Punctuation
Punctuation is a collection of marks and signs which break words up into groups and give other useful information to help us write in a good way.
The most common punctuation marks are:
1. full stop . Shows the end of a sentence
2. comma , Shows a short pause in a sentence
3. exclamation mark ! Shows surprise, humour or excitement
4. question mark ? Used to denote a question
5. colon : Used before a list or before giving evidence to prove a point
6. semi-colon ; Shows a longer pause
7. speech mark “ ” Show direct speech/a quotation/to show irony/sarcasm
8. apostrophe ’ Shows a missing letter or possession
9. hyphen and dash - Can be used to show a pause, or to link two words
10. parentheses/brackets ( ) Used around an aside, or less important point
11. Capital letters are also used to help us organise meaning and to structure our writing.
To expand this lesson, go to:
Practice:
April 20
In order to start to write our project, we are going to analyze how a text is written. Let's continue with our model: Cleanup project.
1. Analyze the sections of the text
Each text has main sections; for example, introduction, description of a problem, solution.
Task: Check the Cleanup Project Website and identify each section of the Website. Which is the purpose of each section?
2. Analyze grammatical choices
Each text uses a range of verb tenses, word choices, or grammatical structures that correspond to the genre and purpose of it.
The following are some important tips to improve our writing skills. Please analyze each tip and do the proposed task.
Basic writing tips
Image retrieved from: http://mrsardon.blogspot.com.co/2013/06/chapter-7-be-efficient-and-integrate.html
When we write a composition, it is not enough to have good ideas or persuasive arguments.
It is important to express them correctly.
1. Word order: Subject + Verb + Object + Complements (manner - place - time)It is important to express them correctly.
I found the book easily at the library yesterday
Practice: https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/word-order/positive
2. Passive voice:
We use the passive for different reasons. We sometimes use it to give focus to something. We can also use it because we don’t know the identity of the ‘doer’ or because it’s not important to know who or what did the action. In addition, we use it to be impersonal and create distance.
We often use passives without agents in academic and technical contexts when the process or actions are more significant than who or what did them:
In this study, children’s eye movements were recorded while they listened to a series of messages.A sample was taken and injected into a tube.
Practice: https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passive
3. Time expressions can come at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.
Ex: I play tennis at weekends.
Nowadays I live in a small town.
Practice: https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/word-order/time-position
4. Don´t separate the verb from its object.
Practice: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/verb-patterns-with-and-without-objects
5. Frequency adverbs (often, always, never) often come before the main verb.
Practice: http://www.grammar.cl/Basic/Adverbs_Frequency.htm
6. If a sentence has a direct object and an indirect object, we often place the indirect
object first: "She wrote him a letter" ( "She wrote a letter to him", is possible).
Practice: http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-direct-indirect-object.php
7. Some nouns are always followed by a singular verb (everything, news, furniture, information ...)
Some nouns are followed by a plural verb (people, children, police, trousers ...)
Practice: https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/sub-verb.htm
Task to post in comments:
All these grammar topics are not only used in academic texts, you can also find them in literature. Read the Caterville ghost story in https://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/literature/canterville-ghost?part1 and analyze the main verb tenses (time) , word order, time expressions, passive voice, etc..
Write down in comments examples of each grammar topic found in the story
All these grammar topics are not only used in academic texts, you can also find them in literature. Read the Caterville ghost story in https://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/literature/canterville-ghost?part1 and analyze the main verb tenses (time) , word order, time expressions, passive voice, etc..
Write down in comments examples of each grammar topic found in the story
Activity prepared by Alejandra Jiménez and adapted by Deisa Gómez
Adriana Ordoñez
ResponderEliminarTASK
Problem and About sections (Cleanup Project Website):
Tense: The main tense is present simple
Style: The style of the website is impersonal
Level of formality: is very formal
Structures: use passive voice.
Lina María Jiménez
ResponderEliminar1. We have everything that money can buy (Subject + Verb + Object + Complements)
2. Blood has been spilt on that spot
3. Sir Simon disappeared seven years later
4. I don't want any blood-stains in my sitting-room (Transitive)
5. His body has never been found
6. I have therefore brought you this bottle of lubricator (direct: this bottle of lubricator, indirect: you)
7. All doubts about the existence of the ghost were finally removed (All doubts + were)
- the old woman smiled(subject+verb in past)
ResponderEliminar-“blood has been spilt on that spot.” passive voice
- A few weeks later, on a lovely July evening, Mr Otis, his wife and their children(time expressions)
tha last was me : Mauricio
ResponderEliminarPedro Pablo Lopez
ResponderEliminar1. I come from a modern country.
Subject: I
Verb: come
Object: this sentence do not have object.
Complement: from a modern country.
2.Was murdered on that spot by her husband.
3.Sir Simon disappeared seven years later.
The blood-stain is a tourist attraction now.
4.Mrs Otis saw a red stain on the floor.
Verb: saw
Object: a red stain
5.As the Canterville ghost had never seen another ghost before.
His body has never been found.
The frequency adverb in the sentences is never.
6.was not real, but only a white sheet which the twins had hung there to play a trick on him.
Or:
was not real, but only a white sheet which the twins had hung there to play on him a trick.
María Camila Jaramillo
ResponderEliminar1. Word order: I don't want any blood-stains in my sitting-room
*Subject: I
*Verb: don't want
*Object: any blood-stains
*Complements (place): in my sitting-room
2. Passive voice: "a secret door was opened in the wall"
3. Time expressions: "Four days later, a funeral started from Canterville Castle".
4. "They found the terrible stain of blood once again on the floor". (Transitive)
5. Frequency adverbs: “You have never told me what happened to you when you were locked up with the ghost.”
6. "Very upset the Canterville ghost went back to his chamber". (direct object: his chamber)
7. "However, the twins still played their tricks on him". (the twins + played)
Adriana Ordoñez
ResponderEliminar1. Verb Tenses:
Present:
- “I come from a modern country, where we have everything that money can buy” (come, have)
-"I am afraid something" (am)
- “That is all nonsense” (is)
-"Mrs Otis saw a red stain on the floor just by the fireplace" (saw)
- "but his ghost still haunts the Castle" (haunts)
Past:
- “When the American, Mr Otis, bought Canterville Castle, everyone told him that this was very foolish” (was, bought)
- “Virginia and the twins, went down to their new home.” (went down)
- “and a spooky stillness was in the air.”(was)
- “The old woman smiled and answered” (smiled, answered)
- " Sir Simon disappeared seven years later." (disappeared)
future:
- "stain remover will clean it up in no time,”(will clean)
2. Word order
-"I– (Subject)- come –(verb)- from a–(Object)- modern country, (Complement) where we– (Subject)- have –(verb)- everything –(Object)-that money can buy-(Complement)-”
-"I– (Subject)- am –(verb)- afraid something–(Object)-"
- “That– (Subject)- is –(verb)- all nonsense–(Object)-”
- "but his ghost– (Subject)- still haunts –(verb)- the Castle–(Object)-"
- “When the American, Mr Otis,– (Subject)- bought –(verb)- Canterville Castle,–(Object)- everyone told him that this was very foolish -(Complement)-”
- “Virginia and the twins,– (Subject)- went down –(verb)-to their–(Object)- new home. -(Complement)-”
- “and a spooky stillness– (Subject)- was –(verb)-in the air–(Object)-.”
- “The old woman – (Subject)- smiled and answered –(verb)-”
- " Sir Simon– (Subject)- disappeared –(verb)- seven years later.–(Object)-"
- "stain remover– (Subject)- will clean –(verb)- it up in no time,–(Object)-”
-"Mrs Otis– (Subject)- saw –(verb)- a red stain –(Object)- on the floor just by the fireplace"-(Complement)-
3. Time expressions
- “At eleven o'clock the family went to bed and some time after”
- “on Friday, the 17th of August, he tried to frighten the Otis family again.”
4. Passive voice
- “all doubts about the existence of the ghost were finally removed forever.”
5. Frequency adverbs
-" His body has never been found" (never)