Grammar Starting a Sentence With Or, And or But In the not so distant past, an English assignment daring to begin a sentence with a conjunction would have been returned with red ink splattered all over it. But, as Bob Dylan sang, the times they are a-changin'. Or rather, the rules of grammar are reverting to a mode first made fashionable as long ago as the 18th century. Starting a Sentence With And In the 1700s it was perfectly acceptable to start sentences with a conjunction. It maintains an easy, conversational style.It preserves a link between sentences, whilst still delivering in a short, punchy vein. Is Starting a Sentence With 'But' Allowed? Grammar is a minefield into which only the most foolhardy march unprotected. Dictionary of Modern American Usage, by Bryan A. When is it Incorrect to Start Sentences With Or, And or But? This article uses several examples that show how sentences can quite naturally begin with a conjunction. Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally'.
Attention Writers: Never Use These Phrases. Seriously, We're Not Kidding A Brief History of Writing Presenter: Writing – it helps us perform all sorts of activities every day. It’s easy to assume that writing’s always been around. But like most things, it had to be invented. Have you ever written something down so you can remember it later on? The earliest examples of writing are probably on clay tablets like these, written with the script cuneiform. If you were a leader of a big old city, you’d probably want to keep track of what’s going on, so you’re going to write things down like how much money you’ve given people, or how much stuff you’ve got in storage. One of the most famous types of ancient writing is of course hieroglyphs, used by the Egyptians thousands of years ago. Hello Paul! Paul: Good. Presenter: Thank you very much for letting me come to your studio. Paul: So, this is papyrus, and I have a selection of different tools used for writing: reeds, woody reeds, bamboo, quills and rushes, which is what we’re going to use for writing. Paul: Possibly. Presenter: Oh, wow!
Spelling Spelling matters. If you want to create a good impression in your writing and make sure you get your meaning across clearly, it’s important to get your spelling right. This section contains lots of quick-reference spelling tips. For example, if you can never remember whether the plural of potato is spelled potatoes or potatos, then you can jump straight to plurals of nouns to get some straightforward advice. There’s also a handy list of common misspellings, arranged in alphabetical order of the incorrect spellings, and a guide to the differences between British and American spelling. If you already feel confident in your spelling skills, why not try our spelling challenge? For more ways to improve your writing see our writing help section, or for more spelling tips see the list below: Plurals of nouns i before e except after c Words containing the letter q Forming comparative and superlative adjectives Forming adverbs Adding -ful or -fully -ize, -ise, or -yse? Verb tenses: adding -ed and -ing
Revision Checklist for Essays Many students tell us that they don't know what to check for once they have finished their essay. They usually know to check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, but other details are often seen as less important because of the high emphasis placed on these problems in their early education. Writing experts generally agree, however, that while details such as grammar and punctuation are important, they are far less important than solid organization, fresh writing, and creative content. The following guidelines are designed to give students a checklist to use, whether they are revising individually or as part of a peer review team. Organization Is there a clear introduction, body, and conclusion? Content and Style Does the essay show that the writer has a knowledge of the audience? Research and Sources Are all sources credible? Proofreading Has the writer checked grammar and punctuation?
Spelling Lessons | How to Spell Most of the lessons include a video & exercise — click on the links below.You can download the videos and put them on your computer, mobile device from vimeo.com - click here Guest LessonsTop 10 Online Editing Tools to Craft a Perfect Paper (and any writing!) by Antonio TooleyWriting Numbers by Lucy AdamsWays to Organize your Workspace (infographic) by Emily Johnson Useful Spelling and Writing Apps by Sally Sonderson 10 Free Resources for Improving Your Grammar and Writing Skills by Maria Castle13 Useful Tools to Improve Your Writing by Lesley VosDo you Make These Common Mistakes in English? Click here for some worksheets to print off Click here for people's stories & what they've said about their spelling. Click here for the books I recommend on spelling, the history of spelling/English, dictionaries and books on writing. Most people think English spelling is crazy and illogical. The good news - there are rules, patterns and reasons why some words are spelled the way they are.
How to approach discursive writing Getting started, as much for people writing in their own language as for those writing in a foreign language, is one of the most difficult and inhibiting phases of the writing process. Idea generating is therefore key in facilitating the transition from thought to paper. A brainstorming activity is an effective way of getting ideas flowing. Brainstorming Assessing ideas A model text Focus on model text coherence Cohesion Organising ideas Groups Writing Correction and reading Brainstorming Brainstorming consists of group discussion. Students might discuss an idea, the answer to or reasons for a problem. Brainstorming involves thinking quickly and without inhibition, which can ultimately lead to an interesting piece of writing. Assessing ideas The relevance and practicality of the ideas produced during brainstorming can be assessed more objectively in the next stage, that is in encouraging students to extend their ideas into a mind map, or spidergram.
Advice on writing CVs Interviewer: LearnEnglish Professionals is talking to John Woodrow, who works in the Human Resources department of a large UK-based company. John, tell us about your work ... John Woodrow: I work on recruitment, especially – so I’m the person who reads the hundreds of CVs we get sent each year! Interviewer: Do you accept CVs as part of your recruitment process? John Woodrow: When we advertise for a particular post, we send out our own application form, which is tailored to our company, and we can use it to make sure we find exactly what we’re looking for ... Interviewer: So a CV is useless? John Woodrow: No! Interviewer: So we should be sending you our CVs? John Woodrow: Yes, absolutely, yes! Interviewer: What advice can you give us on writing a CV? John Woodrow: Keep it short, keep it simple, keep it relevant. Interviewer: So we’re going to look at a couple of CVs now ... John Woodrow: Yes – these are a couple that arrived just this morning, so let’s take a look ...
How to Prepare for Writing a Novel It’s all in your mind: you’ve got the perfect setting, plots are unfolding, and characters are begging to be born. It’s time to set them free. Change them from jumbled thoughts in your brain to words on paper. Whether it’s your first novel or your twentieth, writing can be daunting, rewarding, frustrating, and thrilling. It’ll most likely be all of those during the journey from first to final page. Fear not, Grammarly’s here to help! As you know, November marks the return of many scribophiles’ favorite celebration—NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Tip #1: Get Organized. It’s tempting to jump right in and start typing, but that’s like going hiking without a map. Tip #2: Stay Motivated. Some days you’ll do anything to avoid writing: chores, taxes, even reading articles about how to write. Tip #3: Meeting Expectations. Expectations are not requirements.
Writing a CV/résumé Before beginning to draft your CV/résumé, read the advert carefully so that you are clear about the specific requirements of the job you’re applying for. It’s important to tailor both your application letter and the CV/résumé to the job in question, focusing on qualifications and experience that are particularly relevant. Dos and Don’ts Here are some general points to bear in mind when preparing your CV/résumé: Do Don’t go into too much detail: employers are too busy to read rambling or unfocused CVs/résumés.leave gaps in your employment history: add a sentence or two explaining any periods that are not accounted for.use too many different fonts or typefaces: keep to one or two that are clear and easy to read.use inappropriate colours, graphics, or photos.name people as referees unless you’ve confirmed that they’re happy to provide a reference for you. Structuring your CV/résumé Personal details Always begin with your personal details, i.e Employment history Educational qualifications Referees
Planning a writing lesson But teaching writing is not just about grammar, spelling, or the mechanics of the Roman alphabet. Learners also need to be aware of and use the conventions of the genre in the new language. What is genre? Stages of a writing lesson Generating ideas Focusing ideas Focus on a model text Organising ideas Writing Peer evaluation Reviewing Conclusion What is genre? A genre can be anything from a menu to a wedding invitation, from a newspaper article to an estate agent's description of a house. Stages of a writing lesson I don't necessarily include all these stages in every writing lesson, and the emphasis given to each stage may differ according to the genre of the writing and / or the time available. Generating ideas This is often the first stage of a process approach to writing. Before writing a letter of complaint, learners think about a situation when they have complained about faulty goods or bad service (or have felt like complaining), and tell a partner. Focusing ideas Organising ideas