Terry Said:

What should non-native speakers of English learn before writing?

We Answered:

You don't sound like a non-native speaker.

Here are a few tips:
-Always indent the first sentence of your paragraph. When writing on paper, use two finger-space |_||_| for the indent. On a word document, use the "Tab" button.
-Always capitalize the first letter of a sentence or paragraph, proper nouns and names (Bob, Saint John's Hospital, Stanford University), and the word "I".
- A period (.) is used for ending a sentence. An exclamation point (!) is used for a high-excitement sentence (something scary or shocking or funny, when someone is loud or yelling/screaming). A question mark (?) is used when someone asks a question. A semicolon (;) is used when two sentences could be combined into one [ex.You will want to bring many backpacking items; for example, sleeping bags, pans, and warm clothing will make the trip better.]. A colon (:) is used when making a list (You will need to buy the following: milk, eggs, and tomatoes.) or when the clause (phrase) after it can stand alone as its own sentence. (There is only one thing left to do now: confess while you still have time.)
**IN USA ONLY: Punctuation, such as commas (,) and periods (.) always go inside quotation marks. Example: My favorite poem is Robert Frost's "Design."
***IN ANY OTHER BRITISH ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES: Punctuation goes wherever it logically should within or outside of quotation marks. Example(s): 1. My favorite poem is Robert Frost's "Design". 2. My father always said, "Be careful what you wish for."

-Usage of the apostrophe ('):
1. Possession ending without an s:
That toy belongs to Sarah. It is Sarah's toy.
2. Possession ending with an s:
Ross has a new red tie. Ross' new tie is red.
3. Plural possession:
The car used by the clowns was very small. The clowns' car was very small.
-A song that teaches parts of speech: http://members.chello.nl/r.kuijt/en_part…
-Do not change the tense in the middle of a paragraph. Example of the wrong way: Today I went to the park. I see a squirrel climbing on the tree. It will be a fun day!
Correct way: Today I went to the park. I saw a squirrel climbing on the tree. It was a fun day!


I think that the last rule is the most common mistake of both native and non-native English speakers.