GCSE-ready- Home
- Lessons
- GCSE & IGCSE English Language
- Grammar for accurate writing
Grammar for accurate writing
Accurate grammar makes your writing clear and earns technical accuracy marks (AO6 in the GCSE, AO5 in the International GCSE). These are common errors to avoid.
Agreement and tense
Subject-verb agreement: 'The group of students is...' (one group). 'The students are...'
Consistent tense: if your story is in the past tense, keep it there unless you deliberately move in time.
Standard English: 'we were', not 'we was'; 'I did it', not 'I done it'.
Consistent tense: if your story is in the past tense, keep it there unless you deliberately move in time.
Standard English: 'we were', not 'we was'; 'I did it', not 'I done it'.
Apostrophes
Omission: do not = don't, it is = it's.
Possession: the girl's bag (one girl); the girls' bags (more than one girl); the children's toys (irregular plural).
Never use an apostrophe just to make a plural: 'apples', not 'apple's'.
Possession: the girl's bag (one girl); the girls' bags (more than one girl); the children's toys (irregular plural).
Never use an apostrophe just to make a plural: 'apples', not 'apple's'.
Sentence control
Avoid comma splices (two main clauses joined only by a comma).
Avoid fragments unless used on purpose for effect.
Use a range of openings: a verb ('Gripping the rail, ...'), an adverb ('Slowly, ...'), a preposition ('Beneath the bridge, ...').
Avoid fragments unless used on purpose for effect.
Use a range of openings: a verb ('Gripping the rail, ...'), an adverb ('Slowly, ...'), a preposition ('Beneath the bridge, ...').
Correct: 'Me and him was walking to school when we seen the accident.'
- 'Me and him' as the subject becomes 'He and I'.
- 'was' becomes 'were' (plural subject).
- 'seen' becomes 'saw' (past tense).
Answer: He and I were walking to school when we saw the accident.
Make subjects and verbs agree, keep tenses consistent, use Standard English, place apostrophes correctly and control sentence boundaries.
Check you have got it
Answer 6 quick questions with instant marking. If you get one wrong, GCSE-ready shows you why and gives you another go. It is free, and you do not need an account.