THE BASICS OF WRITING IN ENGLISH I expect you to know this basic information about writing in English. 1. The first word in every sentence is ALWAYS capitalized. INCORRECT: my eyes are brown. CORRECT: My eyes are brown. 2. The personal pronoun “I” is ALWAYS capitalized. INCORRECT: Last semester i took Writing 2. CORRECT: Last semester I took Writing 2. 3. Every sentence needs to have punctuation at the end (period, question mark or exclamation point). INCORRECT: I’m shy and hardworking CORRECT: I’m shy and hardworking. 4. When an adjective modifies a noun, the adjective appears BEFORE the noun. INCORRECT: I have hair brown and eyes green. CORRECT: I have brown hair and green eyes. 5. Adjectives in English do NOT have plural forms. INCORRECT: I have greens eyes. CORRECT: I have green eyes. 6. Formal standard English does NOT permit double negatives. INCORRECT: I don’t have no hobbies. CORRECT: I don’t have any hobbies. 7. Plural nouns in English have an –S on the end of the word. INCORRECT: Right now I’m working two job. CORRECT: Right now I’m working two jobs. 8. Every sentence in English MUST have a subject. INCORRECT: Is very important to come to class on time. CORRECT: It is very important to come to class on time. 9. Subjects MUST agree with their verbs in number (i.e. singular or plural). INCORRECT: My eyes is dark. CORRECT: My eyes are dark. 10. Do NOT start sentences with AND, BUT, SO, or OR. INCORRECT: I like to go to the movies on the weekend. And I like to spend time with my family. CORRECT: I like to go to the movies on the weekend, and I like to spend time with my family. FIRST STEPS IN EDITING Each sentence below has a mistake (or maybe even two). Find and correct the mistake(s). 1. My hair is dark and my eyes. 2. I like my whole body, but I like the most my hair. 3. I always running late everywhere. 4. I’m very funny and hardworking, and curious. 5. I’am quite tall. 6. My hair is brown, and my eyes is green. 7. Always I am very happy. 8. My hobbies is playing soccer and going to the gym, but my best hobbies is coming to college. 9. I am a passive person sometimes funny. 10. Im responsible and friendly. 11. For me is very easy to communicate with people. 12. i have dark eyes. 13. I have long, brown hair and honey eyes. Also, a wonderful smile. 14. When people meet me, say that I am a wonderful person. 15. Am a very curious person. 16. I love playing sports, hanging out with my friends, going to clubs every weekend. Or going to watch a good movie. 17. I like play soccer with my friends on the weekend. 18. I like to help people when they need it, but it depend on what kind of person it is. 19. I have three beautifuls children, and I love them very much. 20. Now I do not have time for nothing.