ or (in informal speech) ‘...
Most plurals are formed by adding an -s to the end of the word. However, you should NEVER use an apostrophe to form a plural (click here for Ten Tips for Using Apostrophes). If the noun ends in a consonant plus –y, form the plural by swapping the –y for –ies. Click here for a word list. Watch out: if the noun ends in a vowel plus –y, form the plural by adding –s as usual. For example, story (as in a tale/book) becomes stories, whereas storey (as in a floor/level) becomes storeys. If the noun ends in –ch, -s, -sh, -x, or -z, form the plural by adding –es. Click here for a word list. HOWEVER, if a noun ending in...
When forming contractions, replace the removed letters with an apostrophe. For example: “I have not got time to meet with you this week.” becomes “I haven’t got time to meet with you this week.” Don’t forget the apostrophes in the irregular formations ‘shan’t’ and ‘won’t’ (short for ‘shall not’ and ‘will not’). Use an apostrophe followed by the letter ‘s’ to indicate singular possession including when the noun ends in ‘s’. For example: “Last week I took Sally’s dog for a walk.” “I’d love to visit St James’s ...
Last year, in one of our Word for Wednesday posts, Hugh took a look at some apostrophe catastrophes. Over the next two posts we’re going to take a look at how to use these sneaky little punctuation marks correctly. What is a contraction? A contraction is a shortened version of a word created by the omission of a sound. In writing, the omission of a sound (which is usually a vowel) is marked with an apostrophe. It is important to note that while contractions are acceptable in conversation and informal writing, it is better to avoid them in formal writing. What are some commonly used contractions? Here is a list of contractions commonly used in English. Notice how the mi...
A little twist to the Word for Wednesday blog this week: we’ll be looking into the grammatical enigma that is the apostrophe. This week, the government has introduced a new spelling and grammar test for primary school children across the UK. Last year, Education Secretary, Michael Gove introduced a new policy which penalises students for poor spelling and grammar in their national examinations. This is the first time such emphasis has been put onto correct spelling and grammar in the education system. In my opinion, one of the biggest culprits for poor grammar is the misuse of the apostrophe. This is so widespread that one need’nt look far (did you spot it?) to find an i...
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