Using Colons and Semi-Colons The most common punctuation marks in English are probably the period and the comma. However, good writing in English will usually make use of the colon and the semi-colon. Although these look similar and have similar names, their functions are completely different. This page will explain the functions of the colon and the semi-colon. 1. The colon A colon consists of two dots, one above the other: The colon is often used to introduce a list of items. You will need to bring three things to the party: some food, something to drink, and a small gift for the hostess. This sentence contains a list of three items. I'll tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to quit! "Elephant (noun): a large grey mammal found in Africa and India." 2. A semi-colon consists of a comma with a dot above it: The semi-colon is often used to join together two independent clauses — in other words, it joins two clauses that could be sentences. Mary drives a Mercedes; Joanne drives a Chevrolet.
The true story of 'true' - Gina Cooke Etymology is an area of linguistic science; it's the study of the origin of words and the ways in which their meanings and usages have changed over time. The etymology of a specific word traces the historical development of its meaning. Etymological study relies on attested forms -- that is, words as they were attested in writing throughout history. Because of this reliance on attested (written) forms, the study of English etymology helps explain why some words are written the way they are. While many dictionaries include etymological information along with other aspects of a word, like pronunciation, definitions, and examples, not all do. Some dictionaries are exclusively etymological, including the Online Etymology Dictionary, an excellent resource for learning more about word origins. Etymology is a major consideration in the word studies and spelling questions investigated on LEX: Linguist~Educator Exchange, a website dedicated to bringing language science to the language arts.
Apostrophes and How to Use Them Please feel free to print and distribute this material if you find it is useful. This work is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Apostrophes are probably the most misused punctuation marks in contemporary written English. When used correctly, they enhance language by providing extra information in a sentence to better convey your meaning. When not used correctly, they can muddle your message and irritate pedants like myself. It is not widely known that there is an international siblinghood that takes note of these things and applies harsh, but just, measures when serial offenders are identified. There are two primary situations when apostrophes are used. Ownership When two words are linked through one having some sort of ownership over another the apostrophe indicates this. The girl's cat killed an alarming number of small native birds. The girl owns a cat. Using Apostrophes with Singular and Plural Words Abbreviations (Contractions)
Real-Life Scenarios for Teaching the Bill of Rights Social Education 58(3), 1994, pp. 169-170 National Council for the Social Studies Donald Wasson The adult male inmate population at a maximum security correctional center is a logical if difficult audience for effective lessons about the Bill of Rights. For these students especially, useful study must go beyond the rote memorization of facts and figures. It is not enough to know that the Eighth Amendment is concerned with cruel and unusual punishment. The student must know what a cruel punishment is. Are thumbscrews legal? Choosing Topics for Scenarios Once incarcerated, the only opportunity the adult inmate typically has to observe and examine rights and privileges is through television and movie dramas. The scenarios I use are designed to change some of the inmates' negative attitudes toward constitutional law and bring its precepts into focus. The two scenarios I have chosen to discuss center on the following two questions: 1. I then present students with this scenario:
Terminal Points -- The Punctuation Guide The general rule is that a sentence ends with only one terminal punctuation mark. There are three options: Period Question mark Exclamation point There are enough exceptions to this general rule, however, to warrant the following chart, which shows nearly all of the scenarios you are likely to face. Most authorities, including The Chicago Manual of Style, have traditionally rejected any situation where a question mark and an exclamation point both appear at the end of a sentence, even when such usage was logical. End of sentenceSentence is a statementSentence is a questionSentence is anexclamationRule: Keep the period for the abbreviation; do not add an additional period. Punctuation The sentence and the full stop The full stop is the most important punctuation mark. It shows the end of the sentence. For example: The first schools in what is now British Columbia were established by the Hudson's Bay Company in about 1853 on Vancouver Island. Try this exercise: Exercise 1 The comma The comma is the most important punctuation mark after the full stop. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. Recently, the number of service enterprises in wealthier free-market economies has grown rapidly. Subsequently, the aircraft underwent numerous design changes before it was incorporated into the Type 4 jet aircraft. To visit his brother, he drove through the night. After dinner, he walked around the town. Although it might seem highly unlikely, there are considerable similarities between the male and female body. Similar feelings influenced middle-class shareholders and directors, too. When the activity of our kidneys is considered, a bed-time drink does not waken us by filling our bladders during the night. 2.