TEAS English

ALAR Section Overview

• Focus on grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Common misspellings and their importance in tests and job exams.

Common Spelling Rules

• "I before e" rule, except after "c"; special cases noted.
• Use of Oxford comma preference discussed.
• Distinction between "their," "there," and contractions like "they're."
• Importance of apostrophes for possession and contractions.

Punctuation Marks

• Correct use of commas in sentences, such as:   - Introductory phrases
    - Lists and series
    - Before coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS).
• Semicolon for connecting independent clauses; colon for lists or explanations.

Word Forms and Suffix Changes

• Doubling consonants: apply when ending with one vowel and one consonant before a suffix.
• Changing "y" to "i" when adding suffixes after consonants.
• Dropping final "e" when adding suffixes starting with vowels.

Noun Plurals

• Regular: add "s."
• Special cases: change y to i and add "es" for vowels or consonants with y.
• Change f to v and add "es."
• Exceptions noted for nouns with irregular plurals.

Homophones and Common Confusions

• Definitions and examples of key homophones: "to, too, two" and "there, their, they're."
• Affect (verb) vs. effect (noun); with examples of usage.

Homographs

• Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings, e.g., "lead" (to guide) vs. "lead" (material).

Practice Questions

• Emphasis on reading sentences in full when taking tests.
• Identify the aspect being tested: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, or word choice.
• Common traps include oversimplifying complex rules and ignoring word context when spelling.

Exam Strategies

• Always read full sentences and understand testing focus.
• Identify one clear incorrect option in multiple-choice questions for easier elimination.
• Questions were taken for clarification on specific rules and examples discussed throughout the session.