Here are some useful bits and pieces that will help you with getting your English perfect.

Capitalisation

There is a tendency amongst some authors to over-capitalise. When in doubt whether one should capitalise a word Google will give you the answer almost every time.

Rule 1: Generally it is not necessary to capitalise a word unless it is the first word in a sentence or is being used to name something or someone or a place name or a military title etc.

Example 1: The generals made speeches (‘generals’ should not be capitalised).

Example 2 : It is clear that General MCallister knows how to conduct warfare (Here you use capitals because General MCallister is being used as a name).

Rule 2: Terms of endearment such as darling, sweety, love etc. should not be capitalised unless they are being used to address someone or refer to someone by name.

Example 1: ‘Please remember Sweety, to take out the garbage’ ( Here ‘Sweety’ is being used as a name and must be capitalised.

Example 2: I told my darling wife not to be so anxious. Here no capitals are used because his wife is not being referred to by name.

Its or it’s

‘It’s’ (with an apostrophe) is only used when it is used as a short form for the verb ‘it is’. (It shows that the i is missing) from the phrase ‘it is’)

In all other cases ‘its’ is used without the apostrophe.

Long Rambling paragraphs

It’s very tiring and also boring for a reader to have to wade through long paragraphs of fifteen lines or more, without a line break. When this happens, the reader will lose interest and stop reading.

Missing Words, particularly definite or indefinite articles.

Also, what is quite annoying for the reader is when words are left out because the author assumes that the reader will know what the missing words are.

Example 1: It is quite a problem when people, particularly children, leave their possessions lying around people to trip over. (Here the word ‘for’ has been left out between ‘around’ and ‘people’.

Example 2: I don’t need to wear jacket because it is warm today. ( the definite article ‘the’ has been left out.

I hope these tips have been useful.

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