This page is reserved for common errors in language use in my classes
Pay: the past tenst of "pay" is paid -- unless the verb is used to mean "to slacken (as a rope) and allow to run out —used with out"
Until: the correct spelling is with one "l" at the end: until NOT untill.
Possessive: The possessive form in English is always formed by adding an apostrophe (') after the word. If the word is singular, or if it is an irregular plural that does not end in 's', then apostrophe is always followed by an s. Thus, the possessive of "boy" is "boy's", the possessive of glass is glass's, and the possessive of children is children's. If the noun is plural ending in s, then an apostrophe is enough: the possessive of boys is boys', the possessive of girl is girls'. It is never correct to say "the boy his bike is red" or "the girl her dress is pink" or "the text its purpose is to inform". If the noun is a non-living thing, it is perhaps better to say "the purpose of the text" but in almost all cases, with people, animals, etc., it is usually awkward to say "the bike of the boy" or "the dress of the girl".
Compliment vs Complement: These two words are homophones -- spelled the same but meaning something different. Compliment is to say something nice about someone, while complement is when a set of things or people go well together, completing each other. One way to remember which is which is to just remember the sentences "I like to give compliments" and "We complement each other to make the perfect team".
Paragraphs: Paragraphs in handwritten pieces should be clearly indicated by skipping a line between them. Within a paragraph, always start a new sentence on the same line, unless there is less than a centimeter and the first word won't fit on it. Never leave empty space after a sentence, this only confuses an examiner, he is not sure whether you want to start a new paragraph or not. In typewritten pieces, you can either do the same thing, or you can start a new paragraph by indenting the first line 2 cm.
Possessive: The possessive form in English is always formed by adding an apostrophe (') after the word. If the word is singular, or if it is an irregular plural that does not end in 's', then apostrophe is always followed by an s. Thus, the possessive of "boy" is "boy's", the possessive of glass is glass's, and the possessive of children is children's. If the noun is plural ending in s, then an apostrophe is enough: the possessive of boys is boys', the possessive of girl is girls'. It is never correct to say "the boy his bike is red" or "the girl her dress is pink" or "the text its purpose is to inform". If the noun is a non-living thing, it is perhaps better to say "the purpose of the text" but in almost all cases, with people, animals, etc., it is usually awkward to say "the bike of the boy" or "the dress of the girl".
Compliment vs Complement: These two words are homophones -- spelled the same but meaning something different. Compliment is to say something nice about someone, while complement is when a set of things or people go well together, completing each other. One way to remember which is which is to just remember the sentences "I like to give compliments" and "We complement each other to make the perfect team".
Paragraphs: Paragraphs in handwritten pieces should be clearly indicated by skipping a line between them. Within a paragraph, always start a new sentence on the same line, unless there is less than a centimeter and the first word won't fit on it. Never leave empty space after a sentence, this only confuses an examiner, he is not sure whether you want to start a new paragraph or not. In typewritten pieces, you can either do the same thing, or you can start a new paragraph by indenting the first line 2 cm.
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