Correctly written English could be called standard English. "Standard English" might be described as the English language as it is spoken and written by educated native users. Your English teacher is undoubtedly trying to teach you Standard English!
Standard English is the form of English which is most likely to be understood everywhere in the UK. As a commonly agreed dialect, it has many of the features of local dialects ironed out. This is not to say that words or sentence structures acceptable in local dialects but not in Standard English are always incorrect. Sometimes local dialects preserve much older versions of English, including ways of pronouncing words or conjugating verbs. For example, in certain parts of the UK, you might hear someone say something like, "That's me mam" for "That's my mum". Your first thought might be that the speaker is being ungrammatical by using "me" where Standard English would use "my". But, historically speaking, the word "my" was many centuries ago pronounced "me" and it is this pronunciation which has been preserved.
Nevertheless, it is important to master Standard English in order to be able to communicate well with the widest number of people, rather than only those who share the same dialect.
Check your knowledge of Standard English forms by taking this quiz.
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1.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
He only ..... his homework this morning. |
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| [ ] |
did |
| [ ] |
doing |
| [ ] |
done |
| [ ] |
will do |
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2.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
Mum would ..... ..... the shopping if she ..... ..... time. |
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| [ ] |
have done, had had |
| [ ] |
have done, had of had |
| [ ] |
of done, had had |
| [ ] |
of done, had of had |
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3.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
I mightn't ..... arrived today if I hadn't booked my ticket. |
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| [ ] |
have |
| [ ] |
never |
| [ ] |
not |
| [ ] |
of |
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4.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
The boys are asking for ..... books as ..... ready to read. |
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| [ ] |
their, their |
| [ ] |
their, they're |
| [ ] |
they, they're |
| [ ] |
they're, their |
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5.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
We couldn’t ..... finished the work without you. |
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| [ ] |
had |
| [ ] |
have |
| [ ] |
not have |
| [ ] |
of |
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6.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
They ..... the cooking while he ..... the cleaning. |
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| [ ] |
did, did |
| [ ] |
did, done |
| [ ] |
done, did |
| [ ] |
done, done |
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7.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
I would ..... made the cake if you ..... already done so. |
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| [ ] |
have, had of |
| [ ] |
have, hadn't |
| [ ] |
of, had have |
| [ ] |
of, had'nt |
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8.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
He should ..... ..... his work by midday but he was late. |
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| [ ] |
have did |
| [ ] |
have done |
| [ ] |
of did |
| [ ] |
of done |
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9.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
She ..... her work early but she ..... her piano practice late. |
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| [ ] |
did, did |
| [ ] |
did, done |
| [ ] |
done, did |
| [ ] |
done, done |
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10.
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Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
I could ..... written to him if I ...... ..... enough time. |
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| [ ] |
have, had had |
| [ ] |
have, had of had |
| [ ] |
of, had had |
| [ ] |
of, Had've had |
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1.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
He only ..... his homework this morning. |
|
| [x] |
did |
| [ ] |
doing |
| [ ] |
done |
| [ ] |
will do |
|
|
|
2.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
Mum would ..... ..... the shopping if she ..... ..... time. |
|
| [x] |
have done, had had |
| [ ] |
have done, had of had |
| [ ] |
of done, had had |
| [ ] |
of done, had of had |
|
|
|
3.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
I mightn't ..... arrived today if I hadn't booked my ticket. |
|
| [x] |
have |
| [ ] |
never |
| [ ] |
not |
| [ ] |
of |
|
|
|
4.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
The boys are asking for ..... books as ..... ready to read. |
|
| [ ] |
their, their |
| [x] |
their, they're |
| [ ] |
they, they're |
| [ ] |
they're, their |
|
|
|
5.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
We couldn’t ..... finished the work without you. |
|
| [ ] |
had |
| [x] |
have |
| [ ] |
not have |
| [ ] |
of |
|
|
|
6.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
They ..... the cooking while he ..... the cleaning. |
|
| [x] |
did, did |
| [ ] |
did, done |
| [ ] |
done, did |
| [ ] |
done, done |
|
|
|
7.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
I would ..... made the cake if you ..... already done so. |
|
| [ ] |
have, had of |
| [x] |
have, hadn't |
| [ ] |
of, had have |
| [ ] |
of, had'nt |
|
|
|
8.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
He should ..... ..... his work by midday but he was late. |
|
| [ ] |
have did |
| [x] |
have done |
| [ ] |
of did |
| [ ] |
of done |
|
|
|
9.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
She ..... her work early but she ..... her piano practice late. |
|
| [x] |
did, did |
| [ ] |
did, done |
| [ ] |
done, did |
| [ ] |
done, done |
|
|
|
10.
|
Select the word(s) that make the sentence correct.
I could ..... written to him if I ...... ..... enough time. |
|
| [x] |
have, had had |
| [ ] |
have, had of had |
| [ ] |
of, had had |
| [ ] |
of, Had've had |
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