How is language used differently in different situations?

1
Understanding Usage
How is language used differently in different
situations? Standard and nonstandard
English Words confused or misused Words with
similar sounds Words with related meanings Formal
and informal English Review A Review B
2
How is language used differently in different
situations?
People dont speak and write the exact same way
all the time.
You probably speak to your friends in a different
way than you speak to your teachers.
Your e-mails probably dont look anything like
your school essays.
3
How is language used differently in different
situations?
The way you use English will usually depend upon
your audience and your purpose.
Audience To whom are you speaking or writing?
Purpose Why are you speaking or writing?
4
Standard and nonstandard English
The kind of English you are expected to use in
school is called standard English.

• Standard English is
• grammatically correct
• used in both formal and casual situations

5
Standard and nonstandard English
Nonstandard English is suitable in casual
speaking situations.
Nonstandard does not mean wrong. It means not
appropriate in situations where standard English
is expected, such as at school.
End of Section
6
Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Learning standard English means learning to use
words that are often confused or misused. This
can be hard because there are many words that
sound alike but mean different things.

?
or
Its
Its
?
or
or
Theyre
Their
There
?
Whose
Whos
or
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Its/its
Its is the possessive form of the pronoun it.
The raccoon washed its face.

Its is the contraction of it is or it has.
Its a cloudy day.
its it is
Its been a good trip.
its it has
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Its/its
My cousin has a pet bird. Its a parrot, and its
name is Bella.
9
Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
The possessive forms of pronouns never have
apostrophes, even when the form ends in s.
Grammar Gal Says...
hers Is the silver ring hers?
yours No, I think it is yours.
ours It could be ours.
theirs Has theirs been found?
its The kitten likes its toy.
10
Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Their/there/theyre
Their is the possessive form of they.
The children happily flew their kite.

There is used to mean at that place or to
begin a sentence.
We are going there soon.
at that place
There are five theaters in town.
begins sentence
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Their/there/theyre
Theyre is a contraction of they are.

Theyre the two best players on our team.
12
Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Their/there/theyre
Theyre going to start their garden over there.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Your/youre
Your is the possessive form of you.
Your Fourth of July picnic was great!

Youre is a contraction of you are.
Youre a good friend.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Youre/your

If youre planning to walk home, bring your boots.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Whose/whos
Whose is the possessive form of who.
Whose backpack is that?
Whos is a contraction of who is or who has.
whos who is
Whos the new student?

whos who has
Whos been using the phone?
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Whose/whos
Whos the woman whose home flooded?
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
Could of/should of
Do not write of after could, should, would,
might, or must.
Write could have, not could of.

Judy could have helped us rake.
Judy could of helped us rake.
Write should have, not should of.
We should of started earlier.
We should have started earlier.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
The reason people sometimes write could of is
that they are thinking about the contraction
couldve.
Grammar Gal Says...
couldve could have
shouldve should have
wouldve would have
mightve might have
mustve must have
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
For each sentence, choose the correct word or
words in parentheses.
1. You (could of/could have) burned yourself.
2. Where is (your/youre) sister?
3. The mug is missing (its/its) handle.
4. (Whose/Whos) going to the parade tomorrow?
5. (Their/There) are two puzzle pieces missing.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
For each sentence, choose the correct word or
words in parentheses.
1. You (could of/could have) burned yourself.
Use have after could, should, would, must, and
might.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
For each sentence, choose the correct word or
words in parentheses.
2. Where is (your/youre) sister?
Your is the possessive form of you Where is the
sister that belongs to you?
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
For each sentence, choose the correct word or
words in parentheses.
3. The mug is missing (its/its) handle.
Its is the possessive form of it The mug is
missing the handle that belongs to it.
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
For each sentence, choose the correct word or
words in parentheses.
4. (Whose/Whos) going to the parade tomorrow?
Whos is the contraction of who is Who is going?
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Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
For each sentence, choose the correct word or
words in parentheses.
5. (Their/There) are two puzzle pieces missing.
There is used to begin a sentence.
25
Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds
On Your Own

• Some of the following sentences contain errors in
  the use of standard English. Find and correct
  each error. If a sentence is already correct,
  label it C.
• Do you think its a good day for your hike?
• Let me know when your ready to go.
• Jamal should of shown up on time.
• Theyre leaving for their vacation tomorrow.
• 5. Whos raincoat is lying there on the floor?

End of Section
26
Words confused or misused Words with similar
sounds

• Some of the following sentences contain errors in
  the use of standard English. Find and correct
  each error. If a sentence is already correct,
  label it C.
• Do you think its a good day for your hike?
• Let me know when your ready to go.
• Jamal should of shown up on time.
• Theyre leaving for their vacation tomorrow.
• 5. Whos raincoat is lying there on the floor?

its
youre
have
C
Whose
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Some pairs of words are confusing because their
meanings are so close to each other.
Bring/take

Bring means to come carrying something.
Please bring the lemonade to me.
Take means to go carrying something.
Take those boxes when you go.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Fewer/less
Fewer is used with plural nouns.
Did you say that fewer plants grow here than
there?
plural noun
Less is used with singular nouns.
Desert plants require less water than most other
plants.
singular noun
Fewer tells how many. Less tells how much.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Use fewer with things that can be counted. Use
less with things that cannot be counted.
Grammar Gal Says...
Yolanda has (fewer/less) pets than Kristi does.
Yolanda has (fewer/less) pets than Kristi does.
Yolanda has fewer pets than Kristi does.
Can you count pets?
Yes
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Good/well
Good is an adjective and modifies a noun. Do not
use good to modify a verb. Use the adverb well.
adj.
Mimi is a good athlete.
noun
adverb
She plays soccer well.
verb
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Good/well
Well is usually an adverb that means ably, but
it is also used as an adjective to mean healthy.
adj.
adverb
Kim feels well now.
Kim danced well today.
Verb
Noun
adjective meaning healthy
adverb meaning ably
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Feel good and feel well have different meanings.
Feel good means to feel happy or pleased. Feel
well means to feel healthy.
Grammar Gal Says...
Helping others makes me feel good.
I didnt feel well, so I went home early.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
For each sentence, choose the correct word in
parentheses, according to standard usage.
1. When you come to my house today, (bring/take)
your skateboard.
2. Heather sang (good/well) at last nights
concert.
3. The craft fair had (fewer/less) booths this
year than it had last year.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
For each sentence, choose the correct word in
parentheses, according to standard usage.
1. When you come to my house today, (bring/take)
your skateboard.
Bring means to come carrying something.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
For each sentence, choose the correct word in
parentheses, according to standard usage.
2. Heather sang (good/well) at last nights
concert.
Well is an adverb that means ably. In this
sentence well modifies the verb sang.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
For each sentence, choose the correct word in
parentheses, according to standard usage.
3. The craft fair had (fewer/less) booths this
year than it had last year.
Fewer should be used with the plural noun booths.
In this sentence fewer tells how many booths were
at the fair.
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Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
On Your Own
Some of the following sentences contain errors in
the use of standard English. Find and correct
each error. If a sentence is already correct,
label it C. 1. Please eat less cookies and more
vegetables. 2. The goalie played good at
yesterdays game. 3. Bring the paper with you
when you go to Grandmas house. 4. Go rest if you
dont feel well.
End of Section
38
Words confused or misused Words with related
meanings
Some of the following sentences contain errors in
the use of standard English. Find and correct
each error. If a sentence is already correct,
label it C. 1. Please eat less cookies and more
vegetables. 2. The goalie played good at
yesterdays game. 3. Bring the paper with you
when you go to Grandmas house. 4. Go rest if you
dont feel well.
fewer
well
Take
C
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Formal and informal English
Formal English is language that is appropriate in
serious speaking and writing situations.
Hello. How are you today?
Informal English is correct language that is
common in everyday communication, such as
speaking or writing to a friend.
Hey. Hows it goin?
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Formal and informal English
Speeches at ceremonies
When is formal English expected?
Serious papers, reports
Tests and exams
Everyday conversations
When is informal English okay?
Personal letters, e-mails
Journal entries
Some newspaper or magazine writing
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Formal and informal English
Formal English
Informal English
How are formal and informal English different?

• Sentences
• Shorter and simpler
• Word choice
• Includes slang and contractions
• Tone
• Conversational, casual

• Sentences
• Longer and more complex
• Word choice
• Precise, sometimes technical or scientific
• Tone
• More serious, dignified

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Formal and informal English
Slang is made up of new words or old words used
in new ways.
Slang words usually have a short life, but some
last and become widely used.
All of these old slang words were once new and
fresh.
chillto relax or calm down
sweetexcellent, great
freak outto get upset
What slang words are popular now?
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Formal and informal English
Many words and phrases that are fine in informal
situations should be avoided in formal
situations.

How come
In formal situations, use why.
How come geese migrate?
Informal
Why do geese migrate?
Formal
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Formal and informal English
Kind of/sort of
In formal situations, use rather or somewhat.
The bread is kind of stale.
Informal

The bread is rather stale.
Formal
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Formal and informal English
Try and
In formal situations, use try to.
Informal

Ill try and answer all your questions.
Formal
Ill try to answer all your questions.
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Formal and informal English
Identify whether the following sentences use
informal (I) or formal (F) language. If the
language is informal, circle the informal word or
phrase.
1. How come the stove isnt working?
2. We should try and finish our homework early.
3. Why is Hector not here yet?
4. I felt sort of sad on the last day of school.
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Formal and informal English
Identify whether the following sentences use
informal (I) or formal (F) language. If the
language is informal, circle the informal word or
phrase.
I
1. How come the stove isnt working?
How come is informal. In formal situations, use
why.
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Formal and informal English
Identify whether the following sentences use
informal (I) or formal (F) language. If the
language is informal, circle the informal word or
phrase.
I
2. We should try and finish our homework early.
Try and is informal. In formal situations, use
try to.
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Formal and informal English
Identify whether the following sentences use
informal (I) or formal (F) language. If the
language is informal, circle the informal word or
phrase.
F
3. Why is Hector not here yet?
Why is formal language.
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Formal and informal English
Identify whether the following sentences use
informal (I) or formal (F) language. If the
language is informal, circle the informal word or
phrase.
I
4. I felt sort of sad on the last day of school.
Sort of is informal. In formal situations, use
rather or somewhat.
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Formal and informal English
On Your Own

• Review each sentence. Change informal English to
  formal English. If the sentence is written with
  formal English, write F.
• The story Jen wrote is kind of funny.
• My dad wants me to try and clean my entire room
  in one afternoon.
• 3. This soup is rather spicy.
• 4. How come you were late for the game?

End of Section
52
Formal and informal English

• Review each sentence. Change informal English to
  formal English. If the sentence is written with
  formal English, write F.
• 1. The story Jen wrote is rather funny.
• The story Jen wrote is somewhat funny.
• My dad wants me to try to clean my entire room in
  one afternoon.
• 3. This soup is rather spicy. F
• 4. Why were you late for the game?

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Review A
For each sentence, choose the correct word in
parentheses, according to formal, standard
usage. 1. Cory danced (good/well) in the school
musical. 2. I borrowed (fewer/less) books from
the library this week than I did last week.
3. At the zoo we watched a snake shed (its/its)
skin. 4. Jaime (should of/should have) talked to
me about the problem. 5. Turn (your/youre) test
in when (your/youre) finished.
End of Section
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Review A
For each sentence, choose the correct word in
parentheses, according to formal, standard
usage. 1. Cory danced (good/well) in the school
musical. 2. I borrowed (fewer/less) books from
the library this week than I did last week.
3. At the zoo we watched a snake shed (its/its)
skin. 4. Jaime (should of/should have) talked to
me about the problem. 5. Turn (your/youre) test
in when (your/youre) finished.
1. Cory danced well in the school musical.
2. I borrowed fewer books from the library this
week than I did last week.
3. At the zoo we watched a snake shed its skin.
4. Jaime should have talked to me about the
problem.
5. Turn your test in when youre finished.
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Review B

• For each sentence, circle any incorrect or
  informal usage. Write C if a sentence is correct
  according to formal, standard usage.
• This orange tastes kind of sour to me.
• Mr. Romero accepted the award and gave a speech.
• Dont forget to take your helmet and knee pads
  with you to the skate park.
• Please try and get here earlier next time.
• Do you know how come there always late for school?

End of Section
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Review B

• For each sentence, circle any incorrect or
  informal usage. Write C if a sentence is correct
  according to formal, standard usage.
• This orange tastes kind of sour to me.
• Mr. Romero accepted the award and gave a speech.
• Dont forget to take your helmet and knee pads
  with you to the skate park.
• Please try and get here earlier next time.
• Do you know how come there always late for school?

C
C
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The End