All I know vs. Alls I know?

Question

Are the two sayings proper English? > "Alls I know" and > "All I know" Alls I know just sounds bad to me, but while people agree, no one can tell me if it is right or wrong.

Answer 1

If you are writing an academic paper, speaking with a boss, or taking an English exam, you want to use "All I know." That is standard, academic English. "Alls I know" could be considered informal and impolite in certain situations. Some people might say, "alls I know" in everyday life, but they would need to write "all I know" for an academic assignment.

Best of luck! Keep writing!

Answer 2

The question was whether it was proper English. "Proper" is another word for "standard English." So perhaps that's where we can clarify the distinction for the questioner. "Alls I know" is not standard English. This is not about judgment but simply clarification for the person who asked. It's important to many learners that they know what is standard and what is not.

Answer 3

The proper way is "All I know..."

When I picture someone saying "Alls I know..." I picture someone who is not well educated.

Answer 4

I agree that it would be smart for your friend to prepare some information about himself. He should write it out first, and then practice speaking in front of a mirror, and with a tutor. He should be able to state his age,educational background, where he's from, and say something about his family, interests and goals.

It would also be smart to research the school itself and prepare to say why he chooses to study there.

As mentioned by a colleague, he can look up standard interview questions on-line which will help him feel relaxed. The big message is that he shouldn't worry that his English isn't perfect. There are some good Apps for phones which he can use. He'll have plenty of time to learn as he studies and is immersed in the target language and culture.

Answer 5

Hello!

It is not fair to say someone seems uneducated because they use the phrase "Alls I know." This particular structure is found most common in Southern speaking dialects and does not correlate with education at all. It is simply a dialect thing!

Either one is correct in the sense that you are speaking about dialects. Depending on where you live currently would determine how you say that. Most commonly is "All I know" but that is because I am from the West Coast of the United States. My Grandfather pronounced it "Alls I know" and he was well educated and ran his own business!

Let's not teach stereotypes in English language learning!