The English teachers voice

Many years ago when I went to school, the use of contractions was frowned upon, and for many teachers, a punishable offense. They were never taught in my school system during primary school and only reluctantly introduced towards the end of secondary school as a way to recognize the informal nature in which language was changing.  If we used them in our writing activities, we would lose points and if we spoke them out loud, then we were immediately corrected and told to "Speak Correctly". Even today as an English teacher, I do not accept them as part of writing although I do accept them in speaking.  But what are contractions and why are they such an important part of the English language. Contractions are shortened words that use an apostrophe to combine two words into one. You hear contractions in conversation and see them in writing. Understanding the proper use of contractions can help you to achieve a high level of proficiency in the English language. How to Write a Cont...

  Homophones are pairs of words that sound the same but have distinctly different meanings and different spellings. Understanding homophones is an essential part of mastering the English language, both for vocabulary building and spelling. Homophones are often confused with homographs and homonyms. These terms are similar, but there are some important differences to consider. Homographs are words that are spelled the same, but have different meanings and are not necessarily pronounced the same. One example is the word bow, which has several meanings pronounced two different ways, such as a weapon for shooting arrows or to bend at the waist. Homonyms are words with the same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings, which means they are simultaneously homographs and homophones. Take for example the word band, meaning a group or a ring. Some common examples of homophones, including the words used in a sentence, are: brake/break : When teaching my daughter how to dr...

  It’s important to know how to use the verb  to have  correctly. Present Tense Uses of Have and Has Both words are present tense forms of the verb  to have . The past-tense form is  had , and the present progressive tense (or continuous tense) is  having . The correct verb conjugation depends on the sentence’s point of view. First-person, second-person, and plural third-person conjugations that use the pronouns  I ,  you ,  we , and  they  require the writer to use  have .   The same rule applies when a noun or name replaces the pronoun. Indicating Possession One meaning of  to have  is “to possess or hold something.” There are several ways to use  have  and  has  to indicate that a person or noun is in possession of something. Some examples include: You  have  spinach in your teeth. (Second person) I  have  spaghetti and meatballs ready for d...