Literacy fortnightly focus… SPELLING Ysgol Uwchradd Casnewydd Newport High School, enriching lives through writing, reading and oracy

Choosing the right word Ysgol Uwchradd Casnewydd Newport High School, enriching lives through writing, reading and oracy

 It is important that the England football team practise taking penalties.  Learners who practise answering exam style questions are more likely to succeed in their exams. Practise is a verb - It is something that you do.

 Netball practice had to cancelled.  It is essential that teachers share best practice.  Praying the rosary is Roman Catholic religious practice.  The dental practice is on the left, next to the row of shops. Practice is a noun

Other words follow this pattern:  Advise/ Advice o Advise (verb) is to give someone useful information. o Advice (noun) is what one receives – an opinion or recommendation  Devise/ Device o Devise (verb) is to plan, create or invent o Device (noun) is a thing made for a particular purpose.

Whose is the possessive form meaning of whom or belonging to who.  I know the lady whose handbag was stolen.  Whose books are these?  She knew the family whose house we bought.  Whose dog does Carlson shoot in Of Mice and Men?

 Who’s going to Maths revision after school today?  Who’s left their shoes in the doorway again?  Who’s going to take that referee seriously when he makes decisions like that?  I am not sure who’s coming to the cinema tonight. Who’s is short for who is or who has.

It is important to write who is or who has in full in your exams, in coursework and controlled assessments because who’s is too informal. Get into the habit of always using who is or who has.

 We passed two men wearing baseball caps who looked very suspicious.  Jim passed me without saying hello.  She has not passed any of her exams.  He passed the ball to Bellamy. Passed is the past tense of the verb to pass. It means to go by something or near it without stopping.

 It is half past nine.  The past two weeks have been hard for GCSE English Language candidates.  The car drove past the crowd of people unnoticed.  They get along fine now; the feud between them was in the past. Past is not a verb – it means previous, beyond, after. it describes a place or time.

 The past month has been hard for everyone.  You can learn a lot from the past and from your experiences.  I’ve just got my exam results but I haven’t passed any of them.  She walked past me but said nothing.  She passed me but said nothing.

Diolch