Transcript Punctuation II

Punctuation II
The Question Mark
• A direct question is followed by a question
mark.
– Where did you put the sheet of data?
• But not an indirect question
– He asked me where we put the sheet of data.
The Exclamation Point
• Use an exclamation point to express exceptional
feeling.
– We have done all of this work for nothing!
– The solution to the problem was right in front
of us all the time!
• Use an exclamation point for special emphasis.
– Keep away from the boiling water!
– Do not touch that specimen!
Exercise 1
Although I am generally rational, I am superstitious I
never walk under ladders or put shoes on the table If I
spill the salt, I go into frenzied calisthenics picking up
the grains and tossing them over my left shoulder I
know that not putting a hat on the bed comes from the
time when head lice were common and you didn’t
want them in your bed Would I put a hat on my bed
now Wow Do you think I’m crazy
The Dash
• Use a dash to set off parenthetical material that
needs emphasis.
– Everything that went wrong - from the leaking
faucet to the broken window - was blamed on
our negligence.
– All the details of our research - even the
timing, the equipment, and the material - are
included in the study plan.
• Use a dash to set off an appositive that
contains commas.
– In a rural area the basic needs of living - food,
clothing, and shelter - are less expensive than
in a large city.
Unless there is a specific reason to use the
dash, do not use it in scientific writing.
Unnecessary dashes make writing choppy.
The semicolon
• Use a semicolon to connect major sentence elements of
equal grammatical rank. Use a semicolon between
closely related independent clauses not joined with a
coordinating conjunction.
– I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor; rich is better.
– Love is blind; envy has its eyes wide open.
– When I was a boy, I was told that anyone can become
president; I’m beginning to believe it.
• Use a semicolon between independent
clauses linked with a transitional expression.
(The transitional expression can be a conjunctive
adverb or a transitional phrase.)
– Conjunctive adverbs are:
accordingly, also, besides, however, instead,
nevertheless, meanwhile, subsequently.
– Transitional phrases are:
after all, as a result, at the same time, for example,
in addition, in conclusion.
– We were told that the main road was blocked; however,
we decided to try it.
– They will not go to school today; instead, they will have
a filed trip.
– We studied English writing very carefully; as a result,
we can write well in English.
– Our car had a flat tire; in addition, we ran out of gas;
consequently, we were late for the meeting.
• Use a semicolon between items in a series
containing internal punctuation.
– Classic science fiction sagas are Star Trek,
with Mr. Spock and his large pointed ears;
Battlestar Gallactica, with its Cylon Raiders;
and Star Wars, with Han Solo, Luke
Skywalker, and Darth Vader.
• Avoid abuses of the semicolon
– Unless you water the newly planted flower soon[;], the
roots will dry out.
(between a subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence)
– Another delicious dish is the chef’s special[;], a roasted
duck rubbed with spices and stuffed with rice.
(between an appositive and the word it refers to)
– Some favorite film starts have homepages on the web[;],
John Travolta, Brad Pitt, and Emma Thompson.
(to introduce a list)
– Five of the applicants had worked with spreadsheets[;],
but only one was familiar with database management.
(between independent clauses joined by and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet)
Exercise 2
• The researchers tried to work all night but they fell asleep.
• If an animal does something we call it instinct if we do the same
thing we call it intelligence.
• I remember when he couldn’t write his own name now he’s a
journalist.
• The people in the line who managed to get tickets were very happy.
• The Republic of China consists of the island of Taiwan and island
161 km off the Asian Mainland in the Pacific two off-shore islands
Kinmen (Quemoy) and Matsu and the nearby islets of the
Pescadores chain.
The Colon
• Use a colon between independent clauses
if the second summarizes or explains the
first.
– Faith is like love; it cannot be forced.
– Smiling confidently, the young man stated his
major goal in life: he aimed to be chairman of
the company before he was thirty.
• Use a colon after an independent clause
to direct attention to a list, an appositive,
or a quotation.
– The daily routine should include at least the following:
twenty keen bends, fifty sit-ups, fifteen leg lifts, and
five minutes of running in place.
– Consider the words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not
what your country can do for you; ask what you can
do for your country.”
• Use the colon after the introduction in a business
letter.
– Dear Sir or Madam:
• Use the colon in indicating time of day.
– 5:30 p.m.
• Use the colon in expressing a ratio.
– The ratio of women to men was 2:1.
Avoid abuses of the colon. A colon must be
preceded by a full independent clause.
• Avoid using it between a verb and it object:
– Some important vitamins found in vegetables are
[:] vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, and Vitamin C.
• Avoid using it between a preposition and it
object.
– The heart’s two pumps each consist of [:] an
upper chamber, or atrium, and a lower chamber,
or ventricle.
• Avoid using it after such as, including, or
for example.
– The trees on our campus include many fine
Japanese specimens such as [:] black pines,
ginkgoes, and weeping cherries.
– We have reviewed our writing carefully,
including [:] spelling, grammar, and
punctuation.
The Apostrophe
• Use an apostrophe to indicate that a noun
is possessive.
– The children’s money
– The professor’s briefcase
– The hostess’s party
– Joyce and Greg’s new camper
– John’s and Mary’s expectations are different.
• Form the possessive of plural nouns that end in s
by adding ’.
– both diplomats’ briefcases
– the birds’ wings
– The specimens’ numbers
• Do not use an apostrophe with a possessive
pronoun.
–
–
–
–
its own conference room
whose technique
The book is yours, not ours.
The disks are his, not mine.
Exercise 3
• Some examples of reptiles are : lizards, snakes, crocodiles,
and turtles.
• Albert had a major role in life never eat anything larger than
your head.
• The equipment in our laboratory includes instruments such
as microscopes dynamometer analytical equipment and
strain measuring devices.
• In a democracy, anyones vote counts as much as mine.
• The puppy’s favorite activity was chasing it’s tail.
• The instructors laboratory manuals have been updated with
the latest information.
Le parc japonais
est beau et calme
Ritsurin Park,
Takamatsu
La fille japonaise
est belle mais bavarde