Golden Rules
Here are 10 Golden Rules you must try and follow when writing in English:
1) Accords sujet-verbe et déterminant-nom.
Ex:
- "-s" à la troisième personne du singulier, au présent simple.
- this & that + N sing / these & those + N pluriel
2) Aux Modal + BV (jamais 2 auxiliaires modaux à la suite / ils sont invariables
→ PAS les formes suivantes : to / -ed / -ing...)
3) HAVE = conjuguer ce verbe en respectant les structures de conjugaison HABITUELLES:
Ex:
I have (got) my book. Do you have your book?
- No, I do not have mine.
4) VB + COD : NE PAS LES SEPARER !
Ex: I really like chocolate!
5) to go + to (+ lieu)
Ex: I went to London during my holiday!
MAIS : to go shopping/bowling/walking/swimming... + to go home / to go AND +BV
6) ADJECTIFS: invariables (= ne prennent JAMAIS la marque du pluriel) / placés avant le nom
+ NTACOMF : These are my two (Nombre), beautiful*, big (Taille), new (Age), black (Couleur), Italian (Origine), leather (Matière), walking (Fonction) boots (= le nom).
* les adj. d'appréciation subjective viennent avant les autres (mais après le nombre)
7) To tell SO something :
a) He told me to listen carefully. (to tell SO TO BV = dire à qlq'un de faire qlq chose = donner une consigne, un ordre)
b) She tells her boyfriend that she loves him. (to tell SO STHG = dire)
c) I want to tell my friends about the dream I had last night. (to tell SO about STHG = raconter)
(Avec TO SAY, en revanche, il n'est pas obligatoire de préciser l'interlocuteur.
Ex : She said "Hello". / She said "Hello" to her sister.)
8) WOULD LIKE / TO WANT - constructions lexicales :
a) to want (SO*) + to + BV
b) would like (SO*) + to + BV
Ex: I want them* to listen. I want to go home. I would like her* to help me. I would like to win a lot of money!
* Si le complément (SO) est un pronom personnel, c'est un pronom personnel complément (sujet).
9) After = préposition → + N / + Gerund (= BVing) / + clause (= proposition)
Ex:
After dinner, they went out. (= After + N)
After having dinner, they went out. (= After + Gerund)
After they had had dinner, they went out. (= After + clause)
Puis,/Ensuite,/Après, = Then,/Afterwards, ...
Ex: They had dinner. Then, / Afterwards, they went out.
10) And / But / So:
A EVITER en début de phrases.
UTILISER PLUTÔT :
→ Synonymes de "And": Furthermore, Moreover, What's more, ...
→ Synonymes de "But": However, / And yet, / Nevertheless, / Nonetheless, ...
→ Synonymes de "So": Therefore, / Consequently, / That's why_ / As a result, ...
["BV" = abbréviation de Base Verb / "SO" = abbr. de "someone" / "STHG" = abbr. de "something" / "N" = abbr. de "noun"]
1) Accords sujet-verbe et déterminant-nom.
Ex:
- "-s" à la troisième personne du singulier, au présent simple.
- this & that + N sing / these & those + N pluriel
2) Aux Modal + BV (jamais 2 auxiliaires modaux à la suite / ils sont invariables
→ PAS les formes suivantes : to / -ed / -ing...)
3) HAVE = conjuguer ce verbe en respectant les structures de conjugaison HABITUELLES:
Ex:
I have (got) my book. Do you have your book?
- No, I do not have mine.
4) VB + COD : NE PAS LES SEPARER !
Ex: I really like chocolate!
5) to go + to (+ lieu)
Ex: I went to London during my holiday!
MAIS : to go shopping/bowling/walking/swimming... + to go home / to go AND +BV
6) ADJECTIFS: invariables (= ne prennent JAMAIS la marque du pluriel) / placés avant le nom
+ NTACOMF : These are my two (Nombre), beautiful*, big (Taille), new (Age), black (Couleur), Italian (Origine), leather (Matière), walking (Fonction) boots (= le nom).
* les adj. d'appréciation subjective viennent avant les autres (mais après le nombre)
7) To tell SO something :
a) He told me to listen carefully. (to tell SO TO BV = dire à qlq'un de faire qlq chose = donner une consigne, un ordre)
b) She tells her boyfriend that she loves him. (to tell SO STHG = dire)
c) I want to tell my friends about the dream I had last night. (to tell SO about STHG = raconter)
(Avec TO SAY, en revanche, il n'est pas obligatoire de préciser l'interlocuteur.
Ex : She said "Hello". / She said "Hello" to her sister.)
8) WOULD LIKE / TO WANT - constructions lexicales :
a) to want (SO*) + to + BV
b) would like (SO*) + to + BV
Ex: I want them* to listen. I want to go home. I would like her* to help me. I would like to win a lot of money!
* Si le complément (SO) est un pronom personnel, c'est un pronom personnel complément (sujet).
9) After = préposition → + N / + Gerund (= BVing) / + clause (= proposition)
Ex:
After dinner, they went out. (= After + N)
After having dinner, they went out. (= After + Gerund)
After they had had dinner, they went out. (= After + clause)
Puis,/Ensuite,/Après, = Then,/Afterwards, ...
Ex: They had dinner. Then, / Afterwards, they went out.
10) And / But / So:
A EVITER en début de phrases.
UTILISER PLUTÔT :
→ Synonymes de "And": Furthermore, Moreover, What's more, ...
→ Synonymes de "But": However, / And yet, / Nevertheless, / Nonetheless, ...
→ Synonymes de "So": Therefore, / Consequently, / That's why_ / As a result, ...
["BV" = abbréviation de Base Verb / "SO" = abbr. de "someone" / "STHG" = abbr. de "something" / "N" = abbr. de "noun"]
PRACTICE with the following text. There are 16 mistakes. You need to know your Golden Rules in order to correct them.
Yesterday, I went quickly to class because I had to listen to the lesson
interesting of the old and funny teacher. After, I went the cafeteria because my
mother wanted that I eat. But, I was too late, so I had not the time to eat. I told to
the teacher of mathematics that I was hungry, but the teacher was angry and tired,
and he said this words : « I would that you sit down, now. » I gave him quietly my
homework and sat down in the back of the class, next to my best friend. I have a
desk yellow, small, wooden, plastic and pretty. In fact, the classroom look very
beautiful.
When I arrived at home in the afternoon, I went immediately to bed.
Tomorrow, I will can get up early. Indeed, I must to sleep a lot in order to be on top
form !
Yesterday, I went quickly to class because I had to listen to the lesson
interesting of the old and funny teacher. After, I went the cafeteria because my
mother wanted that I eat. But, I was too late, so I had not the time to eat. I told to
the teacher of mathematics that I was hungry, but the teacher was angry and tired,
and he said this words : « I would that you sit down, now. » I gave him quietly my
homework and sat down in the back of the class, next to my best friend. I have a
desk yellow, small, wooden, plastic and pretty. In fact, the classroom look very
beautiful.
When I arrived at home in the afternoon, I went immediately to bed.
Tomorrow, I will can get up early. Indeed, I must to sleep a lot in order to be on top
form !