Learning more about English
CUsing punctuation When to use capital letters APITAL letters are used: to begin a new sentence. For proper nouns and proper adjectives. For example: Charles Dube, Bulawayo, Mgoqo Primary School, Orange River, Red Sea, Leander Avenue, Apostolic and Table Mountain. For the months of the year, days of the week and festivals. For example: August, Wednesday, Christmas and Diwali. For titles: Examples: Dr
Maphosa, Sergeant Ralph and State President. For the first word in direct speech. For example: The teacher said, “Next week I will give you a test on adjectives”. To begin words which refer to God: Our Father, Him and His. For the important words in the titles of books: et cetera. For example: Things Fall Apart. For certain kinds of abbreviations: For example: SPCA, ZBC, PTA and UK.
Using commas: “Robert my best friend plays soccer cricket tennis chess and hockey which might be some kind of record.” Commas help us to avoid sentences like the one in quotes by telling the reader when to pause briefly: Robert, my best friend, plays soccer, cricket, tennis, chess and hockey for our school, which must be some kind of record.
Look at this sentence: “I’ve come for the teacher’s books.” Apostrophes are used (i) to show who the owner is (the teacher’s books) and (ii) to show that certain words have been shortened (I’ve is short for I have).
Apostrophes are used to show possession. The old man’s bicycle. She went to collect her mother’s prescription. Without the apostrophe, we should have to write awkward sentences. When the owner is indicated by a singular noun, add -’s. Also add -’s if the plural noun does not end in -s. For example: the sister’s orders and the children’s ward.
Rewrite the following phrases as shown in the example. The chart of the patient – the patient’s chart. (a) the diagnosis of the surgeon (b) the drill of the dentist (c) the pills of Diana (d) the car of Dr Ndlovu (e) the wounds of the victim (f) the actions of the firemen. When the owners are indicated by a plural noun, ending in -s, add only the apostrophe. For example: The class’ charts and the doctors’ surgery.
Rewrite the following phrases as shown in the above examples: (a) the injuries of the players (b) the experiments of the scientists (c) the gowns of the surgeons (d) the duties of the orderlies € the training of the matrons (f) the van of the paramedics.
Apostrophes are also used to shorten words. Consider this situation: “I am sorry but your spots have not cleared up and you will have to stay in bed until you are better”. We are told that in English we often join and shorten certain words to form a new word, which is easier to use, especially in speech. The above doctor would probably have said: “I’m sorry, but your spots haven’t cleared up and you’ll have to stay in bed until you’re better.”
The apostrophes show where letters have been left out. Which letters have been left out in the above sentence? Try the following exercises. Which letters have been left out of the following words?. I’ve, can’t, it’s, you’re, he’s, we’ve, don’t, and you’ll.
Write the shortened form of the following words, using the apostrophe. –would not, he has, we shall, shall not, what is, who has, there are, there is, have not. Write the following words out in full: won’t, shouldn’t, who’s, doesn’t, isn’t, I’d, hasn’t, I’ll, they’ve, didn’t, mustn’t and who’ll.
Remember the following points about sentences. Here are four main types of sentences: 1. Statements: for telling something 2. Questions: which we use to ask for an
answer. 3. Commands: to give instructions or make requests 4. Exclamations: which express surprise, shock, anger and other strong feelings.
Identify each of the following types of sentences and say which punctuation mark you would use at the end (a) Have you read today’s paper (b) We have soccer practice this afternoon (c) Ouch, that hurt (d) Open your book at the first page (e) How many times do I have to call you (f) Look out, it’s going to crash
Parts of sentences: James kicked the ball. A sentence like this, has two main parts; a naming part and a doing part. The naming part tells us who or what did the action, and the doing part tells us what was done. In the above sentence, James is the naming part and kicked the ball is the doing part. The naming part is called the subject and the doing part is called the predicate. The predicate always contains the verb. Subject (James) + predicate (kicked the ball) = a sentence.
The subject — To find the subject of a sentence, ask who? Or what? Before the doing word (verb) Who kicked the ball? James. Once you have found the subject, the rest of the sentence is the predicate.
For views link with charlesdube14058@ gmail.com/ or sms to 0772113207.