COMMON WRITING MISTAKES II

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Common writing mistakes

On the following slides, pay attention to

(more) common mistakes that Dutch students

make and answer the questions

Numbers... how do you write them in English?

Look at this sentence:

I live with my parents, 2 sisters, 1 brother,

2 stepsisters and 13 pets.

Lots of numbers...

How should this sentence be written correctly?

The sentence should be

written like this:

I have my parents, two sisters, one brother,

two stepsisters and 13 pets.

General rule for writing

numbers in English

Small numbers (1-9) = one, two, three,...

Large numbers (10+) = 10, 11, 12, 13,...

How do you write school subjects?

The important thing to remember is that

languages ALWAYS have a capital letter!

art, French, economy, physics

English, math, drama, music, Spanish

Can you name some other words/things
that always use a capital letter?

Always use capital letters:

• at the beginning of a sentence (that's easy)
  

• with names & last names (easy)
  
• for the days, months, holidays (not seasons)
• for titles of books and movies
• for cities, countries, nationalities, languages
• for specific periods and historical events

Examples where capital letters

(always!) need to be used

• you You should never write a sentence like this.
  

• Paul, pete Piet, and pip Pip all need to be in capital letters!
  
• Easter is on Sunday, April 17th in the middle of spring.
• No Time to Die is the new James Bond movie.
  
• She lives in Paris, France but doesn't speak French.
  
• Most World War I veterans are now dead.
  

In the text below, there are some mistakes... How many words need to be written with capital letters?

(Remember the number... you will answer on the next slide)

i will see jack on the monday before christmas, which is on december 20th.  that's the day before winter officially starts.  he and i are going to amsterdam to see the movie space battle.  we chose the version with dutch subtitles because our english isn't very good yet.

In the text you just read, how
many words should've been started
with capital letters?

1. 11
2. 13
3. 14
4. 15

I will see Jack on the Monday before Christmas, which is on December 20th.  That's the day before winter officially starts.  He and I are going to Amsterdam to see the movie Space Battle.  We chose the version with Dutch subtitles because our English isn't very good yet.

14 words need capital letters!

Commas, commas, commas...

When do I use them?  When do I not use them?

Which sentence is written correctly?

1. My favorite drinks are water cola wine and apple juice.
2. My favorite drinks are water and cola and wine and apple juice.
3. My favorite drinks are water, cola, wine. And apple juice.
4. My favorite drinks are water, cola, wine and apple juice.

Use a comma/commas in a

series of three or more items

My favorite drinks are water, cola, wine and apple juice.

My least favorite subjects are math,

Spanish, physics and drama.

My friends say I'm funny, honest and a little bit lazy.

Take a look at these two sentences.  What's wrong?

The kitten was cute, I wanted to take it home with me.

Rabbits especially the ones with floppy ears

are my favorite animal.

They should be written like this:

The kitten was cute, I wanted to take it home with me.

These should be two separate sentences!

The kitten was cute. I wanted to take it home with me.

______________________________________

Rabbits especially the ones with floppy ears are my favorite animal.

You need commas!

Rabbits, especially the ones with floppy ears, are my favorite animal.

Take a look at these two sentences.  What's the difference?

I love my dogs, Bruno and Bob.

I love my dogs, Bruno, and Bob.

Take a look at these two sentences....

I always do my homework last-minute.  And I sometimes get into trouble.

AND, BUT, SO, BECAUSE...

never at the beginning

of a sentence!

I always do my homework last-minute.  And I sometimes

get into trouble.

I always do my homework last-minute and I sometimes
get into trouble.

Rewrite these two sentences into one.
I like school. But I don't like homework.

Rewrite these two sentences into one.
Harry didn't like his aunt and uncle. Because they didn't treat him nicely.

Fill in the correct word:
Harry Potter _____ to play
around with magic.

1. is liking
2. like
3. liks
4. likes

Re-write this sentence correctly:
Peter and Jane eats chocolate every day.

Is this sentence correct or incorrect?
He and his brother has the same shirt.

1. Correct
2. Incorrect

He and his brother has have the same shirt.

Remember the "shit" rule with

verbs in the present tense!

I, you, (he/she/it), we, you, they

he/she/it = "shit" = "s" at the end of the verb in the present tense

Re-write this sentence correctly:
Me and my sister plays hockey.

Five more questions.

Last Friday, I _____ my leg.

1. breaked
2. break
3. broke
4. broken

I _____ the whole time during
the movie yesterday.

1. cry
2. cried
3. cryed
4. have cried

What's wrong with this sentence?
How should it be written? There are two mistakes.
Katie her dog broke it's leg

Re-write this sentence correctly (three mistakes):
I admired my mother. Because she is one
of the most amazing people in my live.

Apply this to entry #3