Punctuation

What is punctuation?
 The English language has a system of symbols and signs known as ‘punctuation’
Why do we need punctuation?
 Punctuation shows us how to structure sentences and how each sentence should be
read.

1. FULL STOP.
Marks the end of the sentence.
For example
 Ricky went to the shop. He bought some sweets.

2. COMMA
A comma indicates a natural pause in a sentence or is used to separate items in a list.
For example
 Amanda went to her friend Sne’s house, she loves to go there.
 Adam bought apples, bananas, pears and grapes from the market.

3. QUESTION MARK
Question mark indicate the end of a question.
For example
 How are you?
 How long is the bus journey to Cape Town from Durban?

4. EXCLAMATION MARK
Exclamation mark marks the end of a dramatic statement or sentence.

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For example
 Stop!
 Don’t run into the road!

5. QUOTATION MARKS
Quotation marks indicates direct speech.
For example
 ‘’I love to read a book’’ said Zodwa.
 ‘’what did you do yesterday?’’ asked Lucy

6. PARENTHESES (ROUND BRACKETS)

Round brackets separate extra information from the rest of the sentences or add emphasis.
Commas can replace them without changing the sentence.
For example
 On the weekend I visit James (my best friend).
 Yesterday (Friday) was the last day of school.

7. SQUARE BRACKETS
Square brackets are used by the editor to indicate extra information.
For example
 The book states that ‘’when climbing it [mountain], it is important to be very safe’’.
8. SLASH
Forward Slash is used to indicate the word ‘’OR’’ and can be used to separate the day, month
and year.
For example
 Please explain to the lawyer when he/she arrives.
 The date today is 15/05/2023

9. HYPHEN
Hyphen is used to join words or to separate syllables in a word.
For example
 She is very self-confident.
 Her son is going to be four-year-old.

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 10. EN DASH
En dash indicate a period of time, range of numbers or distance.
For example
 She lived in London from 1992-2000
 The numbers range from 1-20
 The flight from Dubai-UK is very long.

11. EM DASH
The em dash is a long dash that can be used instead of a comma, colon or brackets. Thus adds
emphasis or enhances readability.
For example
 I can’t wait to see Amy-my best friend-on Sunday.
 My parents are visiting tomorrow- I have missed them so much.

12. ELLIPSIS POINTS

Ellipsis points indicate omitted words or to add effect to a sentence.
For example
 She walked into the shop… then walked straight back out. (words are mitted taken
out from a sentence).
 ‘’Sorry… I forgot my homework’’ said Adam. (pause for effect)

SIMPLE QUESTION

Simple questions are questions that require a YES and a NO answer.

This type of questions usually starts with a verb include auxiliary verb or modal verbs
Some of the example DO BE HAVE are
SHALL WILL CAN
MAY MIGHT MUST
The Question structure is [Auxiliary/ modal verb] + [subject] + [main verb] + [object/other
information] + ?.
For example

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  Is it snowing outside? Yes, it is snowing outside. Or Yes it is.
 Are you watching television? No or No I’m not.
 Have you seen my phone? Yes, or Yes I have.
So each of this questions require a YES or No answer.
If you have a sentence than you can rearranged the component to form a question.
For example
 It is snowing. (subject it) (the verb is). We can have rearranged this component to
form a question. (Is it snowing?) the verb comes up in the beginning of the question.
 They are singing. (subject they) (the verb is are) We can have rearranged this
component to form a question (Are they singing?) the verb comes up in the beginning
of the question.

Activity 3.

Choice Question
Questions you can answer in several different ways.
This type of question is commonalty made up of two parts joined in conjunction
For example
 Is she a doctor or a nurse? (there are different ways to answer this question) for
example I can say she is a nurse, or if she’s not a doctor or a nurse. I can say she is a
cleaner.
 Does he like apple or mangoes? I can either he likes apple or he likes mangoes or if
he likes something completely different I can say he likes bananas.
 Did she clean the house or did you? Again the are different ways to answer this (I did
or she did or we both clean the house.

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 Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct speech
Direct speech is also known as Quoted Speech.
It is saying exactly what the person has said.
Direct Speech uses quotation marks.
In Direct Speech the verb tenses do not change since we just copy what the person had said.
For example: I’m 12 years old. (let say it a girl) the direct sentence will be >> (She said, ‘’I
am 12 years old.’’) or you can say (‘’I am 12 years old.’’ She said.) the verb tense doesn’t
change.
Can you give me some food? (it a boy) the direct sentence will be >> (He said,
‘’Can you give me some food?’’) or ‘’Can
you give me some food?’’ he said
Get out! (Mrs Qwabe) the direct sentence will be >> (Mrs Qwabe
said ‘’Get out!’’) or (‘’Get out!’’ Mrs
Qwabe said)
We will have a vacation this summer. (It a the direct sentence will be >> (she said ‘’
girl) We will have vacation thus summer.’’) or
(We will have vacation this summer,’’ she
said )

Indirect speech
Indirect speech is also known as Reported Speech
It doesn’t use quotation marks.
What the person said doesn’t need to be word for word.
Indirect speech the verb tenses change.
For example: I am hungry (it a girl). the indirect sentence will be >> (She said (that) she was
hungry.) using (that) is optional you can use it or not. Or you can say (She said she was
hungry) if you notice the verb tense changed from am >>was.
I’m going to the bank (Amanda) the indirect sentence will be >> Amanda
said (that) she was going to the bank. Or
Amanda said she was going to the bank.
My teacher told me to study harder. Her teacher had told her to study harder.
Mom can’t attend my graduation. (Rickey) the indirect sentence will be >> Ricky said
(that) his mom couldn’t attend his
graduation.

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Exercise: Correct the wrong sentences.
 She said that ‘’she was watching TV.’’ (what wrong with this sentences?)
She said that she was watching TV. (this is a direct speech the cotation marks are
unnecessary)
 ‘’I will buy a new car Bob said’’
‘’ I will buy a new car,’’ Bob said (the contation marks should be at the start of the
sentence and after the word car.
 He said, Let’s watch the movie together.
He said, ‘’Let’s watch the movie together’’ (this is a direct speech we need to put
cotation mark from from let to end.
 His father told him that ‘’he had to take good care of his sisters’’
His father told him that he had to take good care of his sister. (this is indirect speech
so the cotation marks are not needed.
 ‘’The doctor told him’’ that he needs to rest.
The doctor told him that he needs to rest. (this is indirect speech so the cotations are
not needed.

Exercise 1: Change into indirect speech

Read the following sentences and convert them into indirect speech.
1. Rahul told to me, “When are you leaving?”
2. “Where do you live?” the stranger asked Aladdin.
3. The teacher said to Shelly, “Why are you laughing?”
4. Dhronacharya said to Arjun, “Shoot the bird’s eye.”
5. “Call the first convict,” said the jury.
6. “Call the ambulance,” said the man.
7. Bruce said to me, “I shall do the work.”
8. My mother said to me, “You were wrong.”
9. Mr Richard said to me, “Please wait here till I return.”
10. The captain said to me, “Bravo! You have played well.”
11. Raj said, “Alas! My pet died.”
12. Ruchi said, “I may go there.”
13. Bucky said to Steve, “Do you hear me?”
14. The boy said, “Let me come in.”

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 15. Granny said to me, “May God bless you.”

NEGATIVE FORM
We make negatives by putting not after the first part of the verb:
A negative sentence is a sentence that states that something is false. In English, we create
negative sentences by adding the word 'not' after the helping, verb.
Note: Generally, negative questions are used in Yes/No questions.
He is playing football. He is (not) playing football.
She was reading a book. She was (not) reading a book.
They have cleaned the house. They have (not) cleaned the house.
She will travel to Europe. She will (not) travel to Europe.

Sentences without a helping verb?

You need to come up with your own helping verbs (don’t, doesn’t or didn’t)
Ricky swims in the pool. Ricky doesn’t swim in the pool.
Amanda finishes her homework. Amanda didn’t finish her homework.

ACTIVITY 2.1
Write the following sentences into a negative form

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  She will not be watching TV.
 I will not call him as soon as possible.
 We will not overcome the problems.
 She had not been working all day so she was energetic.
 He had not been reading a book.
 I had not been cooking any meal when she came to my home.
 ``You have not been smoking.

QUESTION FORM

The formation of Questions — whether they are inquiries seeking information or requests for
a favour — is a little different from that of statements. Most Question Forms include question
words, subject-auxiliary inversion, or both.
Hello my name is Rickey.
 What’s your name?
 who are you?
 Where are you?
This are questions we can’t answer with a No or Yes question. We use this if we need to
find more information about something.
 Who? When asking about a person.
 What? Is used when asking for a specific information about something.
 Where? Is used when asking about a place or directions.
 When? Is used when asking about the time.
 Why? is used when we want an explanation or a reason of something.
 How? is used when we want to know about the way or manner which something is
9done

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  Which is used to ask about choice or to ask about a specific information.
 Whose? Is used to asked about position.
The question words always come in the beginning of sentence.

Notice how the voice goes up if you asking questions. So person will know it their chance to
speak or respond?

Question Question with question word

Are you late? Why are you late?
Was she there? When was she there?
Can I help? How can I help?
Have we met before? Where have we met before?

ACTIVITY 2.2
You starting a new school this year and you meet a new friend in your new school. Using
question form Who? What? When? Where? Why? and how? Have a conversation to get
know your new friend better.

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 QUESTION TAG

Question tags are short questions at the end of statements.

Tag questions turns a statement into a question.

Tag question come into the end of the statement.
It a small question that attached or tagged at the end of the sentence.
When we used a tag question we expect the lissioner to agree with our statement or to
confirm it.
The are two type of tag questions + Positive tag questions and –Negative tag questions.
 A negative statement is followed by a positive tag question.
 For example: She is not a teacher, is she? (She is not a teacher is a negative
statement) is she (a positive tag question)
 He can’t speak English, can he? (He can’t speak English is a negative statement)
(can he) is a positive tag question.
A positive statement is followed by a negative tag question.
For example
 She is a teacher, isn’t she? She is a teacher (positive statement) isn’t she (negative
question tag)
 He can speak English, can’t he? He can speak English (positive statement) can’t he
(negative question tag)
Those are general rules that you need to follow to form a tag question.
Note: however the are some exception when forming a tag questions.

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 Activity 2.3

Exercise 1 – Complete the sentences

Read the following statements and fill in the gaps using correct question tags.

1. Juhi is from Mumbai, ____?

2. We are late for the movies, ___?
3. Sam isn’t a good boy, ____?
4. I was wrong about this, ___?
5. Andrew was present at the school yesterday, ____?
6. You have done your homework, _____?
7. Please stop talking, ___?
8. I am afraid Tim is very sick, ____?
9. Sheena won’t mind if I use her book, ____?
10. The girl is playing the piano, ____?
11. Patrick will come to the seminar tonight, ____?
12. Rita never acts so rudely, ____?
13. Sam isn’t a student, _____?
14. It is very humid today, ____?
15. Laura is beautiful, _____?

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Answers for Exercise 1
1. Juhi is from Mumbai, isn’t she?
2. We are late for the movies, aren’t we?
3. Sam isn’t a good boy, is he?
4. I was wrong about this, wasn’t I?
5. Andrew was present at the school yesterday, wasn’t he?
6. You have done your homework, haven’t you?
7. Please stop talking, will you?
8. I am afraid Tim is very sick, isn’t he?
9. Sheena won’t mind if I use her book, will she?
10. The girl is playing the piano, isn’t she?
11. Patrick will come to the seminar tonight, won’t he?
12. Rita never acts so rudely, does she?
13. Sam isn’t a student, is he?
14. It is very humid today, isn’t it?
15. Laura is beautiful, isn’t she?

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