8. Spelling and commonly used words/phrases

For any spelling queries, refer to the Macquarie Dictionary (Ninth Edition).

The following words and phrases are commonly used within BGS publications. (If you have queries about others, please email MarComms and we’ll add to the list.)

n = noun
adj. = adjective
v = verb

A Notes/examples
A-team, B-team
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Aboriginal peoples Plural
advisor
affect (v.) / effect (n.) His attitude will affect his work.
His attitude has had a positive effect on his work.
AFL No full points
age-appropriate
ageing Not aging
aid Something to assist a child’s learning
We will use bead frames as an aid.
aide A person assisting a child
a teacher’s aide
alumni Plural
alumnus Singular
among Not amongst
and Not &
the Annandale Gym
the Annandale Pavilion
Anzac Use ANZAC only when referring to the army corps itself
the Atrium
apps (no capital)
APS Sport No full points, no need to write out in full
BGS qualified for the APS Finals.
artwork
Assembly Initial capital
Friday morning’s Assembly
Australian Government
autumn No capital for seasons
B
B2M Boys 2 Men
BGS+ For the sub-brand of extracurricular programs. Where possible italicise
BGS Parents Group (BGSPG)
behaviour
benefited, benefiting Single ‘t’
BGS No full points
BHIVE
billycart One word
bookwork (n.)
Borwick House Choir
boy No capital (but ‘Old Boy’)
Brighton Grammar School
Buddy, Buddies Initial capital (refers to a School program)
C
camp Do NOT use term! Use ‘Outdoor Education program’ or ‘Outdoor Education journey’ instead.
Choral class Capital because ‘Choral’ is a Learning Domain
classmate
classroom
classwork
Co-captain
co-curricular
co-education
coordinate, coordination
cooperate, cooperation
counsellor Unless referring to a person on a council – councillor)
counterproductive
coursework
co-worker
criterion Singular (plural – criteria)
cross country (n.) But cross-country race (adj.)
the Centre for Science, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Use the title in full, do not abbreviate in any manner
the Crowther Centre
curriculum vitae, CV
D
data Plural and singular (not datum)
database
daydream
daytime
decision making process
Distinction Certificate
Dr For doctor – no full point
Dreamtime
E
e.g.
e-book, e-commerce, e-learning, e-resources
effect (n.) / affect (v.) His attitude has had a positive effect on his work.
His attitude will affect his work.
Effective Learner model
ELC3 No space
email
English (subject) Capital letters for Learning Domains; lower case for subsets (e.g. spelling, punctuation)
enrol, enrolment, enrolled, enrolling
enquiry Not inquiry, unless referring to a formal inquiry, e.g. a police inquiry
etc.
everyday (adj.) Mindfulness is an everyday practice at BGS.
We practise mindfulness every day at BGS.
extra-curricular
eye contact
F
fine-motor skills
first aid (n.)
first-aid kit (adj.)
First XV, Second XI, Third VIII Sporting teams
focused, focusing, foci
fulfil, fulfilled, fulfilment
Full Colours Full Colours for Badminton.
He played badminton.
full-time (adj.) full-time work
G
the G B Robertson Hall
gross-motor skills
ground-breaking
Guided Reading Capital letters for Learning Domains
H
hands-on (adj.)
handwriting (n.)
hard-working (adj.)
the Hay Family Lecture Theatre
high-frequency (adj.)
homeroom
homework
homework book
Hon. (e.g. The Hon. John Smith)
House Crowther House
House Swimming
House Chess competition
No cap if referring to all ‘houses’.
The boys are allocated to houses. They undertake various activities with the rest of their house.
the Hub lower case ‘t’
I
i.e.
in-depth (adj.) He has an in-depth knowledge of Australian history.
Indigenous In Australian context; lower case at all other times
International Parents Support Group (IPSG)
Interschool Interschool Sport, Interschool Debating
internet, intranet
iPad
J
judgement With an ‘e’
Junior Parents Group (JPG)
Junior School
K
kind-hearted (adj.)
L
labelled, labelling
labour But Australian Labor Party
laptop
lead-up (n.)
Learning Support
learnt Not learned
letter-sound
lifespan
LinkedIn
Literacy Rotations
Long Day Program In reference to Year 11 and 12 after-hours study
M
masterclass One word
masters degree No apostrophe
Mathematics Capital letter for Learning Domains
Merit Certificate
metre Not meter
Middle School Do not refer to Middle School, only Secondary School
mindfulness
mini-project
Monitor Initial capital where the title is specified
Science Monitor
most valuable player (MVP)
Mothers’ Day
Mr, Mrs, Ms No full points
multicultural
multidisciplinary
multimedia
multipurpose
multi-syllable
multi-task
the Musical Initial capital when referring to a specific production
He was the lead part in the Musical.
N
no one (no hyphen)
non-fiction
non-verbal
note reading Two words
note taking Two words
O
the Oak Tree
OB 1978 Use abbreviation with peer year after the name of an Old Boy, no space
John Jones (OB 1960)
Old Boy
Old Brighton Grammarians’ Society (OBGS)
on task
on-site do not use onsite
one-one-one (adj.) He received one-on-one tuition.
ongoing
online
open-ended
open-minded
organise Not organize
P
parent groups
Parent Teacher Discussions Not Interviews or Meetings
Use initial capitals
per cent, percentage
PhD
postgraduate
PowerPoint
practice (n.), practise (v.) I attend my cricket practice on Monday.
I practise conscientiously every Monday.
prerequisite
pre-empt
proactive
problem solve, problem solving
program Not programme
Various sports programs are run across the School.
Program In reference to a specific program
Year 10 boys participate in the Tomorrow Man Program. This Program introduces them to…
proofread
Q
the Quad
quick-thinking
R
realise Not realize
rebut, rebuttal, rebutting
Record Book Initial capitals
reread
retell
risk taker (n.), risk-taking (adj.)
the Robert Sanderson Centenary Hall
role model
role play
the Rosstrevor end
the Rosstrevor Hall
S
SACs No apostrophe
SATs No apostrophe
Schoolbox No space
School Captain Previously Captain of School, Captain of the School
school year
Secondary School
self-confident, self-confidence
self-corrects
self-edits
self-esteem
self-motivate
Semester 1 Capital ‘S’ when written with a number.
Use number and not word.
semester Billy worked well this semester.
semi-final
senior students
Show and Tell
single-campus school But: BGS consists of a single campus.
Sizzling Starts
the S J Priestley Conference Room
Smart Spelling
sound–letter (adj.) Note: en-dash (not hyphen)
e.g. sound–letter recognition
the St Andrew’s end
staff Music staff
state (state of Victoria)
storyline
story telling
story time
story writing
School (upper case S only when referring to Brighton Grammar School specifically)
The School’s core values are passion, respect, integrity and accountability.
The School’s website etc.
school life
school work
school mate
Secondary School Do NOT refer to Secondary School as Senior School
South East Asia
summer No capital for seasons
spring No capital for seasons
Still Cloud
Syndicate Program
T
teacher aide
team mate
team work
tech-savvy
Term 1 Capital ‘T’ when written with a number.
Use number and not word.
THRASS chart Teaching Handwriting Reading and Spelling Skills
timeframe
timeline
Torres Strait Islander peoples (plural)
TryBooking
the Tuckshop
21st century
U
the U14 team
undergraduate
undervalued
upper case
the Urwin Centre for Learning
V
Vice-Captain Capitals when referring to an individual
W
warm-up (n.)
webpage Refers to an individual page on a website
website
wellbeing
the Wellbeing Centre
well-developed, well-mannered, well-organised
Wi-Fi
workbook, worksheet
workspace
worldwide
World Wide Web Title case (this is a proper noun)
Y
Year 1; Years 9–10 Not Year 9–10
Also, do not use ‘Year 8s and 9s’ (instead, say ‘Year 8 and 9 boys’)
You Can Do It Program
Year 7 Capital Y, not Grade 7, Y7 or Year Seven
YouTube
Z