Writing properly in English

[Hisuwashi]

I loathe you... this is my topic!! (J/k)

Anyways I have a gripe about this bit:

I'm going to Charles's house.
The women's bathroom is down the hall.
The games' graphics were amazing!

Bad examples:
Jesus' cross was heavy.

It's unnecessary to include the s after the apostrophe when the word ends in s so therefore I have corrected as appropriate:

I'm going to Charles' house.
The womens' bathroom is down the hall. Note here that "woman" is plural and so the apostrophe should be after the "s".
The game's graphics were amazing!

Actually this is a correct example:
Jesus' cross was heavy.

Might be a couple other errors but I haven't checked the whole thing... well good job then anyway.

Yeah... so... Cleveland eh? Sounds rather like Clevedon...

 

[Anaryu]

You might want to add the concept of an ellipsis as well, it's common to see people ending sentences with an unncessary flood of periods.

 

[Exodus]

Good point Anaryu. I often find myself overusing that little addictive three period ending. In fact, I think most of us tend to use it way too much. Overall I'd have to say good job on the topic. Although my english is below acceptable at times, you've reminded me to speak less like an uneducated barbarian! lol

 

[Cleveland Rock]

Still, any writer should know the rules before they deliberately break them.

Precisely. If you want a character who talks like an uneducated person, that's perfectly realistic; it's just a pet peeve of mine when someone writes as if they actually ARE an uneducated person.

It's unnecessary to include the s after the apostrophe when the word ends in s so therefore I have corrected as appropriate:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's only for plural words ending in "S." 'Tis a pet peeve of mine.

Yeah... so... Cleveland eh? Sounds rather like Clevedon...

What the heck is a Clevedon? I'm just called Cleveland Rock because "Rock" is my nickname and I'm from Cleveland, OH.

You might want to add the concept of an ellipsis as well, it's common to see people ending sentences with an unncessary flood of periods.

Good point Anaryu. I often find myself overusing that little addictive three period ending. In fact, I think most of us tend to use it way too much. Overall I'd have to say good job on the topic. Although my english is below acceptable at times, you've reminded me to speak less like an uneducated barbarian! lol

Wow! I didn't know other people actually used that. I frequently use the ellipsis; I don't on this forum, though, because my browser acts up whenever I type Alt + 0133 and I'm too lazy to copy and paste the little bugger.

Still, your post was a good one. Someone should sticky this.

I'm making this a sticky with my mind.

 

[Hisuwashi]

What the heck is a Clevedon? I'm just called Cleveland Rock because "Rock" is my nickname and I'm from Cleveland, OH.

Yes, I can see you're from Cleveland because I looked at the part under your name which says "Location". So try looking at my location... and it would be acceptable to say either "I'm going to Charles' house" or "I'm going to Charles's house" but using the former saves the effort of typing an extra s...

 

[David]

As far as I know, nobody uses "whom" anymore, but I certainly agree with the rest.

The games' graphics were amazing!

The game's graphics were amazing!

Actually either of those could be right, depending on how many games you're referring to...

 

[Cleveland Rock]

Yes, I can see you're from Cleveland because I looked at the part under your name which says "Location". So try looking at my location... and it would be acceptable to say either "I'm going to Charles' house" or "I'm going to Charles's house" but using the former saves the effort of typing an extra s...

Ah, sorry. I didn't see that.

Anyway, as I said earlier, it's a tutorial on proper English; not acceptable English.

As far as I know, nobody uses "whom" anymore, but I certainly agree with the rest.

Actually either of those could be right, depending on how many games you're referring to...

Very true. Maybe I should have come up with a better example there. Hmmmm…

 

[Kest]

Ah, but my college English book begs to differ.

"It's" Can be used the same way you would add "'s" to your name or to an object's name to denote possession.

http://www.angryflower.com/itsits.gif

 

[Twin Matrix]

Since when does "Jesus's cross was heavy." sound right? >_>

 

[darkiewonder]

hah Myono. Or one could interpret the "...in English" to be the proper English in reference to the England way of writing.

 

[FoxDemonSoavi]

Just a comment. Sometimes three periods are used to denote an abnormaly long pause. What do you think of that tactic?

 

[darkiewonder]

As long as it's not used every other sentence. I think it should be fine.

But learning to use ellipsis would actually help when and where it should be placed would be most appropriate

Say for instance. You read a narration from the main character, he/she pauses with "...", then transitions to another scene, then that would be fine.

But if it's like "I stood atop a cliff... Visioning the skies would not be as dark as night can get... Only time... will tell... if she will ever return"

But then again, that's just an exaggeration

 

[FoxDemonSoavi]

Hows this rendition of that?

"I stood atop a cliff..." pesron 1
"Why were you standing on top of a cliff?" person 2
"I was envisioning the skies would be as dark as night can get..." person 1
*long pause as person 1 looked away wistfully*
"Only time will tell..."
*a pained expression gave over his face as person 1 finally had the strength to finish*
"If she will ever return."

 

[darkiewonder]

WELL if another person was to be added, then it would look llike that.

I like this idea here. (haha. It could be based off real life event(s))

[Person 1]: "Soo..."
[Person 2]: "Yeah..."
[Person 1]: "If we were to be with each other I think we'll have to plan it out before moving in together"
[Person 2]: "Hmmm...."
[Person 1]: "What's the matter...?"
[Person 2]: *Sighs* "Nothing..."

 

[FoxDemonSoavi]

I do not think thats a over use of the tripple period. I find it shows a pause better than a comma. You can sort of get the feel of how awkward the conversation is.
now if it was

Person 1 "So................"
PErson 2 "Yeah............."
PErson 1 "If we... were to be... with..."

Stuff like that I think is in poor taste.

 

[darkiewonder]

Yes.
Extra periods where it doesnt belong just to draw out a longer pause is uncalled for.

Some people just need to realize their finger is still stuck on the period key still.

Also. Showing emphasis on words bring out a point is somewhat difficult for certain writers.

I sometimes see writers tend to emphasise words that shouldn't be emphasised. Because if they read it aloud, it would sound real awkward. If they were to give emphasis or a word, it should at least be a keyword.

 

[FoxDemonSoavi]

Which is why it is best to read dialouge out loud to oneself once or twice to check if it is coming across right. Every writer should do that.

 

[Ellie]

Something you have to remember is that when talking, people do not use proper English. E.g:

"Despain's really weird, don't you think?" Said Ted to Alice one day.

Suddenly, Despain walked around the corner.

"I ain't no weird foo'!" He shouted in anger. "I is just angry at foo's like ya'selves who is like proper un-bad-ass, innit?"

Ted suddenly threw Alice with supreme accuracy straight at Despain; Despain merely laughed and threw Alice back. Alice impaled Ted through the stomach, and that was the last time Ted Luxembourgbrain ever pissed off Despain.

 

[darkiewonder]

Which is a shame too. Can't change how people talk but that would be interesting to see nevertheles.

But Wyatt, what you wrote, was too funny lol

When I write. I find myself writing too proper and that really doesn't help if I want to develop different characters with his or own attitude and speech.

 

[PsychoPenguin]

EDIT: nevermind >_> forgot to check how many pages the topic had.