Accuracy in Written English
Accuracy marks depend on grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence construction. Examines look for controlled sentence boundaries, correct verb forms and punctuation that guides meaning rather than decorating it.
Core rules
- Sentence boundaries: avoid comma splices and run-ons; join clauses with a conjunction, semicolon or full stop.
- Agreement: make the verb agree with its subject, not with a nearby plural noun.
- Tense: keep a consistent time frame unless a shift is signalled.
- Pronouns: make sure each pronoun has one clear referent.
- Punctuation: use apostrophes for possession and contraction, commas after introductory clauses, and quotation marks for direct speech.
- Spelling: check common homophones such as their/there, its/it's, affect/effect.
Worked example
Incorrect: 'The team of players were ready, they had practised for weeks.' Correct: 'The team of players was ready; they had practised for weeks.' Reasoning: the subject is 'team', a singular collective noun, so the verb is 'was'. The comma splice is repaired with a semicolon because the two clauses are closely related. 'They' then refers to the players.
Traps that cost marks
- Joining two complete sentences with only a comma.
- Writing 'it's' when 'its' is needed.
- Mixing past and present tense in a narrative.
- Using a plural verb after 'each', 'everyone' or 'the number of'.
- Forgetting the comma after an introductory phrase such as 'After the match'.