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Information
Capital Letters
Names of people always start with a capital letter.
Example: Chris, Surjit
Names of places always start with a capital letter.
Example: Italy, Canterbury, Paris
Names of months and days always start with a capital letter.
Example: January, Monday
Names of products and brand names always start with capital letters.
Example: Heinz, Walkers, Kelloggs, Persil, Mars
Names of festivals always start with a capital letter.
Example: Christmas Day, Divali
Names of nationalities always start with a capital letter.
Example: Australian, French
Titles of people always start with a capital letter.
Example: Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr
The letter „i‟ when we talk about ourselves is always a capital letter.
Example: I like coffee. I went out for a drink.
Sentences always begin with capital letters.
Example: This is good! It tastes really delicious.
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Exercise 1
Using Capital Letters
Using this information, write out the following words using capital letters where
required.
jason
boxing day
asia
college
computer
tuesday
dr smith
november
easter
anzac day
summer
work
Exercise 2
Punctuating Sentences
Now add in the capital letters and full stops to the passage below:
when i arrived home, i was really hungry i looked in the fridge but there was nothing to eat
i looked in the freezer but found nothing again, so i decided to get some fish and chips, a
bottle of pepsi max and a packet of potato chips
the next night, the same thing happened there was nothing to eat, so i went to the chinese
take away and had a pancake roll, sweet and sour pork and egg fried rice mr low was
there and he gave me a discount
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Information
Using Complete Sentences
A sentence needs a capital letter at the beginning and a full stop (.), question mark (?), or
exclamation mark (!) at the end.
Here are some examples of sentences:
She is walking.
Where are you going?
He is hungry.
Oh no you don‟t!
A sentence has to make complete sense.
How do we make sure that a sentence makes sense?
We do this by using the following parts of speech correctly.
NOUNS
A noun is a naming word.
There are four kinds of nouns:
a)
Proper nouns
A proper noun is the name of a particular person or object and it will always begin
with a capital letter.
Examples:
names of towns/cities (Auckland, Cairns, Darwin);
rivers (Amazon, Thames, Nile);
mountains (Everest, Mont Blanc);
countries (Australia, China, New Zealand);
people (John, Shareenah, Janice, Jai).
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b)
Common nouns
These are the names of animals and objects.
Examples: cat, owl, house, table etc.
c)
Collective nouns
This is the name given to a group of people or animals.
Examples: crowd, audience, congregation, herd, flock.
d)
Abstract nouns
An abstract noun is the name of a quality.
Examples: kindness, sympathy, evil.
PRONOUNS
A pronoun stands instead of a noun.
For example:
becomes:
Have you met Kate?
Have you met her?
For example:
becomes:
Phil and Sharon went to visit Amarjit and Mike last night.
They went to visit them last night.
VERBS
A group of words cannot be a sentence if there is no verb in it.
A verb is a doing word, a being word or a having word.
Examples:
I ran.
The boy eats his breakfast quickly.
I walked to catch the bus.
John is a boy‟s name.
It has snowed.
We were singing.
I have a pet dog.
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ADJECTIVES
An adjective tells us more about a noun. It helps to describe the noun.
Examples:
It is a cold day.
We have a large dog.
My car is dirty.
I have a small, brown dog.
ADVERBS
An adverb tells us more about a verb. It helps to describe the verb. It answers the
questions “Where?”, “When?” and “How?”.
Examples:
I looked everywhere for my book.
He ran quickly.
I cannot hear you now.
An interesting sentence will combine many of these parts of speech but the important
thing is that it makes complete sense on its own. Correct end-of-sentence punctuation
is needed to make sense of continuous text.
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Exercise 3
Complete Sentences
Look at the following lines of writing. Tick the ones you think are complete
sentences and put a cross against those which are not.
1)
The lesson I had was
2)
The tutor gave me an assignment
3)
It was about
4)
I had two weeks to finish it
5)
My parents and my tutor
6)
I was tired
7)
I could not help it
8)
The lesson started early
9)
I was late for
10) The tutor did not stay
Now write five complete sentences of your own.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Think carefully about the end of sentence punctuation.
Now check your answers with your tutor or the answer sheet. If you need to do
more work on sentences ask your tutor for some more exercises to practise.
Some exercises follow, on using correct end of sentence punctuation.
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Information
Question Marks and Exclamation Marks
A question mark or an exclamation mark is used instead of a full stop at the end of a
sentence.
Question marks
The name “question mark” explains itself. Put it at the end of any sentence which asks a
question.
The question may be short:
It may be long:
Why?
Why not?
Who?
What?
If I eat the apples before they are ripe, are you sure that I
will get the tummy-ache?
-
but in every case you need a question mark at the end.
Examples:
When do you have to go?
Do you know him?
Did you win?
Each of these sentences asks a question. Therefore it ends in a question mark instead of
a full stop.
Exclamation marks
An exclamation mark at the end of sentence helps the reader to put the right stress, or
feeling, into the words he or she reads. Often they have to be said with surprise or
excitement.
Examples:
Shut up!
Just wait till I get hold of you!
You can’t go!
Don’t shout!
John has broken three eggs today!
Don’t drink that – you’ve had six bottles already!
I never saw such an enormous house in all my life!
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Exercise 4
Question Marks
Six of the following ten sentences need question marks. Which are they?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
What is the date
Is it time you went to school
There is pizza for supper
He had seen it, hadn‟t he
Julie is nowhere to be found
Where does that lead to
He wonders what they are discussing
Is that the absolute truth
The fire is out of control
Do you know what time it is
Make up five questions each beginning with one of the following:
1) Who
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2) What
3) Why
4) When
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5) How
Exercise 5
Exclamation Marks
Which of these sentences could end with an exclamation mark?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Clear off
Have a cup of tea, Jane
What a beautiful day
I’ve had my tea, thanks
I wonder what his name is
Don’t drop that video recorder
There is the new chip shop
I like a quiet evening by the fire
Run
He’s killed the lecturer
Exercise 6
Question Marks and Exclamation Marks
With a coloured pen, write the correct punctuation marks in the brackets
1)
I wonder what the Greek Islands are like ( )
2)
Do you know what the blouse is made of ( )
3)
It is absolutely rotten ( ) Is it really ( )
4)
She has done nothing that you asked her to do ( )
5)
Good heavens, he is nowhere to be found ( )
6)
Ask her where the train is going to ( )
7)
“What is all this about ( )” asked the teacher ( )
8)
“Help ( ) help ( )” came the cry from the pit ( )
9)
“Why do some people make such a fuss ( )” asked Graeme ( )
10) Where have you put my money ( ) Give it to me immediately ( )
11) “One woman one vote ( ) One woman, one vote ( )” they yelled as they marched
through Wellington.
12) Where are the gloves that auntie gave you for Christmas ( )
13) It is made of plastic, isn’t it ( )
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Exercise 7
! ? .
Replace the asterisks with an exclamation mark, question mark or full stop.
1)
Be careful* It’s going to collapse*
2)
I wonder whether he’s as clever as he says he is*
3)
Do you know if she’s as famous as she claims to be*
4)
Where can I find the instructions for this kit*
5)
Which days of the week do you go shopping*
6)
It can’t be true* What an amazing stroke of luck*
7)
Why have they boycotted the World Cup*
8)
Well done* That really is unbelievable*
9)
What a pity* There’s no reason for it*
10) How are you ever to achieve a qualification when you never study*
Information
Commas
The main uses are:
to mark a pause in a sentence and make it easier to read and understand
e.g. He can’t come, I’m afraid.
to divide items in a list
e.g. Bring your mother, father, brother and sister.
to separate part of a sentence which gives information but is not vital to
make it make sense.
e.g. The car, so they tell me, is rusting away.
1)
Marking a pause in a sentence to make the sentence easier to read and
understand
When you read out a passage of English, you pause at the full stop which ends
each sentence. You also make shorter pauses within each sentence to make the
meaning clearer. These shorter pauses are marked by commas.
Examples:



2)
Remember, he will be wearing a pink carnation.
I didn’t enjoy the cake, but I’m not sure why.
“Arthur, bring some oil please.”
In lists
When you write a list of short items, you should put a comma after each one.
Example:

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He carried some oranges, apples, a ball of string and some marbles.
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Notice that there is usually no comma before the final and. However, if the final
part of the sentence is quite long or complicated, it is sometimes acceptable to put a
comma in front of the „and’.
Example:

3)
They had spent all morning preparing for departure by packing the car,
checking the windows, watering the plants, and even though they had been
working for several hours were still not ready by lunchtime.
In pairs
Sometimes commas act as markers or brackets, separating extra information in the
middle of a sentence.
Example:
1)
I saw a tractor, a relic of the old farm, left to go rusty.
and
2)
(the tractor was) “a relic of the old farm”.
This is made up of two statements, (1) I saw the tractor left to go rusty (2) (the tractor
was) a relic of the old farm. The second statement can be placed in the middle of
the first, without confusion, by putting a comma before it and after it.
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Exercises
8
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8 - 11
Using Commas
Read the sentences and place the commas where they are needed.
If you go out take your hat with you.
Look there’s a path along the cliff edge.
When the bell rings bring the coffee and biscuits.
Although there was a shortage we always had enough.
Search under the car behind the door and in the garage.
She arrived but didn’t stay long.
Girls get a couple of badminton rackets.
9
Read these sentences and insert commas where they are needed.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
We were late as you might well imagine.
I don‟t think that was kind do you?
Mow the grass clean the windows and take the dog for a walk.
Holders of vouchers are allowed in free the attendant told me.
So that we would believe him he showed us his driving licence.
He brought his dog a cocker spaniel.
10
Insert the commas where they are needed in these sentences.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
The governors headteacher and pupils invite you to the school concert.
Chop up your carrots onions parsnips and celery.
The packet contained black purple blue green and orange sweets.
Books photographs paper maps and clothing were strewn all over the room.
Wine spirits perfume cigarettes cigars and tobacco were all sold in the duty free
shop.
11
A pair of commas would be appropriate in each of these sentences, indicate
where.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
The nightwatchman hearing a strange noise rushed to investigate.
Some people I must admit much prefer red to blue.
Autumn season of falling leaves is past.
He ran he asserted fifteen kilometres at least.
It is the right time of the season so I am told to sign new players.
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Self Test
Exercise 12
Rewrite these passages adding commas where needed.
The team’s captain Zoe Brown is an outstanding performer. She is an enthusiastic
player a good leader and a likeable girl. She knows when to urge her team on
when to encourage them and when to reprimand them. In the match last Sunday
which was played against a strong side Zoe led her players to victory.
When she turned back to the window she raised herself on one elbow and removed
her quilt. She saw the ghost take some keys from his pocket. He began to work on
the lock to the safe ripping out the woodwork below it. Just as he tore the last
board loose the safe fell on to the floor with a thud. The door of the safe shot open
and golden coins spilled out. The ghost squatted and pulled more coins of gold and
silver from the safe. Then he began to put the coins in piles counting in a hoarse
voice. She began to have doubts about this ghost.
Exercise 13
Write out the following sentences, clearly punctuated, adding commas where
needed.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
The postman visited Oaktree Road Beech Avenue and Poplar Street.
His hobbies are collecting old cars new stamps ginger jars and beer mats.
His grandmother they tell me is a unique character.
That’s true in some instances according to the rules but not in others.
“Upstairs” Jane murmurs and mutters in her sleep.
She has taken just a few personal things – toothbrush toothpaste and cleansing
cream.
7)
David like everyone else is wearing jeans and a polo-neck shirt.
8)
You are not if you don’t mind me saying so too good a singer.
9)
My grandmother who died recently at the age of ninety-one was a life-long activist in
the Mothers’ Union.
10) The man watched her and when she was quieter he pulled her towards him and
swam with her towards the bank.
11) They forgot why the child once so quiet had turned so nast
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Information
The Omissive Apostrophe (shortening words)
The apostrophe looks like this ’.
The apostrophe is used to cut words and make them shorter.
For example:
could not is cut or shortened and becomes couldn’t.
we have is cut or shortened and becomes we’ve.
The apostrophe goes where the letters have been missed out when you join the 2 words
together. Its use is a sign of informal writing. The shortened form of these words should
not be used in more formal writing.
Exercise 14
Omissive Apostrophe
See if you can put the apostrophes where they belong in the sentences below. The
words you need to shorten are underlined.
1)
I could not understand the work I had to do for my assignment.
2)
My friend said to me, “Do not be late for tea.”
3)
We have decided not to go on holiday this year.
4)
If you revise for your exams, you will do well.
5)
I will not forget what has happened.
6)
I was not happy with the service I received.
7)
You are the right person for the job.
8)
The job is good but it is a long way from home.
9)
After thinking long and hard, I have decided to leave college.
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Information
Other Punctuation
Not all texts use complete sentences.
Different purposes require different forms of the written word.
For example lists may require a slightly different format and, therefore, different
punctuation to make the purpose clear.
Examples:
Things to remember for Sunday’s hike:
-
walking boots;
waterproof clothing;
spare socks;
hot drink in a thermos;
sandwiches;
sugary snack;
warm hat.
Note: the colon ( : ) before the list and the use of dashes ( - ) before each item in the
vertical list. Bullet points (  ) or something similar could have been used instead of the
dashes.
There is a full stop at the end because the introductory comment and the list together
make a complete sentence. Semi colons are used within the list.
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Exercise 15
Punctuating Texts Which Are Not Sentences
Rewrite the following text, which is not a complete sentence, so that the meaning is
clearer for the reader.
TV programmes to tape next week Monday Friends 4.30 Neighbours 7.30 Tuesday The
Simpsons 6.30 Wednesday Neighbours 7.30 Heroes 9.00 Thursday Law and Order 10.30
Friday Neighbours 7.30 Saturday Seinfeld not sure what time you’ll need to look it up.
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