All English-speakers need to know how to write and speak standard English.

The standard English book All English-speakers need to know how to write and speak standard English. Sue Palmer

Standard English is the form of English used in: almost all written texts * speech in formal situations. * All English-speakers need to know how to write and speak standard English.

Some types of non-standard English slang dialect Most people use some non-standard forms in daily life. In some social situations they are more appropriate than Standard English. • usually relates to • an age-group • special words and • phrases used to • show membership • of the group • exclude and • mystify others may be regional or ethnic has its own grammatical rules has its own dialect words jargon • usually relates to • an occupation • special words and • phrases used to • express technical • know-how • show membership • of group • exclude and • mystify others other non-standard forms that started as dialect or slang but became widespread considered to be incorrect or ‘uneducated’ use of English Non-standard English may involve non- standard vocabulary see pages 4 – 10. It may also include non-standard grammar see page 11.

The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in terms of NUMBER and PERSON. non-standard standard regular verbs, present tense NUMBER NUMBER the verb ‘be’, present tense singular plural singular plural we are 1st I work we work I am 1st you are you are you work you work PERSON 2nd 2nd PERSON he she it he she it they are they work 3rd is 3rd work s I works hard. You has won. They is sad. I were going. We was there. The class work hard. I work hard. You have won. They are sad. I was going. We were there. The class works hard. the verb ‘have’, present tense NUMBER NUMBER the verb ‘be’, past tense singular plural singular plural I have we have we were 1st 1st I was Collective nouns are singular. you have you have you were you were PERSON 2nd 2nd PERSON he she it he she it they have they were 3rd 3rd has was More about agreement

non-standard standard or or or Watch out for past tense irregular s Regular past tenses just add ed ed work I seen you. She done it. It’sbroke. It come yesterday. I saw you. She did it. It broke. It came yesterday. I have seen you. She has done it. It’sbroken. have has worked past ‘perfect’ past ‘perfect’ have has have has been told be was/were tell told have has have has see saw break broke seen broken have has have has do did come came done come have has have has go went take took taken gone

Double negatives are not standard English non-standard standard You don’t know nothing. She never saw nobody. I’m not helping no more. I ain’t got none. You’re not going nowhere. They ain’t never happy. any You don’t know anything. You know nothing. She didn’t see anybody. She saw nobody. I’m not helping any more. I’m helping no longer. I haven’t (got) any. I have (got) none. You aren’t going anywhere. You’re going nowhere. They aren’t ever happy. They’re never happy. any any I haven’t any. any I have none. any

non-standard standard See The Complex Sentence Book. subject self object owner Pronouns have different forms depending on the jobs they are doing in the sentence. Singular Plural he she it subject I subject we you you they him her it object me object us you you them his her its owner my owner our your your their himself herself itself ‘self’ ‘self’ myself ourselves yourself yourselves themselves For relative pronouns see The Complex Sentence Book. Dad and me went home. Dad and Iwent home. They asked James and I. They asked James and me. We lost us books. We lost our books. ‘pointing pronouns’ this/these that/those He did it his self. He did it himself. Give me them books. Give me those books.

standard non-standard adjectives adverbs Adjectives should not be used as adverbs Adjectives should not be used as adverbs (to answer the question ‘how?’ s or ‘to what degree?’ ) She sang beautifully. He did it properly. I played well. It was really shiny. She sang beautiful. He did it proper. I played good. It was real shiny.

This differs from American Standard English: different than Certain prepositions are expected in standard English phrases, e.g. prepositions to agree to (something) agree with (somebody) comment on (something) disagree with different from divide among (many) divide between (two) grateful to (someone) grateful for (something) similar to opposite to among between with on to for with from to to

There are many other conventions associated with written standard English, e.g. When listing people, it is considered polite to put yourself last. Try not to end a sentence with a preposition. She’s worth listening to. It’s worth listening to her. to Me and Tom went home. Tom and I went home. In expressions of condition or possibility, ‘were’ is used instead of ‘was’. The word ‘got’ is best avoided. It got hotter. I got there. It grew hotter. I arrived. If I was you … If I were you …

Some types of vocabulary non-standard English The short-hand form of words used in text- messaging is a type of written slang, e.g. u r gr8 dialect words slang words jam butty (Northern England) jam sarnie (Southern England) jeely piece (Scotland) e.g. e.g. expressions of approval: cool, rad, fab, wicked jargon words a shout (fire fighters) a wrap (film-makers) masthead (newspaper workers) e.g. colloquial words words which began as slang, jargon or dialect but are now widespread in speech, e.g. brilliant, OK, fantastic Some non-vocabulary (especially colloquialisms) May be used in informal Standard English.

Written standard English varies, depending upon the level of formality. informal formal Standard English grammar used at all times (more like spoken language) • simple vocabulary • (sometimes quite colloquial) • use of shortened forms, • e.g. can’t, should’ve • many simple and compound • sentences • use of ‘informal’ • punctuation marks • (dashes, brackets) • informal sentence • connectives • formal vocabulary • (often multisyllabic words) • no shortened forms, • e.g. cannot, should have • many complex sentences • use of ‘formal’ • punctuation marks • (colon, semi-colon) • formal sentence • connectives (see The Complex Sentence Book) (See next page)

informal Formal Sentence Connectives In informal writing are often used to start a sentence But Or So and but so or And Also Furthermore Moreover However On the other hand Therefore Consequently Alternatively On the other hand

Pronunciation Standard English may be spoken in any accent. However, accent is not the same as careless pronunciation. Speech should be clear enough for all listeners to hear and understand.

Skeleton Poster Books for GRAMMAR The End End Show

All English-speakers need to know how to write and speak standard English.