2.4 Spelling and Punctuation
Master English spelling rules and punctuation for clear, correct writing.
Spelling and Punctuation
Spelling and punctuation may seem like small details, but they have a big impact on how your writing is perceived. Frequent spelling errors and missing punctuation make even good ideas harder to read and can cost you marks on exams.
English spelling is famously irregular — there is no simple set of rules that covers every word. However, there are patterns, and most errors Norwegian students make fall into a handful of predictable categories.
English punctuation also differs from Norwegian in several important ways, especially when it comes to commas and apostrophes.
In this chapter you will learn:
1. The most commonly misspelled words by Norwegian students
2. Key spelling patterns and rules (including British vs. American English)
3. Apostrophe rules (possession and contractions)
4. Comma rules that differ from Norwegian
5. Other punctuation marks and when to use them
These word pairs cause the most spelling errors among Norwegian students. Many look or sound similar but have completely different meanings.
1. Their / There / They're
- their = possession ("their house")
- there = place ("over there") or existence ("there is")
- they're = they are ("they're coming")
2. Its / It's
- its = possession ("The dog wagged its tail.")
- it's = it is / it has ("It's raining.")
3. Your / You're
- your = possession ("your book")
- you're = you are ("you're welcome")
4. To / Too / Two
- to = preposition or infinitive marker ("go to school", "to run")
- too = also, or excessively ("me too", "too expensive")
- two = the number 2
5. Then / Than
- then = time/sequence ("We ate, then we left.")
- than = comparison ("She is taller than me.")
6. Affect / Effect
- affect = verb ("The weather affects my mood.")
- effect = noun ("The effect was dramatic.")
7. Where / Were / We're
- where = place ("Where are you?")
- were = past tense of "be" ("They were happy.")
- we're = we are ("We're leaving now.")
Memory trick for its/it's: If you can replace the word with "it is" or "it has", use it's. If not, use its.
Find and correct the errors in these sentences:
1. "Their going to they're new house over there."
2. "Its important that the dog gets it's food on time."
3. "Your the best friend I've ever had."
4. "She is smarter then her brother."
1. "They're going to their new house over there."
— They're = they are; their = belonging to them; there = that place.
2. "It's important that the dog gets its food on time."
— It's = it is; its = belonging to it (no apostrophe for possession).
3. "You're the best friend I've ever had."
— You're = you are (not "your" which means belonging to you).
4. "She is smarter than her brother."
— "Than" for comparisons; "then" for time/sequence.
Quick test: Always try expanding the contraction:
- "Their going" → "They are going"? No, that does not match the possessive meaning. ✗
- "They're going" → "They are going"? Yes! ✓
Which sentence is spelled correctly?
Choose the correct word for each gap.
"_____ are many students in the class who forgot _____ books." (There/Their/They're)
"I need _____ go ____ the shop. I need bread _____." (to/too/two)
"_____ you sure ____ coming _____ us to the concert?" (your/you're)
The apostrophe ( ' ) is one of the most misused punctuation marks. It has exactly two uses in English:
Use 1: Contractions (shortened forms)
The apostrophe replaces missing letters:
- I am → I'm
- do not → don't
- she will → she'll
- they have → they've
- it is → it's
Use 2: Possession (showing ownership)
- Singular noun: add 's → "the student's book" (the book belonging to one student)
- Plural noun ending in s: add only ' → "the students' books" (the books belonging to several students)
- Plural noun NOT ending in s: add 's → "the children's toys", "the people's choice"
- Names ending in s: both forms are accepted → "James's car" or "James' car"
The apostrophe is NEVER used for:
1. Ordinary plurals:
- Wrong: "I bought two apple's."
- Correct: "I bought two apples."
2. Possessive pronouns (its, yours, his, hers, theirs, ours):
- Wrong: "The dog wagged it's tail."
- Correct: "The dog wagged its tail."
3. Decades or abbreviations in plural:
- Wrong: "The 1990's were great."
- Correct: "The 1990s were great."
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is the name for the common error of adding apostrophes to ordinary plurals (like "apple's" or "banana's" on shop signs). Avoid it!
Add apostrophes where needed (some sentences need none):
1. The teachers desk was covered in papers.
2. The boys played football in the park.
3. My mothers sister lives in London.
4. The childrens drawings were displayed on the wall.
5. The two dogs chased their tails.
1. "The teacher's desk was covered in papers."
— One teacher owns the desk → 's after "teacher".
2. "The boys played football in the park." ← No apostrophe needed.
— "Boys" is just a plural noun, not possessive. No one owns anything.
3. "My mother's sister lives in London."
— The sister belongs to my mother → 's after "mother".
4. "The children's drawings were displayed on the wall."
— "Children" is already plural (it does not end in s), so add 's.
5. "The two dogs chased their tails." ← No apostrophe needed.
— "Dogs" is plural (not possessive), and "their" is a possessive pronoun (no apostrophe).
Decision flowchart:
1. Is something shortened (contraction)? → Apostrophe replaces missing letters.
2. Does something belong to someone? → Add 's (or s' for plural ending in s).
3. Is it just a plural? → No apostrophe.
Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?
English and Norwegian use commas differently. Here are the most important English comma rules:
1. After introductory elements:
Use a comma after a word, phrase, or clause that comes before the main clause.
- "However, the results were disappointing."
- "After the meeting, we went for coffee."
- "If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors."
2. In lists (the Oxford comma):
Use commas to separate items in a list. The comma before "and" (Oxford comma) is optional but recommended.
- "I packed my coat, hat, and gloves."
3. Before coordinating conjunctions joining independent clauses:
- "She was tired, but she kept working."
- "I called him, and he answered immediately."
4. Around non-essential information:
If extra information can be removed without changing the core meaning, surround it with commas.
- "My brother, who lives in Bergen, is a doctor." (I have only one brother — the info is extra)
- "The students who passed the test can leave." (no commas — "who passed" identifies which students)
5. After reporting verbs in direct speech:
- "She said, 'I will be there.'"
NOT like Norwegian:
- Norwegian uses a comma before "at" (that): "Jeg tror, at han kommer."
- English does NOT: "I think that he is coming." (no comma before "that")
No comma between subject and verb:
- Wrong: "The boy who lives next door, is my friend."
- Correct: "The boy who lives next door is my friend."
Add commas where needed in these sentences:
1. "Although he studied hard he failed the test."
2. "We need eggs milk butter and flour."
3. "My sister who is a nurse works at the hospital."
4. "He finished the report and he sent it to his boss."
1. "Although he studied hard, he failed the test."
— Comma after the introductory dependent clause.
2. "We need eggs, milk, butter, and flour."
— Commas separating list items. The Oxford comma before "and" is recommended.
3. This depends on context:
- "My sister, who is a nurse, works at the hospital." — if you have only one sister (non-essential info).
- "My sister who is a nurse works at the hospital." — if you have multiple sisters and you are specifying which one (essential info).
4. "He finished the report, and he sent it to his boss."
— Comma before "and" when it joins two independent clauses (each could be a separate sentence).
Tip: If you can remove the information between commas and the sentence still makes sense, the commas are correct.
Add commas where needed. Some sentences may be correct as they are.
"If you study hard you will pass the exam."
"I like football basketball and tennis."
"The student who answered first got a prize."
"Furthermore the government has promised to invest more in education."
Which sentence has correct punctuation?
Find and correct all spelling and punctuation errors in this paragraph. There are at least eight errors.
"Their are many student's who dont pay attention in class. Its a big problem because they loose importent informasion. Alot of student's think there to smart to listen, but than they fail the test. The teacher's who work hard deserv better. If your not going to listen your wasting everyones time."
Summary — Spelling and Punctuation
Commonly confused words:
- their (possession) / there (place) / they're (they are)
- its (possession) / it's (it is)
- your (possession) / you're (you are)
- to (preposition) / too (also/excessively) / two (number)
- then (time) / than (comparison)
- affect (verb) / effect (noun)
Apostrophe rules:
- Contractions: replace missing letters (don't, it's, they're)
- Possession: 's for singular, s' for plural ending in s, 's for plural not ending in s
- NEVER for ordinary plurals (apples, not apple's)
- NEVER for possessive pronouns (its, yours, theirs)
Comma rules:
- After introductory elements (However, / If..., / After lunch,)
- Between list items (eggs, milk, and butter)
- Before conjunctions joining independent clauses (She was tired, but she kept working.)
- Around non-essential information (My brother, who lives in Bergen, is a doctor.)
- NOT before "that" (I think that...)
- NOT between subject and verb
Proofreading strategy:
Read your text three times: once for content, once for grammar, and once specifically for spelling and punctuation.
Write five sentences, each using one of these tricky pairs correctly: their/they're, its/it's, your/you're, to/too, then/than. The context should make the meaning crystal clear.
Proofread this short essay extract. Find and correct all errors (spelling, apostrophes, commas, confused words). There are at least ten errors.
"In todays society technology plays a huge role in our lifes. Many people think that social media has a negative affect on young people however others disagree. The childrens use of screens have increased dramaticly over the last decade. According to recent research teenagers who spend more then three hours per day on social media are more likely to experience anxeity. Its therefore important that parents set clear boundarys for they're childrens screen time."
Dette kapitlet er skrevet av Anthropics toppmodeller (Claude Opus og Claude Fable) og er foreløpig ikke manuelt gjennomgått — kvalitetskontrollen gjøres av uavhengige KI-agenter, og innmeldte feil rettes fortløpende. Funnet en feil? Meld fra, så retter vi den. Les mer om hvordan innholdet lages.