Correcting my English

K

Karky

2
I gotta try to clean up my English. So if you see any mistakes i make and you KNOW they are mistakes, feel free to let me know, in a polite way, either in the post or in a PM. (if its a long thing, do a PM, so we dont hijack any threads)

Internet forums is a place where its easy to pick up bad habbits. Internet slang like saying "u" instead of "you" (i actually wrote that on an English paper one time :p) and i thought if i make an effort to clean up how i write on internet forums, my grammar will be better overall. Im even going to try to get used to using apostrophes properly :p

You may start with this post. And please. dont correct anything if your not sure its wrong.
 
Hey Karky, your English is almost perfect. How specific do you want us to get? Spelling too or just format. Off the bat I noticed a couple of spelling errors (could be typos):

Habit for one. don't has an apostrophe...also 'your' with this spelling has a posessive meaning like your car...you're with the apostrophe means you are as in if you are not sure...:)

(hopefully I haven't made any mistakes LOL..wouldn't that be just great?!LOL)


Karky said:
I gotta....You may start with this post. And please. dont correct anything if your not sure its wrong.
Click to expand...

Edit: also 'I gotta' really should be I've got to...or have to...but I may be getting too anal (for lack of a better word)...I gotta is more slang.. :)
 
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yeah, and dont should be don't and your should be you're. i always mess that up, thanks for the heads up. I just need to be reminded, because now i type dont and your automaticly, i need to write don't and you're automaticly :p
 
The more I work on computers the lazier I get. I used to be an excellent speller/writer but now I know that word fixes some of my typos/misspellings with auto correct and I can spell check the rest!

But like I said your English is near perfect...better than some English speaking natives! :)
 
Karky said:
I gotta try to clean up my English. So if you see any mistakes i make and you KNOW they are mistakes, feel free to let me know, in a polite way, either in the post or in a PM. (if its a long thing, do a PM, so we dont hijack any threads)

Internet forums is a place where its easy to pick up bad habbits. Internet slang like saying "u" instead of "you" (i actually wrote that on an English paper one time :p) and i thought if i make an effort to clean up how i write on internet forums, my grammar will be better overall. Im even going to try to get used to using apostrophes properly :p

You may start with this post. And please. dont correct anything if your not sure its wrong.
Click to expand...

Capitalize the letter i when referring to yourself. If you have a conjunction (two words put together such as 'I am' and you write 'I'm' you need an apostrophe. Ex: I am=I'm, he is=he's, it is=it's, they are=they're, etc

In your last sentence, don't put a period after please. You need a subject, verb, and object to create a independent clause (complete sentence). Also, don't should've been don't. Follow that with "correct anything if you're (you are) not sure it's (it is) wrong.
 
Karky said:
i always mess that up, thanks for the heads up.
Click to expand...

You need a semicolon in that sentence. I always mess up is a complete sentence. Thanks for the heads up is a complete sentence. When merging two complete sentences use a semi colon and not a comma. Commas are used in place of the word 'and' and when merging a dependent clause and a independent clause.

You with me so far?
 
evolution said:
You need a semicolon in that sentence. I always mess up is a complete sentence. Thanks for the heads up is a complete sentence. When merging two complete sentences use a semi colon and not a comma. Commas are used in place of the word 'and' and when merging a dependent clause and a independent clause.

You with me so far?
Click to expand...

I think so. Dang, your good! :p
And i think that "please." was a typo. It should be a comma, right?
 
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I use comas like they're going out of style. I'm gonna have to start using the semicolon; otherwise Evo might start correcting me. (nudge, nudge)

See I (think) I used it correctly...LOL
 
I hope I haven't unleashed a grammar nazy upon the forum.

*checks sentence for grammar mistakes. DO'H apostrophe*
 
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Karky said:
I hope I haven't unleashed a grammar nazy upon the forum.

*checks sentence for grammar mistakes. DO'H apostrophe*
Click to expand...


doctor2.gif


You didnt capitalize your C in checks.


spank2.gif
 
Your written English grammar and your use of vocabulary, expressions, and phrasal verbs are excellent. What is your native language? It must be a language that shares it's origins with English. If there are some particular grammar items that you know you often make mistakes with, you might want to compare them the way you construct them in your own language. For example, verb agreement with plural countable nouns:

Karky said:
Internet forums is a place where its easy to pick up bad habbits.
Click to expand...

As far as terms like 'gotta', it depends on your audience. If you're on an internet forum dissing the OP, or in informal spoken English it's expected and maybe even endearing. If it's in your dissertation, you're in trouble.

Also, you probably already know that English differs quite a bit between British and American speakers. With vocab it's pretty obvious: lift/elevator, trousers/pants, wanker/jerk off :), etc. There are differences with grammar also though. For instance, when we choose to use the 'past simple' vs. 'present perfect' tense is often different.

American: Did you open the wine?
Brit: Have you opened the wine?

Technically, the British use is more correct.

It seems like you need to work on punctuation more than anything though. It might be worth it for you to pick up a punctuation/style guide that you can refer to when you're writing.
 
Karky said:
I hope I haven't unleashed a grammar nazy upon the forum.

*checks sentence for grammar mistakes. DO'H apostrophe*
Click to expand...

lol, nah...just helpin' you out since you asked for help. My grammar and usage class was taught by a grammar nazi who had her PhD in structural grammar and linguistics. I was so mind-numbed after having to learn 37 different classifications. For example, we had to memorize the 7 different adverbs. A noun is not a person, place, thing, or idea; a noun is a noun if it fits into the noun paradigm. An example might be that typically a tree=a noun because we're taught that a noun is a thing and a tree is a thing. However, a dog can tree a squirel. In that case, tree becomes a verb. There are a ton of other examples, but you get the idea.

Grammar can get extremely difficult, and unless you're adept at it, can make your head spin. Nothing says fun like diagraming sentences and paragraphs.
 
evolution said:
My grammar and usage class was taught by a grammar nazi who had her PhD in structural grammar and linguistics.
Click to expand...

Wow, I bet she knew how to throw a wild party!
What can someone do after a getting PhD like that other than teach?
 
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