Good English
Sentence formation
All sentences should contain a verb. Some contain only a verb e.g. Go! or Help! Most contain a verb, subject and object e.g. The cat sat on the mat. Sub-clauses may be added, with the aid of a conjunction, as in this present sentence. The most common problem is running sentences together with just commas between them. Closely linked sentences can be separated by a semicolon.
Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.
Mary had a little lamb; its fleece was white as snow.
Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as snow.
Initial capitals
Use initial capitals only for the first word of a sentence, titles and proper nouns, NOT for generic nouns, EXCEPT when they become a proper name or title (or part of one).
Kitchen; Bedroom; First Floor; he is a Farmer/Architect/Surveyor; a Manor House; a Mill; the building faces South; the Eighteenth Century; Medieval.
kitchen; bedroom; first floor; farmer; architect; surveyor; manor house; mill; stone; street; road; crescent; terrace; the building faces south; the eighteenth century; medieval; the church in the village.
The Crimson Salon; The Painted Chamber; John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice; The County Surveyor; The Royal Institute of British Architects; Bindon Manor; Otterton Mill; Bath Stone; Flemish Bond; Southside Street; Mafeking
Terrace; the Westcountry; our branch in the North; Georgian; Victorian; St Mark's Church; the Church of England; the established Church.
The use of the apostrophe
The apostrophe indicates either: a contraction (can't = cannot) or the possessive (Jane's computer). It should NOT be added at random to words or dates ending in s.
1950's.
1950s
While most possessives need an apostrophe, his, hers, its, your, yours and whose do not.
it's = it is | its = belonging to it |
you're = you are | your, yours = belonging to you |
who's = who is | whose = belonging to whom |
Other homophones (words that sound the same, but have different meanings)
bare = naked | bear = carry, support, endure | |
cite = quote, refer to | site = locate, location | sight = vision |
complementary = completing | complimentary = flattering; free of charge | |
dew = moisture from condensation of water vapour | due = owing, fair, fitting | |
discreet = prudent, circumspect | discrete = separate | |
flair = natural aptitude | flare = blaze of light, burst of anger | |
formally = in a formal manner | formerly = previously | |
grate = cast-iron fire bars and frame of fireplace; scrape into shreds | great = large, important | |
hear = perceive by ear; listen to | here = in this place | |
peace = tranquility | piece = portion, part | |
pleural = related to the membrane covering the surface of the lung | plural = more than one | |
principal = chief | principle = moral rule | |
residence = house, place of abode | residents = inhabitants | |
role = function, part | roll = revolve, coil up, flow in waves | |
shear = cut or clip off | sheer = complete, unmixed, transparent | |
sort = class, order, type, separate into classes | sought = looked for | |
stationary = not moving | stationery = writing materials | |
stile = steps over a hedge or fence | style = fashion, manner, type | |
there = in or towards that place; at that point or stage | their= belonging to them | |
troop = company, band | troupe = group of performers | |
wares = merchandise | wears = is clothed in; diminishes by use |
Misused words
The majority = the greater number. Not a synonym for the major part, or most.
Unique = the only one (from Latin unus = one). Not a synonym for unusual. So things cannot be 'very unique' or 'slightly unique'.
Them use of the hyphen
Composite adjectives should be linked by a hyphen, to avoid possible confusions. Example: 'the little used car'. Is this a small, second-hand car? Or a car infrequently used? 'The little-used car' makes the matter plain.
In the eighteenth century the fashion switched to doors with six panels. Those are eighteenth-century six-panel doors.
For a more detailed guide see Common Errors in English by Paul Brians of Washington State University