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

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

3.  It’s been raining.  It has been raining.  It’s going to be sunny on the weekend.  It is going to be sunny on the weekend. It’s is short for it is or it has.

4.  The tree lost its leaves in autumn.  The dog chewed its bone.  That school needs to update its website.  Our school is proud of its reputation. Its refers to the possessive form of it. Its is something belonging to an object or animal.

5. Instead of writing it's, write the full version: it is or it has. If you cannot (because your sentence does not make sense), then use its.

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

7. Off means the opposite to on and it means away from.  It is important to turn the lights off to save energy.  He jumped off the wall.  She is off school today.  The milk smells off.

8. Of has more than one function: 1. It shows belonging to somebody/something; 2. It indicates what something contains.  Rebecca is a member of the hockey team.  The people of Wales love rugby.  The queen of England is getting old.  I am going to Paris, the city of love!  He gave her a box of chocolates; she would have preferred a bottle of wine though.  He had a heart of gold.

10. Were is the past form of to be.  They were excited about the birth of their new baby  My books were on the table.  There were 27,452 people at the football match on Saturday.  I think you were lucky that you did not run out of biscuits!

11. We’re is short for we are.  We’re playing netball at lunchtime today.  We are playing netball at lunchtime today.  I think we’re going to have lunch early.  Mr Hoskins said, ‘We’re going to have an assembly tomorrow.’

12. Where is used for places and positions.  I do not know where to go for my holidays.  Home is where the heart is.  Where did we get to?  We are back to where we started.  This is where you belong.

13. Wear is what we do with our clothes. Wear also means to wear away.  I am wearing my school uniform.  You must wear safety goggles during an experiment.  Over time, the rock will gradually wear away.

14. It is important to write we’re in full in your exams, in coursework and controlled assessments because it is too informal. Get into the habit of always using we are.

16. Diolch