ME 1: Punctuation

Punctuation can be really tricky sometimes. In 2006, Rogers Communications Inc., one of Canadas largest telecommunications company, had to pay an extra $2.13 million to use utility poles after a comma was placed incorrectly in a contract. Take these two sentences: Dont stop. Dont, stop. Discuss the difference between the two sentences with a partner.

Editing
The writer of this summary did not use any punctuation marks. Read it aloud, and then add the necessary punctuation marks to make the paragraph easier to understand. the woman is found guilty of murder by the jury and the judge sentences her to life imprisonment she promises that she will escape as no prison can hold her as soon as she arrives in jail she gets into a fight with another prisoner and she asks to be sent to the laundry while she is there she tries to escape in the laundry truck but she is discovered by a guard and sent to solitary confinement for 30 days when she comes out she again fights with Shirley who injures her face badly Doc the gravedigger nurses her but she tricks him about a letter he is waiting for which will tell him if he can have an operation on his eyes he promises to help her escape by giving her a master key she will get into a coffin when she hears the death bell he will bury her then dig her up later unfortunately he is the one who has died as she sees when she lights a match in the coffin she now knows that she will soon die too she screams but no-one hears her

Direct Speech
Direct speech involves putting another person's exact words into your own writing. 1. Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material. -> ... 2. Capitalize the first letter of a direct quote when the quoted material is a complete sentence and use a comma after the clause. Mr. Johnson said, "The alien spaceship appeared in front of him." 3. If the direct speech is at the beginning of the sentence, put the comma before the final quotation mark. (Dont use a period here!) "The alien spaceship appeared in front of him," said Mr. Johnson. 4. Dont use a comma after direct speech if the direct speech ends with a question mark or exclamation mark. "Have you seen a spaceship before?" asked Mr. Johnson. 5. Do not use a capital letter when the quoted material is a fragment or only a piece of the original material's complete sentence. Although Mr. Johnson has seen strange things before, he stated that the spaceship "certainly takes the cake" in terms of mysterious activity 6. If a direct quotation is interrupted mid-sentence, do not capitalize the second part of the quotation and use two commas to separate the sentences. "I didn't see an alien," Mr. Johnson said, "but I wish I had." 5. In all the examples above, note how the period or comma punctuation always comes before the final quotation mark.

Indirect Quotation
Indirect quotations are not exact words but rather paraphrases or summaries of another person's words. In this case, it is not necessary to use quotation marks. Mr. Johnson reported last night that he saw an alien spaceship on his own property.

Exercise
In the following sentences put in punctuation marks and capitalize any letters wherever they are needed. 1. Mary is trying hard in school this semester her father said. 2. No the taxi driver said politely I cannot get you to the airport in fifteen minutes. 3. Toan's English professor asked him what was wrong. 4. She asked is Time a magazine you read regularly 5. So what else is new Ashley asked have you begun your studies in radiology yet 6. Yesterday John said this afternoon I'll bring back your book. 7. Can you believe Trang asked me that it has been almost five years since we've seen each other 8. Mr. Martin said I shall explain the whole situation to him. I know that he will understand 9. What is the main idea in the poem asked Professor Christie 10. Of all the poems in his latest book she said this is my favorite. It's really very funny she added 11. He looked at her and said where did you get that from 12. I found it she said it was on the floor 13. I don't believe you he shouted at the top of his voice 14. She asked him where the students are 15. Give it to me he growled or you'll be sorry 16. The teacher told us that we have to do our homework every day.

Answers
1. Mary is trying hard in school this semester, her father said. 2. No, the taxi driver said politely, I cannot get you to the airport in fifteen minutes. 3. Toan's English professor asked him what was wrong. 4. She asked, Is Time a magazine you read regularly? 5. So what else is new? Ashley asked. Have you begun your studies in radiology yet? 6. Yesterday John said, This afternoon I'll bring back your book. 7. Can you believe, Trang asked me, that it has been almost five years since we've seen each other? 8. Mr. Martin said, I shall explain the whole situation to him. I know that he will understand. 9. What is the main idea in the poem? asked Professor Christie. 10. Of all the poems in his latest book, she said, this is my favorite. It's really very funny she added. 11. He looked at her and said, Where did you get that from? 12. I found it, she said. It was on the floor. 13. I don't believe you! he shouted at the top of his voice. 14. She asked him where the students are. 15. Give it to me, he growled, or you'll be sorry. 16. The teacher told us that we have to do our homework every day.