A Basic A Basic Spelling Spelling & & Punctuation Punctuation Review Review An English/Reading An English/Reading Mini-Workshop to Mini-Workshop to Help Student Support Help Student Support Services (SSS) Services (SSS) Participants Improve Participants Improve their English their English language skills language skills
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A Basic A Basic SpellingSpelling & & PunctuationPunctuation
ReviewReview
A Basic A Basic SpellingSpelling & & PunctuationPunctuation
ReviewReview
An English/Reading An English/Reading Mini-Workshop to Help Mini-Workshop to Help
Student Support Student Support Services (SSS) Services (SSS)
Participants Improve Participants Improve their English language their English language
skillsskills
Some Basic Usage Problem Areas
• Spelling ErrorsAbbreviation
Word division Capitalization HomonymsContractions
• Punctuation Errors
Why not just tell the whole world that I
have problems?
Why is it important to pay attention to spelling or
punctuation usage?
• To write clear Standard American English (SAE) messages.
• To meet proofreading expectations of and communication demands on college writers.
• To meet your personal writing standards or your need to write well in your academic, business and personal lives.
• To teach you to assess and evaluate your own writing strengths or deficits.
Supplemental Study Material and Optional
Practice Exercise 1
• Carefully read the supplemental study materials (“Proofreading Tips”), if they are supplied to you. If you do not have the supplements, don’t worry. Continue to next slide.
• See if you can locate at least four errors on the page.
Back to Basic Back to Basic GrammarGrammar
Back to Basic Back to Basic GrammarGrammar
First, First, Spelling.Spelling.
Spelling RulesPut i before e Except after c
Or when it sounds like a As in neighbor or neigh.
Examples:Line 1:mischief (i before e)Line 2:receiver (except after c) Line 3:weight (as in neigh)
Spelling Rules (Cont.)“There are two kinds of suffixes, those that begin with a vowel and those that begin with a consonant. [Usually] spelling problems . . . occur with vowels.”
Review the list.When you use the wrong homonym, you change the entire
meaning of a sentence.
Practice Examples (Which ones are correct and why?):
(1)It’s time that people stop fighting.
Its time that people stop fighting.
(2)The cat hopped because it’s paw hurt.
The cat hopped because its paw hurt.
(3)Their heads appeared pointed and large.
There heads appeared pointed and large.
They’re heads appeared pointed and large.
Spelling Rules – Capitalization
Unless rules of capitalization are followed, a word can contain all of the correct alphabets in the correct order, yet still be wrongly spelled.
• The names of holidays are capitalized (Christmas, Valentine’s Day).• The names of the months of the year and the days of the week are capitalized
(January, Monday).• The names of countries and continents are capitalized (United States, Antarctica).• When you write the name of a particular avenue or street, capitalize the words
avenue and street (Fifth Avenue, Oak Street).• The abbreviations Mr., Mrs. and Ms. are always capitalized and followed by a period
(Mr. Smith, Mrs. Woods, Ms. Day). • The names of deities are capitalized (God, Allah, Buddha, Saviour).• The word republican is capitalized when it refers to the Republican party (The
Republicans won the election.).• When words like senator and general are used as titles with a person’s name, they
are capitalized (General Powell)• Capitalize the words capitol, senate, building, supreme and court when referring to
the Capitol Building, the Senate, the Supreme Court of Canada.
Compound Words are made by writing two small words together to make one larger word. (news+ paper = newspaper; some + body= somebody)
A root word is the root, or beginning word, from which another word is made. Play is the root word of plays, played and playing. Knowledge of roots can cue you into correctly spelling some words.(Remember the list of vocabulary roots I handed at the Writing Descriptively workshop.)
Derived words are words that come from other words. Suitable is derived from suit; advertisement from advertise. Sometimes the spelling of the root word is slightly changed in the derived word.
For NumbersSpell small numbers out in sentences. Small numbers, such as whole numbers smaller than ten, should be spelled out.
Examples and Exceptions:
1.Ten students passed the exam.
2.Only 1000 students passed the exam.
3.One thousand students took the exam. (Spell out any number if it starts a sentence.)
4.Of the 1000 students that took the exam, only 25 passed it with at least a grade of D and only 9 students scored a grade of C or better on it. (Be as consistent as possible.)
Slides info source: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/pptGraphics: Microsoft
End of End of SpellingSpelling section sectionThis way to This way to PunctuationPunctuationEnd of End of SpellingSpelling section sectionThis way to This way to PunctuationPunctuation
PROPER PROPER PUNCTUATIONPUNCTUATION
PROPER PROPER PUNCTUATIONPUNCTUATION
A Presentation to Help A Presentation to Help Student Support Student Support Services (SSS) Services (SSS)
Placement and Avoid Placement and Avoid Punctuation PitfallsPunctuation Pitfalls
Relevance & Purposes
Relevance: * “Some people write well, yet allow themselves to be disabled by a fear of punctuation and grammar. They know how to pre-write, organize, and revise, but proofreading for punctuation and grammar causes them difficulties. There’s no need to fear these conventions of standard written English. In fact, these conventions can help you become a more effective communicator.” – Gary A. Olson
Purpose: This PowerPoint Presentation is to provide you with a review of proper punctuation usage.
The colon is made with two periods.It is used for time, and it comes before a list.
Example: 11:35pm
Example: I will need the following items from the store: bananas, grapes, watermelon, and lemons.
The Colon
The semi-colon is made with a period over a comma. It is a punctuation mark (;) used to separate parts of a sentence or list and indicating a pause longer than a comma, but shorter than a period. In a sentence, a transition word may follow the semi-colon.
Example: Latte is strong; however, he is no match for the heroic energy of the sun.
The Semi-colon
;
THE DASH
A dash is a punctuation mark that writers use to denote a sudden break or shift in thought.
(One dash = Two hyphens)
Use the dash:(1) to indicate a break or shift in thought: For example:
Example: Do we -- can we--dare we ask for more money?
(2) to introduce a word or group of words which you wish to emphasize. Example: What he needed most he never got—love.
3) to set off strongly distinguished parenthetical material: Example: I think--no, I am positive -- you should go.
4) to indicate omission of letters and words: For Example: Senator S-- was from my hometown.
--
--
I can -- no, I must -- I must dash toward the finish line.
THE HYPHEN
Mark Of Separation Used Between Parts Of A Word.
USE A HYPHEN:1) To Separate (Join) The Parts Of Compound Words: Examples: fast-moving;
2) To Indicate The Division Of A Word Broken At The End Of A Line: Examples: know-ledge, ste-no-gra-pher
a) Never divide a monosyllable: Example: strength, laughedb) Do not divide a syllable with a silent vowel: Example: climbed, yelledc) Do not divide a word with only 4 letters: Example: also, only, opend) Divide two consonants standing between vowels: Example: struc-ture, alter-
native, exis-ten-tialisme) Do not divide sums of money.f) Do not divide initials in a name or in proper names.g) Do not divide units of time.
-
USE QUOTATION MARKS 1) To enclose every direct quotation and each part of an interrupted
quotation: Example: “What will my starting salary be?” I asked the manager. “Well,” he replied, “I’m not sure.”
2) in a dialogue. Use a separate paragraph for each change of speaker. Example:
“Dad,” cried Neil. “There, there, everything will be just fine,” his dad said.
3) to enclose words with a widely different level of usage: Example: The person who has “had it” so far is his mother.
4) to enclose chapter headings and the titles of articles:Example: Grant wood’s famed painting, “American Gothic,” was recently reproduced in American Gothic Journal.
USE SINGLE QUOTATION MARKS (‘) to enclose a quotation within a quotation. Example: The coach said, ”when you say, ‘I’ll be there on time,’ I expect you to mean what you say.”
Slides info source: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt
Example: My favorite animals are giraffes, dogs, cats, and birds.
It is also used between the date and the year.
Example: Today is March 6, 2007, and I plan to enjoy today.
A comma can also tell you where to pause in a sentence.
Example: All is well, but not necessarily forgotten.
Parenthesis
Parenthesis -- One of a pair of shallow, curved signs
(, ) used to enclose an additional inserted word or comment and distinguish it from the sentence in which it is found. Parentheses (plural) – [Definition from Microsoft version of Encarta Dictionary: English (North America)]
Parentheses are round brackets: ( )
Example: Riva (Her name means “one who captivates or possesses an “ensnaring beauty.”) wandered off into the forest and was lost for three days and two nights.
Bracket
Bracket – (1) one of a pair of symbols, often [ ], used in keying or printing to indicate the insertion of special commentary, such as that made by an editor; (2) an alternative to parentheses. Brackets (plural) [Definition from Microsoft version of Encarta Dictionary: English (North America)]
Example: Riva [Her name means “one who captivates or possesses an “ensnaring beauty.”] wandered off into the forest and was lost for three days and two nights.
Different Kinds of Brackets
box brackets or square brackets: [ ] curly brackets or braces: { } angle brackets or chevrons: < > parentheses or round brackets: ( )
Source: Retrieved at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackets
PunctuationPractice Exercise 3
Please complete punctuation practice handout, if available.
CONCLUSION . . .
Please make use of any supplemental study materials provided to you.
Source information provided on individual slides.
Please complete an evaluation form before you leave.
SSS hopes this presentation has given you some useful information.
Have a great learning experience here at Troy University.
Contact Information
Troy University Troy, Alabama 36082
Student Support Services109 Shackelford Hall Annex; Troy University; Troy, AL 36082
Phone: 334-670-5985
Rebecca C. Money, English/Reading Specialist109 Shackelford Hall Annex; Troy University; Troy, AL 36082