College English College English 111111

Writing skills Writing skills

1. Punctuation Marks 1. Punctuation Marks

The comma.The comma. The period. The period. The colon.The colon. The exclamation mark .The exclamation mark . The quotation marks .The quotation marks . Capitalization.Capitalization.

The comma ( , )The comma ( , )• After After

– Yes and noYes and no– Exemplary forms Exemplary forms

and abbreviationsand abbreviations– Exclamations , Exclamations ,

dates ,dates ,– family names family names

followed by first followed by first name ,name ,

– salutations and salutations and ending of letters ending of letters

• ExamplesExamples– Yes, I think / no, I Yes, I think / no, I

don’t think so.don’t think so.– namely , that is . namely , that is . – Oh, yes / oh, no/ on Oh, yes / oh, no/ on

December 31, 1996 December 31, 1996 – Brown, James. Brown, James.

– Dear sir, sincerely Dear sir, sincerely yours, yours,

The comma ( , )The comma ( , )• AfterAfter

– An adverbial clause – An adverbial clause – phrase.phrase.

– Prepositional phrase Prepositional phrase at the beginning of a at the beginning of a sentence. sentence.

– Introductory words Introductory words and phrases.and phrases.

– Transitional Transitional elements.elements.

– Absolute elements Absolute elements and phrases and phrases

• ExamplesExamples– When he entered the When he entered the

room, he sat down. room, he sat down. – At work, he never At work, he never

talks.talks.– Upstairs, the house Upstairs, the house

looks empty.looks empty.– In fact , indeed, In fact , indeed,

however, however, consequently, yet, still. consequently, yet, still.

– Rain or shine, he plays Rain or shine, he plays football. football.

The comma ( , )The comma ( , )• To separateTo separate

– Numbers and a series Numbers and a series of items.of items.

– equal parts and equal parts and contrasted elements.contrasted elements.

– Relative clauseRelative clause

– Appositives Appositives

• ExamplesExamples– 2,000/ 3,000,0002,000/ 3,000,000– She bought a pencil, a She bought a pencil, a

ruler, a book and a map. ruler, a book and a map. – He borrowed a book, He borrowed a book,

read it, and then read it, and then returned it.returned it.

– The boy’s father, not his The boy’s father, not his uncle, ………uncle, ………

– the boy, who works the boy, who works here, is Maha’s brother. here, is Maha’s brother.

– Nada, Maher’s sister, Nada, Maher’s sister, works here.works here.

The comma ( , )The comma ( , )

• BeforeBefore– An ing- form phraseAn ing- form phrase

– Tag questions Tag questions

• ExamplesExamples– She went out, leaving She went out, leaving

her baby alone. her baby alone. – He’s right, isn’t he?He’s right, isn’t he?

The comma ( , )The comma ( , )

• To To – replace omissionsreplace omissions

– Prevent misreading Prevent misreading

• ExamplesExamples– A bus is used for A bus is used for

short trip; a plane, short trip; a plane, for a long one.for a long one.

– In the morning, fog In the morning, fog began to thicken. began to thicken.

Punctuate the following Punctuate the following • Jenny and Miss Smith came into the room Jenny and Miss Smith came into the room

looked around whispered to each other and looked around whispered to each other and then strangely enough walked out. then strangely enough walked out.

• William’s store which sells many fancy William’s store which sells many fancy groceries was recently repainted: and as a groceries was recently repainted: and as a consequence it now looks very nice indeed. consequence it now looks very nice indeed.

• Of course father it’s a pity” said Ellen “that Of course father it’s a pity” said Ellen “that people don’t appreciate the excellent work people don’t appreciate the excellent work which you have done here.” which you have done here.”

• Jim and I considered going out later we Jim and I considered going out later we changed our minds and decided to stay at changed our minds and decided to stay at home and resthome and rest

The period ( . )The period ( . )

• At the end of At the end of – A statement A statement – An imperative An imperative – AbbreviationsAbbreviations– Indirect questionsIndirect questions

• ExamplesExamples– She slept. She slept. – Sit down. Wait here. Sit down. Wait here. – E.g. i.e. V.I.P.E.g. i.e. V.I.P.– Please tell me what Please tell me what

happened. happened.

The period ( . )The period ( . )

• Inside Inside – Abbreviations Abbreviations – Quotation marksQuotation marks– Numbers with Numbers with

decimalsdecimals

• ExamplesExamples– A.m / p.m. / s.o.s. A.m / p.m. / s.o.s. – She said, “I am She said, “I am

happy.”happy.”– 5.20/ 0.055.20/ 0.05

Punctuate the following Punctuate the following

• This is an English class its about This is an English class its about English grammar the professor is a English grammar the professor is a Palestinian he is a good man the Palestinian he is a good man the students are Palestinians they are students are Palestinians they are serious. serious.

The colon (:)The colon (:)

• To introduce To introduce – A clarifying detail A clarifying detail – A list of details A list of details – a direct quotation a direct quotation

in the absence of in the absence of ‘saying’‘saying’

• Examples Examples – What I want is What I want is

clear: a big house. clear: a big house. – He always buys a He always buys a

lot of food: bread, lot of food: bread, meat, ……meat, ……

– Se heard his angry Se heard his angry words: “get out.”words: “get out.”

The colon (:)The colon (:)

• After After – Each speaker in a Each speaker in a

dialogue. dialogue.

– Expressions such as Expressions such as (as follows , the (as follows , the following)following)

– A formal salutation A formal salutation in business letters. in business letters.

• ExamplesExamples– Teacher: who is a Teacher: who is a

chemist? chemist? – Student: you are. Student: you are. – The rule is as The rule is as

follows: follows: – Note the following: Note the following:

– Gentlemen: dear Gentlemen: dear Mrs. Robinson: Mrs. Robinson:

The colon (:)The colon (:)

• Between Between – Titles and subtitles Titles and subtitles

of books.of books.– Volume and page Volume and page

referencereference– Hours and minutes,Hours and minutes,– Acts and scenes in Acts and scenes in

plays. plays.

• ExamplesExamples– Charles Dickens: the Charles Dickens: the

world of his Novels. world of his Novels. – Critical Inquiry, vol. Critical Inquiry, vol.

6: pp. 1-6. 6: pp. 1-6. – 2:30 / 4:552:30 / 4:55– Julius Caesar, III: iii Julius Caesar, III: iii

Punctuate the following Punctuate the following

• His article was published in Linguistics His article was published in Linguistics Sciences vol 18 pp 23-57Sciences vol 18 pp 23-57

• I know our bosss is stubborn his answer is I know our bosss is stubborn his answer is always no. always no.

• I heard her sing I love you I heard her sing I love you • He is worried he didn’t do well in all his He is worried he didn’t do well in all his

exams . exams . • He failed the first exam yet he insisted on He failed the first exam yet he insisted on

completing the course. completing the course. • I watched hamlet iv ii on TV last night. I watched hamlet iv ii on TV last night.

The exclamation mark (!)The exclamation mark (!)

• After After – An exclamatory An exclamatory

utterance utterance – A strong command A strong command – Ah Ah – To suggest surprise To suggest surprise

• Examples Examples – What a clever boy! What a clever boy! – Shut the door!Shut the door!– ““ah!” she ah!” she

exclaimed. exclaimed. – So you have really So you have really

decided to go!decided to go!

The quotation marks ( “ “ )The quotation marks ( “ “ )

• For a direct For a direct quotation quotation

• With unfamiliar With unfamiliar words , terms, words , terms, titles , phrases , titles , phrases , courses , etc. courses , etc.

• Examples Examples – Helen said “dinner Helen said “dinner

is ready.”is ready.”– He said the story He said the story

was “phony” was “phony” – Words worth’s “I Words worth’s “I

wandered Lonely as wandered Lonely as a Cloud “ is an a Cloud “ is an emotional , emotional , romantic poem. romantic poem.

CapitalizationCapitalization

• Capitalization (beginning the word Capitalization (beginning the word with a capital letter) is an important with a capital letter) is an important feature on English writing. Failure to feature on English writing. Failure to capitalize a word that should be capitalize a word that should be capitalized is a serious mistake. capitalized is a serious mistake.

• Remember to apply the following Remember to apply the following rules in your English writing: rules in your English writing:

• Capitalize the beginning of every Capitalize the beginning of every sentence, pronoun I , proper nouns , sentence, pronoun I , proper nouns , nationalities, religions, languages, titles of nationalities, religions, languages, titles of people, and written works. people, and written works.

• Capitalize days, months , festivals, Capitalize days, months , festivals, historical eras, events and documents, historical eras, events and documents, names of ships, college courses, names of ships, college courses, abbreviations. abbreviations.

• Capitalize directions when they refer to Capitalize directions when they refer to certain region, family relationships when certain region, family relationships when used with the person’s name, and used with the person’s name, and reference to a section of the literary work. reference to a section of the literary work.

CapitalizationCapitalization• DO NOT capitalize the following DO NOT capitalize the following

unless they begin a sentence: unless they begin a sentence: – The seasons of the year,The seasons of the year,– centuries, occupations,centuries, occupations,– abbreviations like e.g. i.e. earth unless abbreviations like e.g. i.e. earth unless

it refers to the planet, it refers to the planet, – proper nouns acting as common nouns,proper nouns acting as common nouns,– the name of a general school subject the name of a general school subject – and family relationships when used with and family relationships when used with

possessive pronoun.possessive pronoun.

Capitalize the following Capitalize the following 1.1. jack gets up at seven o’clock in the morning. jack gets up at seven o’clock in the morning. 2.2. he watches tv in the evening. he watches tv in the evening. 3.3. he goes downtown on saturdays and he goes he goes downtown on saturdays and he goes

to the movies on Saturday nights. to the movies on Saturday nights. 4.4. bill doesn’t live in a dormitory he has a private bill doesn’t live in a dormitory he has a private

room. room. 5.5. he doesn’t have classes on tuesdays.he doesn’t have classes on tuesdays.6.6. jack and bill are in the same chemistry class. jack and bill are in the same chemistry class. 7.7. they take chemistry 212 with professor baker . they take chemistry 212 with professor baker . 8.8. they don’t have classes on new years day. they don’t have classes on new years day. 9.9. mr. william allen is a professor. mr. william allen is a professor. 10.10.is mrs allen a professor no she isntis mrs allen a professor no she isnt