Study English Grammar » attention to detail

The Top 5 English Writing Tips

Study English Grammar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:53:32 +0000

There are numerous things that can go wrong when you are writing, ranging from the isolated word that is spelt incorrectly to an entire sentence that fails ;o make sense. Some of the most common problems, however, are problems usage, of being unclear about, for example, the difference between flaunt and flout, or whether hanged or hung is correct. Writing is all about paying attention to detail, which means making sure that you always get the right words in the right order. But if you do not know the conventions if usage, you are almost bound to come unstuck. We have, therefore, listed below, in alphabetical order, a Top 30 of the niggling little queries about usage.

1. Agree to, agree with

Agree to means that you accept what someone proposes (although you might, of course, agree to differ). Agree with means that one person or thing is in accord with another: agree to that suggestion-, I agree with you about the need for more trees.

2. All right

All right is two words, and means that everything is correct: The spellings were all right Alright is used to mean ‘well’, ‘unhurt’: The s... Read more...

Writing in Style – Two Presentation Conventions

Study English Grammar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:03:41 +0000

We want to talk about various conventions that relate to the presentation of written work, particularly the kind of work produced by university students. Several of these points are bound to come up in any essay you write; it is, therefore, well worth checking through the list to see if you are presenting your work in an appropriate way. It is just this kind of attention to detail that surreptitiously picks up more marks for you in an essay but also helps you to develop a polished and professional approach to written work.

1. Spacing work

A word-processed essay should always be double-spaced (set your word-processor to print on every other line). Generous spacing makes your essay easier to read, and leaves room for the marker to write in comments. The main secret of typing essays is always to allow plenty of space on the page: sensible margins, double-spacing, a reasonably large font or type-face (we suggest not smaller than 11 point text). Think of the needs of your reader; your reader wants to be presented with something that is easy on the eye, and as such easy to read.

Your aim in word-processing (or, more r... Read more...