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Booklet 5
BByy JJaanneett MMaarrsshh
V1.1
IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN The material contained in this pack is meant to supplement and enhance learning at Key Stages 3 or 4. The exercises and worksheets will enable teachers of English to offer practice in reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. In addition, there will be opportunities to access background information where appropriate to enhance understanding and appreciation of texts. Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided in this publication is accurate. It is the policy of Coleridge Press to obtain permission on any copyright material in their publications. The publishers will be glad to make suitable arrangements with any copyright holders whom it has not been possible to contact. Purchasers may photocopy the sheets in this pack provided that they do so only for use within their own institution.
ISBN 978-1-907175-34-3
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Better Writing & Punctuation Booklet 5 Page 1 of 31 www.coleridgepress.com
Contents page 1
Pupil and teacher checklist page 2
1. Further comma use pages 3-12
2. Apostrophes
for omission pages 13-15
for possession pages 16-22
3. Colons pages 23-24
4. Semi – colons pages 24-25
5. Hyphens and dashes pages 26-27
6. Test on pages 28-31
commas
apostrophes
colons
semi – colons
hyphens and dashes
Better Writing & Punctuation Booklet 5 Page 2 of 31 www.coleridgepress.com
I know and can use the following:
Commas to separate words
Phrases
Clauses
Commas to aid understanding
Apostrophes for omission
Apostrophes for possession
Colons
Semi - colons
Hyphens and dashes
My score for: Test on Booklet 5
I think I have improved on the following _________________
________________________________________________________
I think I still need to work on the following _________________
___________________________________________________________________
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, COMMAS, You’ve learnt SOME of the uses of the comma already but now you need to learn more about how to use the COMMA in other ways.
A. COMMAS TO SEPARATE WORDS AND PHRASES
Remember commas for lists?
Jack doesn’t eat spinach, pork, cheese, sprouts or ham.
Commas separate these items
B.COMMAS TO SEPARATE GROUPS OF WORDS
The youth wore jeans with wide turnups, a white polo
shirt with a logo, a base ball cap on back to front and
trainers.
C.COMMAS TO SEPARATE ADJECTIVES
Her latest boyfriend is tall, handsome, talented and
rich.
Hannah’s long, slim, tanned legs were her best
feature.
D.COMMAS TO SEPARATE VERBS
The fans shrieked, shouted, applauded and cheered for their
idol to appear.
E.COMMAS TO SEPARATE ADVERBS
She shouted the words loudly, proudly, confidently.
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F. COMMAS TO SEPARATE DIALOGUE FROM THE REST OF THE
SENTENCE.
Auntie Joan’s favourite saying was, “Many hands make light
work.”
Cherie approached the station master and asked,
“What is the name of this station please?”
“Put that on the top shelf,” suggested Billy, “and it’ll
be safe.”
G.COMMAS USED TO SEPARATE THE NAME OF A
PERSON YOU ARE ADDRESSING
“Melanie, I can’t tell you how sorry I am to hear of your
accident,” said Simon.
“I feel that you will do very well in this job, William,” declared
Julia.
H. WHEN YES OR NO FORM PART OF AN ANSWER.
No, I can’t help you.
Yes, I agree with her.
BUT if yes or no are part of an answer, don’t use the comma.
No refund will be given.
I see no reason for cancelling the trip.
H.COMMAS USED WITH SOME EXCLAMATION AND
ASIDES
Oh, you really annoy me, Sarah!
He’ll win the race, naturally.
You’ll come to see us again, won’t you?
Generally speaking, it was a very successful party.
Better Writing & Punctuation Booklet 5 Page 5 of 31 www.coleridgepress.com
Now put in COMMAS where necessary in the following sentences. All other punctuation marks, except capitals HAVE BEEN PUT IN FOR YOU. 1. they bought crisps apples a mars bar a
bottle of coke and some stamps.
2. frankly i couldn’t care less if annie comes or not.
3. sian begged flattered and bribed her way into the party.
4. julius caesar came saw and conquered britain.
5. does your mother know you’re here sarah?
6. “i’ve no idea” she said”what you’re talking
about.”
7. julie however had other ideas.
8. he stormed into the room pushed onlookers aside
charged up to the counter thumped loudly for attention
and demanded to see the manager.
9. yes i’m absolutely sure i’ve made the right decision.
We’re not finished with commas yet! Commas are also necessary
I. To separate SUBORDINATE CLAUSES (REMEMBER THOSE?)
If you have the day off, we can go to the match.
After he had decided on a plan of action, he called his
father.
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Note. If the subordinate clause is at the end of the sentence, you DON’T use a comma
We can go to the match if you have the day off.
He called his father after he had decided on a plan
of action.
Now put COMMAS where necessary into the following sentences. All the other punctuation except CAPITAL LETTERS has been given to you. 1. although he was nervous about starting his new job he
was thrilled to be earning some money again.
2. i can’t wait until my pen friend comes over from
germany.
3. andy played the clarinet and john played
keyboards.
4. if you run for the full ninety minutes you will be exhausted.
5. until he had reached the age of fifteen he had never left
his home town.
6. sarah climbed the steep slopes of the
mountain and stood on the ridge,
7. on the other hand you may have already
decided who will get your vote.
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8. i will do the test again although I don’t think it will
improve my mark.
9. when the wind caused the windows to fly open and the
curtains to flap wildly mike and kate almost died of fright.
J. COMMAS IN PAIRS TO SEPARATE PHRASES THAT GIVE
US MORE INFORMATION i.e. ADJECTIVAL PHRASES
Mrs. Lewis, my next door neighbour, has won the lottery.
The tiger, a beautiful animal, is almost extinct.
You can see that the phrase in bold tell us more about the nouns MRS LEWIS and THE TIGER.
Look at the following sentences and put in COMMAS where necessary. Also put in capital letters
I. the dog a spaniel looked up at me with soft
brown eyes.
J. he threw a book “a short history of the
world”at his brother a quarrelsome boy constantly in
trouble.
K. sally a pretty girl of about sixteen was chosen to appear
in the school production of “west side story”.
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L. italy a country famous for its delicious pizzas is one
of my favourite holiday destinations.
M. he took us to the boating lake a dingy stretch of
brown water near the gas works.
N. i ordered the cd a compilation of dance tracks
from top belgian dance acts.
O. he painted his room in a shade called blue grotto
a deep turquoise colour that reminded him of the sea in
cornwall.
P. they sat down for their meal the last
that they would eat before the long
journey across the desert where food
and water would be hard to come by.
Q. the new girl quiet and shy but very clever sat on her own
at the back of the class.
R. he ordered the special a mixed grill with a large
selection of vegetables
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K. SOMETIMES IT’S AN ADJECTIVAL CLAUSE THAT NEEDS THE
PAIR OF COMMAS
The band, whose concert at the Stadium
had been a sellout, were greeted with
enthusiastic cheering from their fans.
The little town, which is huddled at the foot
of the mountains, provided an ideal hiding place for the
wanted man.
THE TEST TO SEE IF YOU NEED THE COMMAS IS MENTALLY TO REMOVE THE PART INSIDE THE COMMAS. YOU SHOULD THEN BE LEFT WITH A COMPLETE SENTENCE - BUT ONE WHICH IS LESS INTERESTING i.e.
The band were greeted with enthusiastic cheering by their
fans
The little town provided an idea hiding place for the wanted
man.
If the bit between the commas DEFINES part of the sentence, you should not use the pair of commas e.g.
The gun dogs that had been out since early
morning came back tired and muddy.
The gun dogs, when they came back tired
and muddy, made a mess of the living room
carpet. Now decide WHERE and IF you should put the commas in the following sentences. Put in ALL other necessary punctuation. 1. she of course was late
2. the story which was published in the magazine was
written by me
3. ryans party the first hed ever given was a huge success
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4. i really enjoyed myself all things considered
5. the new film a thriller with an
unexpected twist at the end was a
huge box office success
6. the luxury liner which was
due to sail to the caribbean was suddenly
withdrawn from service
7. to be honest i was so bored i nearly fell asleep
8. henry a small boy with ginger hair and a lopsided grin
opened the door to us
9. why said ellen did you ever agree to it
10. i just couldn’t say no replied her sister apologetically they
were always so nice to me
So, now you know a lot more about COMMAS. There are rules about their use, but remember some usage of commas is A MATTER OF TASTE and not simply a question of right and wrong.
Most modern writers for example, use far fewer commas than, say Dickens or Jane Austen. Look at this example of an extract from Dickens’s “Nicholas Nicklebly”. Commas are use here far more frequently than you might find in the work of a modern writer like Robert Swindells or Louis Sachar.
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It needed a quick eye to detect, from among the huddled
mass of sleepers, the form of any given individual. As they
lay closely packed together, covered, for warmth’s sake,
with their patched and ragged clothes, little could be
distinguished but the sharp outlines of pale faces, over which
sombre light shed the same dull, heavy colour, with here and
there a gaunt arm thrust forth, its thinness hidden by no
covering, but fully exposed to view, in all its shrunken
ugliness.
Most of us would feel that the commas here INTRUDE a little into the writing but others would say that the commas HELP US UNDERSTAND the sentence more easily and that brings us to the last use of the COMMA
K. COMMAS TO AID UNDERSTANDING Don’t think that punctuation is some kind of torture that English teachers put you through just to make life difficult. It
really does serve a purpose because it helps us understand
what we read more clearly.
For instance, a comma can make all the difference to the meaning of a sentence. Look at the following sentences. Put commas in the sentences to change their sense - or to suggest different meanings. 1. According to Lisa James is the successful candidate.
2. He knows I think she’s pretty.
3. The prisoner said the magistrate is guilty.
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4. Stephen played on the
game becoming fast and
furious.
5. James waited for us to go shopping.
6. I drove to the beach with my brother and
my hamster in a cage.
7. He left us to watch “Eastenders.”
8. No children please.
9. David my son was on “Pop Idol.”
10. Ladies and gentlemen the Queen.
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APOSTROPHES There are 2 uses of the apostrophe
APOSTROPHES FOR OMISSION These indicate when/where a letter or letters have been left out of a word e.g.
I didn’t instead of I did not
It’s raining instead of it is raining
Usually the apostrophe stands for1 letter left out, but sometimes it is more than 1 e.g.
I shan’t =I shall not
I can’t = I can not
Rewrite the following sentences putting in the APOSTROPHES where needed 1. He hasnt seen me in ages 2. Isn’t it an amazing game? 3. We werent al all surprised by the score 4. I simply couldnt believe hed done it 5. Itll be good to be home again. Sometimes there is confusion over the following words which contain apostrophes
This is usually because they are very similar to other words in English.
THEY’RE
IT’S
WHO’S
Better Writing & Punctuation Booklet 5 Page 14 of 31 www.coleridgepress.com
THEY’RE is a shortened form of THEY ARE e.g.
They’re going to miss the train if they’re not careful.
Don’t confuse this with THEIR which means belonging to
them or THERE meaning place where or part of THERE IS or
THEREARE
Their boots were filthy after their walk.
Put that parcel down there for me.
I don’t think there is any point in visiting her if there are no
trains running that day.
IT’S is a shortened form of IT IS- the apostrophe stands
for the missing “T”
It’s ages since I saw Granddad.
Don’t confuse it with ITS meaning belonging to it.
The dog wagged its tail when it saw its owner.
WHO’S is a shortened form of WHO IS e.g.
Who’s knocking on the door?
Don’t confuse this with WHOSE which means belonging to whom e.g.
This is the girl whose brother won the award.
Now decide where to put APOSTROPHES FOR OMISSION in the following sentences. Put in any other punctuation necessary. 1. i shouldn’t do that if I were you
2. the city was celebrating its three hundredth birthday and
there were flags hung all along its streets
3. my neighbour whos sometimes a real
nuisance kept me talking for hours
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4. the blackbird lays its eggs on the ground
5. jenny whose friend was in hospital was very
upset
6. you werent to know that their house was empty when
they were on holiday
7. there was virtually no difference between the two
skateboards except their price
8. whos to know if we dont tell them?
9. if theyre coming to the show, I dont want to come as I
cant stand them
10. theres no need to catch the early train if theyre not
arriving until two o clock
11. you mustve noticed hed left the lesson before it was
over
12. haven’t I done enough to help you sobbed her mother
13. its quite clear to me you simply cant make up your mind
bethan exclaimed mrs briggs the french teacher
14. the little puppy was wagging its tail in greeting a very
pleasant sight to anna after her return from holiday
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APOSTROPHES TO SHOW POSSESSION This is a more difficult rule to grasp, but basically the rule is a follows: if there is one owner write the word for the owner place an apostrophe after it add “s”
ONE OWNER=APOSTROPHE BEFORE THE “S”
Jill’s bag A bird’s feather
The judge’s wig My husband’s car
Sometimes we leave out the wordt hat is being owned eg
The grocer’s is on the corner (ie the grocer’s shop)
I am going to Kayleigh’s after school (i.e. Kayleigh’s house)
Sam was going on a week’s holiday (i.e. the
holiday of a week/lasting a week)
In a fortnight’s time I’ll be back from Paris (i.e. in the
time of a fortnight)
If there is more than one owner so the word ends with an “S”, an apostrophe must be placed AFTER the final “S”
Write the plural word, ending with an “S” Place the apostrophe at the end of the word, after the final “s”
MORE THAN ONE OWNER=APOSTROPHE AFTER THE “S”
My brothers’ (plural) socks
The pupils’ (plural) work
The gardens’ (plural) fences
Now decide if you need to add APOSTROPHES and where
they ought to go in the following sentences.
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1. i had to take my sons football kit into school as he had
forgotten it
2. the girls hockey sticks were stored in the gym
3. his sons birthday was celebrated by the whole family
4. maria grabbed her dogs collar as he tried to run after
the ducks
5. my mothers birthday is on march the second
6. The kittens chased their tails until we all felt quite dizzy
7. The books cover was damaged which meant its value
was decreased
8. mrs sims collected in all her pupils coursework at the end
of the lesson
9. the schools in my area are tenford high and leabrook
comprehensive
10. jodies little brothers shoe had fallen off as mum was
pushing him in his pushchair
11. the recipes main ingredients were eggs, flour and
cheese
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IRREGULAR PLURALS
Most words in English make their plurals by adding “s” but
some don’t e.g. man=men child=children.
If there is plural ownership not ending in an”s”,
Write the word for the owner
Place an apostrophe after ir Add ”s”
The children’s faces lit up in delight.
The shop sold men’s clothes.
Now add apostrophes where needed to the following
sentences. Add any other punctuation needed too. 1. the horses riders were exhausted when they reached the
town
2. davids bedroom was a total mess
3. the headmasters decision was very unpopular
4. Its difficult to keep up with womens fashions
5. Ill meet you at jonathans after school
6. mrs mathews ran the chemists on the corner of our street
7. the citys inhabitants rioted in the street when they heard
the news
8. its all in a days work for superman
9. before I left the job I had to give two weeks notice
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10. the doctor ordered jake to take two weeks off after his
accident
NAMES ENDING WITH “S” When people’s names end with an “s” you have a choice.
EITHER
Write the word, put an apostrophe after it e.g.
James’ bedroom Keats’ poetry
OR
Write the word, put an apostrophe, then add “s” This rule only applies to NAMES. It doesn’t apply to common nouns ending in “s” or “ss” e.g.
You’ve torn the new atlas’s cover
The air hostess’s uniform was immaculate.
Put in the apostrophes (with “s” if needed) where necessary in the following sentences. 1. wilkinsons kick made englands fans erupt in delight
2. the eye witness account made up the jurys mind
3. jesus disciples followed him throughout his life
4. st pauls cathedral was rebuilt after the great fire of
London
5. julie borrowed marcus book to copy up the maths
homework
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6. the duchess servants were lined up outside the palace
ready to greet their mistress carriage
7. dickens last novel was unfinished
8. the beckhams photographs were on the front pages of
all the newspapers
9. thomas rugby boots were covered in mud from
tuesdays game,
10. The romans new leader was julius caesar
11. the head mistress study was being
redecorated so the governors had to have their meeting
in the English departments rooms
12. in one weeks time I shall expect you all to have finished
your assignments stated mr Thomas in wednesdays lesson
13. its been a hard days night and Ive been working like a
dog
(lennon and mccartney 1963)
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Lots of problems occur when APOSTROPHES are put in WHERE
THEY ARE NOT NEEDED
Watch out for these - they’re everywhere. They’re
wrong because:
No letters have been left out
No possession is indicated How many of the following use the APOSTROPHE correctly? Put a tick next to the ones that do and a cross by the incorrect ones 1. 2.
TOMATOES’ 40p per Kilo
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PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THE
CABBAGE LEAVE’S
3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
10.
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: COLONS : The colon tells the reader that something is coming, such as a list or a quotation.
George examined the contents of his pocket: two coins,
a packet of chewing gum, a train ticket and a screwed
up tissue.
One of the best known Shakespeare quotations is:
“To be or not to be, that is the question.”
In addition, you will find in play script the colon separating the character from the words they say e.g.
Sally: Why can’t you ever get anywhere on time?
Joe: Because my alarm clock doesn’t work.
A colon can also be used to divide one half of a sentence from another when the second half: Explains Expands Summarises the first half
Tom had only one rule for success in life: never mix
business with pleasure.
Maria’s mind was made up: she would apply for the job
right away.
Examples of his unreliability are all around: last week he
missed a vital meeting with our main client.
You can test if you are using the colon correctly if you think
of it as standing for the word NAMELY.
Try this out with the following examples. In which of them is the colon used correctly? Put a tick by the correct ones.
1. I sat down to watch television: the phone rang.
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2. When I start to bake a cake I need the
following: flour, margarine, sugar and a
baking tin.
3. There was only one explanation for it: the wiring must
have been faulty.
4. A storm had blown up overnight: trees had been
blown down and roof tiles lay scattered
everywhere.
5. Jane had three sisters: they all arrived at the door at the
same time.
; SEMI-COLONS; The semi - colon links equal statements e.g.
I am the semi- colon; I link equal statements
To use a semi colon correctly, each statement of either side of the semi- colon must be a sentence in its own right I is also used A semi- colon can be used to introduce contrasts e.g.
Elizabeth Bennett is her father’s favourite daughter: Jane, her
elder sister is the beauty of the family.
Even though you have been taught to use commas for lists, you need the semi –colon to introduce PHRASES in a list e.g.
Jill had numerous ideas for her holiday: sunbathing on a
popular beach on the Cost del Sol; white
water rafting in the Brecon Beacons: scuba
diving in the Caribbean; none of them
actually happened, however.
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Now punctuate the following sentences putting in ONLY Full stops Colons Semi-colons where you think they should go. 1. Kyle wondered whether he should visit Jamie in
hospital.
2. Andy had a good job at the factory his father was
Managing Director.
3. Reading is an education in itself it helps you
develop a wide vocabulary.
4. I want to emphasise this we all support your proposal.
5. It was mid- October the sun was shining there was a
feel of rain in the air.
6. Alison didn’t feel well she came to school however.
7. Kelly never liked dogs she preferred to own a cat.
8. It was a hot windy day but I still worked in the garden.
9. Although I have never been to Mexico I have always
wanted to travel.
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- HYPHENS/ DASHES The Hyphen is a short dash which links some compound words together (words that are made up of two parts) e.g.
semi-detached left –handed punch- drunk
It can also be used to add prefixes to words e.g.
Pre- nineteenth century anti- hunting
It can join different parts of surnames e.g.
Joan Hunter- Dunne Stratford – upon- Avon
It is sometimes used to make meaning more clear e.g.
twenty- odd people (not twenty odd people)
I am going to re-cover an old arm chair (not recover
an old armchair because it’s been lost!) Hyphen are used less frequently than they were and in many cases their use can be optional,
Dashes are longer than a hyphen and are used to show
an additional thought in a sentence e.g.
They were out without the children — the first time in
years.
Imagine it — forgetting your money when there were so
many bargains.
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Using dashes when you’re writing speech can suggest excitement or confusion e.g.
Put it down here – no, not there on the floor,
on the table. Wait — there’s not enough
room—on the bench will do. Now what did I
do with that tape measure?
Put hyphens or dashes where you think they are needed n the following sentences. All other punctuation has been done for you. 1. I wanted to show you the room no lets do this first
2. Jill’s results and they were outstanding were the talk of
the school.
3. The ice cold wind hit him immediately as he
stood in the drive trying to deice his windscreen.
4. I asked you to get a pint of semi skimmed milk at least
you could have made the effort!
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APOSTROPHES, COMMAS, SEMI - COLONS AND
HYPHENS
A. Put any APOSTROPHES needed (adding an “s” if
required) in the following sentences. All other punctuation has been put in.
1. He wouldn’t touch the plate of faggots and
mushy peas Id put in front of him.
2. I shant be able to keep a straight face when she asks me
if she looks nice.
3. Don’t you think you’ve done enough now?
4. It mustve been difficult getting time off for your
holiday in India.
5. Weren’t you surprised to hear from him?
6. Jack drove his fathers car into a ditch but luckily he
wasnt hurt.
7. The womens study group met on Thursdays at Sallys
mothers house.
8. The fire in the factory burned all the employees files.
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9. This stretch of the river is the salmons favourite haunt.
10. I like Mr. Jones lessons cos hes such a laugh.
B. Put any COMMAS where you think necessary in the
following sentences. All other punctuation has been put in for you.
1. He pulled out tomatoes pasta cheese onions and garlic
from his carrier bag.
2. Going on holiday means booking your hotel checking
your passport buying the currency if your
destination is abroad and packing your case.
3. Jill how many times do I have to tell you not to do that?
4. I rang Mary after lunch but she was out unfortunately.
5. The committee agreed to his proposal thank goodness,
6. After she had her eyes tested the optician said
she would need new glasses.
7. Whenever he went to his aunt’s house which
was in Dorchester he came home very depressed
because she was very ill.
8. Unless you tell me exactly what Jodie said I’m not going
to be your friend any longer Kim.
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9. He began his speech as he always did thanking
everybody for attending and complimenting the chef
who was his sister’s fiance incidentally on the meal they
had just eaten.
10. Naturally we didn’t speak to them another reason for
them to get very cross.
C. Put in any COMMAS, HYPHENS, COLONS or SEMI-COLONS
you think are necessary. All other punctuation has been done for you.
1. Men are from Mars women are form Venus.
2. Tim lived in a semi detached house in Manchester Cheryl
his sister shared a flat with student friend in Bournemouth.
3. In pre war Britain jobs were hard to come by many
people were unemployed.
4. I’ve left you my contribution to the jumble sale
some old clothes a stuffed giraffe seven
saucepans with odd lids and a broken toaster,
5. When Juliet says “Wherefore art thou Romeo” she is
not asking him where he is but why he has to be called
Romeo a name she hates.
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D. Now use all you have learnt about ALL punctuation and
punctuate the following passage. rain fell on the dirty wet rubbish strewn streets of
oxchester causing gutters to stream and cars to
splash past pedestrians matt trudged along the ill lit
street hands thrust into his pockets and coat collar up what
he couldnt understand was this why had jason left him out of
the team for saturdays game hed played amazingly well last
week scoring two of the three goals wasnt that good
enough admittedly hed been slow to get going narrowly
avoiding scoring an own goal in the fifth minute of play but
some of the other boys hadnt been much good either he just
couldnt understand it once he got to his brothers house (he
hoped theyd both be in) he would ring jason and ask him
outright why didnt I get picked for saturday
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