Commas
I need to buy apples oranges and bananas.
I need to buy apples, oranges, and bananas.
(Added commas for clarity and used the Oxford comma for academic style.)
The dogs bone is buried in the garden.
The dog’s bone is buried in the garden.
(Apostrophe shows possession: the bone belongs to the dog.)
Sarah said I love reading books.
Sarah said, “I love reading books.”
(Quotation marks enclose the spoken words; comma before the opening quotation mark.)
I recieved a letter from my friend yesterday.
I received a letter from my friend yesterday.
(Common error: “ie” vs “ei” in “receive”.)
If I will study harder, I pass the test yesterday.
If I had studied harder, I would have passed the test yesterday.
(Mixed conditional: past hypothetical situation → past result.)
After the football match we went to the café.
After the football match, we went to the café.
(Inserted a comma after the introductory phrase.)
Its a beautiful day for a picnic.
It’s a beautiful day for a picnic.
(“It’s” is a contraction of “it is”; “its” without an apostrophe shows possession.)
“Can we go to the park she asked?
“Can we go to the park?” she asked.
(Question mark goes inside the quotation marks; lowercase “she” after the closing quotation mark.)
The children's behaviour was very dissapointing.
The children's behaviour was very disappointing.
(Double “p” in “disappointing”)
She said she is going to the library tomorrow, but she didn’t went yesterday.
She said she was going to the library tomorrow, but she didn’t go yesterday.
(Reported speech requires past tense; correct past simple for “go”.)
My brother who lives in Melbourne is visiting next week.
My brother, who lives in Melbourne, is visiting next week.
(Added commas to set off the non-essential clause.)
The teachers lounge was renovated last term.
The teachers’ lounge was renovated last term.
(Plural possessive: the lounge belongs to multiple teachers.)
“I can’t believe it” exclaimed Tom.
“I can’t believe it,” exclaimed Tom.
(Comma inside the quotation marks before the reporting clause.)
We visited the musuem to see the new exibition.
We visited the museum to see the new exhibition.
(Spelling errors in “museum” and “exhibition”.)
If he was more careful, he will not make so many mistakes.
If he were more careful, he would not make so many mistakes.
(Subjunctive “were” for hypothetical condition; “would” for result.)
When I arrived at school this morning I realised that I had forgotten my homework my lunch and my sports uniform.
When I arrived at school this morning, I realised that I had forgotten my homework, my lunch, and my sports uniform.
(Added a comma after the introductory phrase and used the Oxford comma.)
The childrens toys and the babys bottle were left in the teachers lounge.
The children’s toys and the baby’s bottle were left in the teachers’ lounge.
(Irregular plural possessive for “children”, singular possessive for “baby”, and plural possessive for “teachers”.)
“Did you finish your homework” asked the teacher “and your project?”
“Did you finish your homework,” asked the teacher, “and your project?”
(Commas separate the reporting clause from the quoted speech.)
The enviroment needs our immediate atention to prevent further damage.
The environment needs our immediate attention to prevent further damage.
(Errors in “environment” and “attention”.)
By the time you arrive, we finished and we are leaving.
By the time you arrive, we will have finished and we will be leaving.
(Future perfect and future continuous for actions relative to a future point.)
The students who had completed their assignments early were allowed to leave class however those who hadn't finished had to stay behind.
The students who had completed their assignments early were allowed to leave class; however, those who hadn't finished had to stay behind.
(Replaced the comma before “however” with a semicolon for correct punctuation.)
James book and his parents car were parked outside the neighbours house.
James’* book and his parents’ car were parked outside the neighbours’ house.
(Singular possessive for “James”, plural possessive for “parents”, and plural possessive for “neighbours”.)
NOTE: James's is also correct in academic English.
“I read the article titled Climate Change and You yesterday” said Mia.
“I read the article titled Climate Change and You yesterday,” said Mia.
(Comma before the reporting clause; italics for the article title inside quotation marks.)
The committee reached a concensus after a long arguement.
The committee reached a consensus after a long argument.
(Errors in “consensus” and “argument”.)
If they would have known about the meeting, they attend it last week.
If they had known about the meeting, they would have attended it last week.
(Third conditional: past hypothetical → past result.)
Although the weather was terrible on Saturday morning which disappointed many families the school fête continued as planned and despite the rain it was a great success.
Although the weather was terrible on Saturday morning, which disappointed many families, the school fête continued as planned, and despite the rain, it was a great success.
(Added commas to separate clauses and improve readability.)
The cats tails and the dogs collars were tangled after the families pets played together.
The cats’ tails and the dogs’ collars were tangled after the families’ pets played together.
(Plural possessive for “cats”, plural possessive for “dogs”, and plural possessive for “families”.)
“Have you read the poem The Road Not Taken” asked Mr Brown “it’s one of my favourites.”
“Have you read the poem The Road Not Taken?” asked Mr Brown. “It’s one of my favourites.”
(Question mark inside the quotation marks; split into two sentences for clarity; italics for the poem title.)
The students were asked to analize the characters psycological developement throughout the novel.
The students were asked to analyse the character’s psychological development throughout the novel.
(Errors: “analize” → “analyse”, “psycological” → “psychological”, “developement” → “development”.)
I wish I was knowing the answer yesterday so I can help you now.
I wish I had known the answer yesterday so I could help you now.
(Past perfect for unreal past; “could” for present hypothetical ability.)