I'd like some eggs, chicken, milk, cheese and a bottle of water.

Apostrophe

We use an apostrophe (')...

• in short forms: I'm, haven't, can't

• to show possession: Give me John's ticket.

Can you prepare the dog's dinner, please?

Speech marks

We use speech marks ('') around the words a person says:

The doctor said, 'You have to do more exercise.'

Question mark

We use a question mark (?) at the end of a question: Do you like coffee? Where is she sitting?

Exclamation mark

We use an exclamation mark (!) at the end of a sentence to show that something is surprising, or exciting, or interesting: Geoff gave me a new bike for Christmas! We're going to India in the summer!

2 Spelling

It is not always easy to work out English spelling from the pronunciation (see Pronunciation Bank, page 147), but there are some helpful rules.

Noun plurals/Present Simple with he/she/it

These rules are the same for noun plurals and the

Present Simple, third person:

words that end •ch, -s. -sh, -x and z - add -es:

Watch watches, address addresses

most words that end -f- remove -f and add ves:

scarf -> scarves, wife -> wives

words that end consonant + -/-remove -y and add -ies:

diary -> diaries, marry -> marries

Note: words that end vowel + -y are regular:

day days, play -> plays

Past tense endings

These rules are for the -ed endings in the Past Simple:

verbs that end in e - add -d:

live lived, change -> changed

verbs that end in consonant + -y- remove -y and add -ied:

study studied, carry -> carried

Note: verbs that end in vowel + -y- add -ed:

stay -> stayed

verbs of one syllable that end in one vowel + consonant

- repeat the consonant and add -ed: plan planned, jog -> jogged

Present Continuous endings

Some of the rules for the Present Continuous endings

are the same as the rules for the past tense endings:

verbs that end in e - remove -e and add -ing:

live -> living, change changing

verbs of one syllable that end in one vowel + consonant

- repeat the consonant and add -ing: plan -> planning, jog -> jogging

3 Linking words

In English, we don't write lots of very short sentences. We use linking words to join parts of sentences. Here are some common linking words.

• and - to link two affirmative sentences: I got up early and I had breakfast.

• but - to link two sentences that are different, or when the second is surprising:

I got up early but I was late for work.

• or- to link two choices:

We can go to the museum or (we can go) to the park.

• after, before, when - to link two sentences and show how the times in the sentences are related:

I spoke to my manager after he arrived at the office. I always drink coffee when I'm tired.

• because - to give a reason for an action.

I arrived late at the office because I got up late.