Student Talk / How can I contribute to this awesome website? [40]

Hi Kevin. In one of your posts, on the subject of 'How to use quotation marks at the end of a sentence', I have to say I winced when I saw your use of the word 'irregardless'. I think you perhaps meant 'irrespective of' or 'regardless of'? Wikipedia has an interesting page on it.

Undergraduate / My life story (father in Air Force, school) - UCF application [5]

This is my first contribution to this forum, Chloe, so I may be out of line, but what strikes me about your draft is that you've started by asking a different question to the one that you were actually asked. They haven't asked for your life story, you're being asked about an obstacle; if this was your father's relocation, then focus on that sooner and as you've only got 250 words to play with, make every one count. I like the way you've included direct speech (but capitalize the first 't' in your grandmother's words). Use 'amazingly', not 'amazing'. The English town is called Newmarket. Good luck!

Undergraduate / My life story (father in Air Force, school) - UCF application [5]

@EF_Kevin - why the insistence on including 'had'? As a native British English speaker/writer 'My grandmother sat me down' sounds right to me in this context.