Grammar – some common problems A quick training session from

It’s and its Question: When do you use ‘it’s’ and when do you use ‘its’ in a sentence?

It’s and its Question: When do you use ‘it’s’ and when do you use ‘its’ in a sentence? Its means belonging to it. As in the sentence. Is it hers or its?

It’s and its Question: When do you use ‘it’s’ and when do you use ‘its’ in a sentence? Its means belonging to it. As in the sentence. Is it hers or its? It’s is a shortening of the two words it is. As in the sentence. It’s going to be warm today.

Quotation marks in direct speech Question: What are the rules regarding quotation marks?

Quotation marks in direct speech In direct speech (as opposed to reported speech), the actual words are put inside inverted commas. Punctuation follows various rules. See these examples: Brian said, “Watch out, James! You are casting too close to that tree.” “Are you watching James?” Brian said. “You are casting too close to that tree.” “Watch out, James! You are casting too close to that tree,” said Brian.

Pronouns Question: When do you use personal and possessive pronouns?

Pronouns Personal Possessive A B I Me My Mine You Your Yours He Him His She Her Hers It Its We Us Our Ours They Them Their Theirs

Pronouns 1. When the noun is doing the action, i.e. when it is the subject of the sentence, use a pronoun from column A. Example (Personal). You and I will visit them. Example (Possessive). Her hair is straight.

Pronouns When the noun is being acted upon, when it is the object of the sentence, use a pronoun from column B. Example (Personal). The policeman shouted at him and me. Example (Possessive). The dog is hers.

Pronouns After a preposition (e.g. from, after), always treat the pronoun as the objective of the sentence and use a word from column B. Example. The girl chased after him. Example. So goodnight from Bill and me.

Who and whom Question: When do you use ‘who’ and when do you use ‘whom’ in a sentence.

Who and whom ‘Whom’ is used when it is the object of the sentence. ‘Who’ is used when it is the subject of the sentence  

Who and whom Whom (the objective) example: ‘Decide whom you would like to thank’. ‘Whom’ is the object, with ‘you’, the subject, doing the thanking.   Who (the subject) example: ‘Decide who needs to do the thanking.’ ‘Who’ is doing the thanking.

Writing dates The following options are deemed correct:   “Schedule the meeting for July 10.” “Schedule the meeting for the 10th of July.” “The 10th of July is to be scheduled.”

Writing numbers 1. Numbers one to ten are spelled out. Example. “Send me eight bowls.” Figures are used for numbers greater than ten. Example. “Send me 12 bowls.” 2. Always write out a number if it starts a sentence. Examples. “Forty-three people bought bowls.” “The first bowls were bought by 43 people.”

Writing numbers Hyphenate all compound numbers (a quantity expressed in two different units) from twenty-one to ninety-nine. Example. “Seventy-one pounds and fifty-three pence was the average price.” In a sentence where two numbers are related, and at least one number is over ten, then write them all in figures. Example. “Don’t send me 5 bowls, send me 50 instead.”

Writing numbers If the numbers are unrelated, then use both figures and words as before. Example. “Send me 30 bowls for my five nieces.” Spell out simple fractions and use hyphens, as shown: “Two-thirds of the bowls arrived broken.”

Writing numbers 7. A mixed fraction can be expressed in figures unless it is the first word of a sentence.   Examples:  “We expected a 4½ percent interest rate.”  “Four and a half percent interest rates are now the norm.”

Writing numbers 8. When writing a decimal in figures, put a zero in front unless the decimal itself starts with a zero.   Examples:  “Her savings increased 0.2 percent in a week.”  “Her savings only increased .09 in a week.”

Colon and semi-colon Question: When do you use a colon: and when do you use a semicolon; ?

Colon and semi-colon A colon is used before a list, or to introduce sayings or ideas.   Examples Many people came: painters, architects, carpenters and builders. The law says: wear a seat belt. For other scenarios when they are used, go to: www.englishplus.com/grammar/00000093.htm

Colon and semi-colon A semicolon is used to join two sentences instead of a conjunction like ‘and’ or ‘but’.   Example Mind the paint; it’s wet. For other scenarios when they are used, go to: www.englishplus.com/grammar/00000093.htm

"I don't know the rules of grammar "I don't know the rules of grammar. . . . If you're trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language they use every day, the language in which they think. We try to write in the vernacular." - David Ogilvy