1. The Isles of My Portfolio in English 121(Writing in the decipline)

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• little/few
• a lot of/lots of
• a little bit of
• plenty of
  1.Avoiding of Usage
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• When a relative pronoun (which, who, that) is used to introduce a dependent clause, the number of the verb must agree with the pronoun's antecedent.
  

  This is one of the reports that are required for this project. (The relative pronoun that takes the plural verb [are] because its antecedent [reports] is plural. To test this type of sentence, read the of phrase first: Of the reports that are…)

  2.Level of Usage
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  I tend to use a formal level of usage, and only occasionally dip into a conversational level of usage. In general I use a formal level of usage for everyday conversation, but there are those days that I just use whatever level of usage that comes out. Whether it be formal, conversational, intimate, or any other level. Most times the meanings of what I say and write are literal to the word's themselves, and not have alternate meanings. As well as with my usage, there are some times in which I use double-meanings, alternate connotations, and figurative language. It just depends on how I feel that day, and who I'm dealing with.
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• 3.Verb of Usage
  
  A common error that appears in the writing of UTEP students is verb tense usage.  A common mistake is to switch tense throughout one’s essay, sometimes using a present form while using a past form at other points.  This is complicated by the fact that different citation styles have different rules for verb usage, with MLA preferring present tense (i.e. Daniels says) and APA preferring past tense (i.e. Daniels said).  It is important to be consistent throughout your writing projects by using the same tense throughout.  
  
  
  Another common mistake in verb usage is subject-verb agreement. Singular verbs must be used with singular subjects, and plural verbs must be used with plural subjects. First-person verbs must be used with first-person pronoun subjects (I, we), second-person verbs must be used with second-person pronoun subjects (you), and third-person verbs must be used with third-person subjects (she, he, it, or they).
  
  
  
  4.Pronoun of Usage
  The proper use of pronouns has all but ceased in our modern age. In truth, common vernacular has begun to create a new rule with regards to proper usage here- mainly, that there is no rule. Furthermore, the proper use of pronouns has even accrued a sort of negative stigma in our modern speech; it is seen as stuffy, even obtuse in some cases. This is not quite the travesty that some linguistic purists might make it out to be. If the goal of conversation is communication, and if understanding is achieved, then what have we really lost? Yet, there are instances in which one might need to adhere to proper usage, particularly in scholarly writing and, perhaps, in formal interviews, etc. Thus, I have compiled a quick guide to proper pronoun usage. My goal here is to make the rules as simple and accessible as possible. So, without further rambling, let us begin.
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• 5.Subject and Verb Agreement
  The subject and verb must agree in number: both must be singular, or both must be plural. Problems occur in the present tense because one must add an -s or -es at the end of the verb when the subjects or the entity performing the action is a singular third person: he, she, it, or words for which these pronouns could substitute.
  Notice the difference between singular and plural forms in the following examples:
  

  Singular	Plural
  The student sings. (He or she sings)	Your children sing. (They sing)
  The bird does migrate. (It does)	Those birds do migrate. (They do)

  
  
• 6.Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement
  

  Pronoun

  A pronoun is a substitute for a noun. It refers to a person, place, thing, feeling, or quality but does not refer to it by its name. The pronoun in the following sample sentence is bolded.
  

  The critique of Plato's Republic was written from a contemporary point of view. It was an in-depth analysis of Plato's opinions about possible governmental forms.

  Antecedent

  An antecedent is the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers, understood by the context. The antecedent in the following sample sentence is bolded.
  

  The critique of Plato's Republic was written from a contemporary point of view. It was an in-depth analysis of Plato's opinions about possible governmental forms.

  While the pronouns I and you can be replaced by nouns, the context of a sentence does not always require the nouns to make clear to which persons I and you refer. However, the third person pronouns (he, she, it, they) almost always derive their meaning from their antecedents or the words for which they stand. Remember that pronouns in the third person communicate nothing unless the reader knows what they mean:

  7.Adjective and Adverb Usage
  A countable noun is one that can be expressed in plural form, usually with an "s." For example, "cat--cats," "season--seasons," "student--students."
  An uncountable noun is one that usually cannot be expressed in a plural form. For example, "milk," "water," "air," "money," "food." Usually, you can't say, "He had many moneys."
  Most of the time, this doesn't matter with adjectives. For example, you can say, "The cat was gray" or "The air was gray." However, the difference between a countable and uncountable noun does matter with certain adjectives, such as the following:
  
• enough
• no

8.Miscellaneous and Problem in Usage

Writers need to choose their words carefully to make sure that they are not confusing words that sound alike or have similar but slightly different meanings or that they are not using an incorrect word or expression.

Part of the fascination with space travel is the element of the unknown—the conviction that it's different from earthbound experiences. And it is.
—from "Single Room, Earth View" written by astronaut Sally Ride

The sentences correctly used it's (instead of its) and different from (instead ofdifferent than).

Negative Sentences

Do not use two negative words in the same clause. That creates an error called adouble negative.
Double Negative – I can't wait no longer.
Correct – I can't wait any longer.
Correct – I can wait no longer.

The most common negative words are never, no, nobody, none, not, nothing, andnowhere. Other negative words to watch out for are barely, but, hardly, andscarcely.
Double Negative – There isn't but one cookie left.
Correct – There is only one cookie left.
Double Negative – I couldn't hardly wait.

1. Correct – I could hardly wait.