VB035/11
Discuss the difference between the following words:
Confront vs dispute
Integrate vs merge
Interfere vs intervene
Consistent vs coherent
Moderate vs average
Empathize vs sympathize
PUNCTUATION: A GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Look at these examples. Fill the gaps in sentences 1 to 4, and add the necessary punctuation to
sentences 5 to 10.
Apostrophes
1 If she’s your aunt, she’s either your _______________ or your _______________.
2 He was born in ‘79 and left school in _______________.
3 It’s important to distinguish between _______________ (it is) and _______________ (apostrophe)
Commas
4 My three favorite film stars are: _______________ _______________ and _______________ .
5 When commas are used it makes a long sentence easier to read doesn’t it?
6 When the film was over we stayed in our seats watching the final credits.
BUT notice the lack of commas here:
Why didn’t you tell me if you enjoyed the show?
The film which we saw yesterday was very enjoyable.
He said that he had enjoyed the show.
Colons ( : )
I thought it was a good film: the photography was marvelous, the acting was good and the story was
exciting.
In the words of the song: ‘There’s no business like show business.’
7 There are four members of my family my mother and father my sister and me.
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Quotation marks ( “ ” ‘ ’ ) can be either single or double.
‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ was a scarier film than ‘Rambo’.
Rambo is a “human war machine” as his colonel observes.
I was feeling ‘down’.
Should it be ‘a university’ or ‘an university’?
“What a lovely day!” he exclaimed. “I feel like taking the day off.”
8 Well that’s all thank you very much ladies and gentlemen the lecturer said at the end of the lecture
Does anyone have any questions?
Semi-colons ( ; ) are used as a kind of ‘weak’ full stop or ‘strong’ comma in formal writing; in
informal writing a dash is often used instead.
It was a hilarious story; everyone enjoyed it enormously.
9 ‘Barton Fink’ was a wonderful film the director was Joel Coen.
A dash ( – ) is used to add an afterthought - sometimes. However, do not confuse a dash ( – ) with a
hyphen! ( - )
It was an excellent film – apart from the violence.
10 ‘Fargo’ was a great film we all enjoyed it.
Read this film review and add punctuation if needed: commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, etc.
A Nightmare on Elm Street made one experienced journalist scream with terror at the preview
screening I went to. The noise frightened me more than the film itself written and directed by Wes
Craven an ex professor of humanities. Its all very spooky but not at all bloody says Wes of this teen
orientated horror film which has a ghostly and ghastly murderer attacking the children of Elm Street
not in their waking hours but in their dreams. John Saxon and Ronee Blakley dont believe all this and
he a policeman goes looking for a real madman. But we know better and so does Heather
Langenkamp as their daughter. Langenkamp apparently known in America as the worlds most
promising Scream Queen screams louder than the journalist I just cringed. I think Craven has done
better though one has to admit that its a good idea followed through with efficiency and state of the
art special effects. Perhaps my trouble was that I wanted the Evil One to win. I cant stand those awful
kids.
The original review was in FOUR separate paragraphs. Decide where to insert the paragraph
breaks.
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C) Explain the differences in meaning between the sentences in each group:
1
He likes his sister’s friends and colleagues.
He likes his sisters’ friends and colleagues.
He likes his sisters, friends and colleagues.
2
Her brother, who works in America, is a film extra.
Her brother who works in America is a film extra.
3
Rambo was dreadful.
“Rambo” was dreadful.
4
I don’t watch television – much!
I don’t watch television much.
5
They said it was marvelous.
They said it was marvelous!
They said it was marvelous!!
They said it was marvelous...
They said, “It was marvelous.”
They said it was marvelous...