Word Crimes

Before you read on, listen to the song 'Word Crime' by the American musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. This song spoofs misuse of proper English grammar and usage, and might get you in the right grammar mood.

Link to YouTube video: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Word Crimes

1) Concord: subject-verb agreement

Concord is the agreement that must occur between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The subject of a sentence (S) is the person, place, thing, or idea that is performing the action, and the verb (V) describes the action taking place.

It is usually third person singular subjects in the present tense that causes problems for Norwegian students. The subject and the verb must always agree in person and number. This means that we would say 'John writes', but 'John and Anne write' without the -s. We also have to pay attention to the verb 'be' which has three forms in the present tense (am, are, and is) and two forms in the past tense (was and were).

Even though the rule is fairly simple, it can often be tricky for second language learners to get it right. Make it a habit to always check your text for concord mistakes before you hand it in.

You can read more about subject-verb agreement here: Link to NDLA resource 'Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)'

2) Apostrophes: contracted forms or possessive forms.

Apostrophes can also be problematic because they have several functions: They can either signal a contracted form of two words or a possessive form of a word.

A contracted form or contraction refers to words that have been created by combining two words, omitting some letters and replacing them with an apostrophe. Common contracted words are can't (can not) and don't (do not).

The possessive form or the genitive form usually expresses ownership. However, it can also be used in many other instances, for example to refer to measurement, periods of time, relationships, physical features or a 'type' of something.

You can read more about apostrophes and contracted forms here:
Link to EF article: The apostrophe

3) Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Understanding homophones is therefore an important part of mastering the English language.

You can read more about homophones here: Link to NDLA resource 'Commonly Confused Words'.

4) False friends

The term false friends is in a grammar context used to describe pairs of words in two languages that look or sound the same, but have different meanings. Such confusions might be difficult to single out for second language learners, but very easy to spot for native speakers.

False friends are in direct contrast to transparent words, which is a lot simpler for Norwegian students. Transparent words can be 'calendar, and 'kalender', 'popular' and 'populær', 'shock' and 'sjokk'.

You can read more about false friends here: Link to NDLA resource 'False Friends'.

5) Articles

An article is used to modify a noun to show whether it is specific or general. English has two articles: 'the' and 'a'/'an'.

The indefinite article: a/an

The indefinite article a/an is used to refer to a person or thing that is not identified or specified. We use a in front of consonant sounds and an in front of vowel sounds.

The definite article: the

The is the definite article, and we put the in front of a noun to refer to people or things that are specific or that we assume others know about and can identify. We use it in front of singular or plural nouns, some geographical areas, newspapers, hotels, and restaurants, to name a few.

However, we do not use the in front of abstract words of general meaning, institutions, meals or weekdays.

You can read more about the definite article 'the' here: Link to NDLA resource 'The Definite Article (the)'

6) Misspellings or incorrect word usage

Misspelling a word or using the wrong word are also common grammar mistakes. Spelling can seem like such a minor thing, but it can sometimes change the meaning of a sentence. Also, a text with many misspellings can often be cumbersome to read, so if you want to convey your message in a clear and concise way, you should avoid spelling mistakes.

Sometimes we misspell a word because we confuse it with another word (example 1-3). Other times, we might misspell a word because there are too many letters that you don't hear or because they are pronounced differently in other words (example 4-7). English spelling is not easy!

If you would like to practise your spelling, you could study this list of the most common English misspellings.

List from Lexico: The most common English misspellings

7) The difference between 'good' and 'well'

In the English language, it is quite common – even for native speakers – to confuse the words 'good' and 'well'.

The rule of thumb is that 'good' is an adjective and will modify (describe) nouns, while 'well' is an adverb and will modify verbs.

Here are a few examples:

Exceptions to the adjective/adverb rule:

When using linking verbs that refer to our senses (appear, taste, sound, smell, look, feel, seem), you should use 'good'. For example:

• You smell good today.

• That slice of chocolate cake looks so good.

When using linking verbs that describe health (be, feel, look), you should use 'well'. For example:

• I am not feeling well.

• She didn't look well last night and missed work today.

When describing someone's emotional state, use the word 'good'. For example:

• He didn't feel good because he had cheated on the exam.

• She feels good about her decision.

So, how should you answer the question "How are you"? If you think someone is asking about your physical well-being, the answer should be “I am well” (or "I am not well"). If someone is asking about your emotional state, you should answer “I feel good”.