UCENM ENGLISH III 83

Lesson6

CONVERSATION 1

JUDGE Mr. Bal, would you tell the court exactly what happened at noon on January third?
MR. BALL Wel, I was driving down Maple Street, doing about 30 miles an hour,' when. .
JUDGE: Excuse me, Mr. Ball. How do you know you were only going 30?
MR. BALL: Because thaf's the speed limit there, and I never go over the speed limit. Besides,it
had been raining and the road was wet. But as I was saying, I was driving along the
street, when suddenly this dog? ran in front of the car. I stepped on the brakes as
hard as I could because I didn't want to run over it, but the road was slippery and I
skidded.
JUDGE: Mr. Ball, if you were only going 30 miles per hour, how onearth did you manage to
go through the restaurant wall, through the kitchen, and stll hit that poor man in the
bathroom?
MR. BALL: I guess they don't make walls ike they used to, Your Honor.

CONVERSATION 2

we happened to meet Mrs.

MS. ROSS: Rufus and I had been shopping. On the way home,
decided to go and have a cup of
Weatherby, and I hadn't seen her for ages,
so we

coffee.
JUDGE: Did you take Rufus with you?
MS. ROSS: No, I left him outside.
JUDGE: Was Rufus on a leash?
MS. ROSS: He doesn't need one. Rufus
is such a good dog! He always does exactly what I tell
him to.
did he?.
JUDGE: He didn't this time, across the street like that How was I to know there'd be a
MS. ROSS: I never imagined he'd run
stand cats, Your Honor.
cat over there? Ruftus can't who can't stand Rufus!
that there are several people nght
now

JUDGE: T'm afraid, Ms. Ross,

30 miles per hour.
about 30 miles an hour =driving about order to be emphatic.
Doing this to mean a in
dog. We sometimes use
Here, this dog a
=
 ENGLISH III
84
UCENM

Vocabulary betore
someone interrupted us,
finish what we were say1ng
We use this expression to
As I was saying: tell the judge.
court = to
tell the
works. NOTE to
Where a judge
Court:
for a long time.
For/in ages: tor something w e
wouldn't have said or
excuse
ourselves
to

I to know?
We use this expression
asked Mrs. Weather by how her husband was
How was
done if we had known something else: I
How was I to know he'd died?
and she started crying.
What I (you, etc.) really mean is .
In other words:

(except banks and stores)

are

the United States, most businesses

In
Nine-to-five: Ordinary (job). those hours, you have a nine-to-five
so if you work
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
open from
job.
we are or how hard
it is
word to show how surprised
We say o n earth after a question
How on earth did you do that?
On earth:
seen or heard about:
to believe what we have just

to spoil; to break; to make something useless.

To ruin:

To run into: to hit (usually with a vehicle)

To run over: to drive over.

easy to fall on; wet and dangerous

Slippery:
On.
To step: to move your foot forward (or backward). NOTE: To step on
= to put your foot

Witness: a person who saw something and can tell about it.

Situation1
You are a wItness in to
court. Tell the judge about an accident you saw. The lawyer asks you questions and wants
know erery detail.

Situation 2 . '

You imagine that someone is

trying to kill you. Talk about it with a friend, who will give you advice what
you should and shouldn't do. abou
UCENM
ENGLISH III 85
Exercisees
A. Answer ad li. Look at the picture.

THD

S
City of UTOPIA

1. 8/what almost happened to Mrs. Moore?

9/ what happened?
3. 10/ Why the drivers
are two arguing?
11/Where do you imagine Mrs. Panos and her daughter have been?
12/Why didn't Bobby ear the accident?
13/ What did the truck do? What was the owner of the storedoing when it happened?
7. 1/What is the boy holding?
8. 2/ Who are these three boys? What were they doing when the accident happened?

9. 5/ Is this man a witness? Where was he and what was he doing when the accident happened?

10.
4/Why is Mr. Grump angry
11. 5/ The barber once had an accident in front of his own shop. What do you suppose he's saving to the

other man?
12. / Do you think Dr. Ramirez is a reliable witness? W'hy or Why not?
13. / Why are the bus passengers complaining
 E N G L I S H IIII

86 UCENM
been doing
Past perfect
continuous (I had
situation: window
Study this example and looked out
of the
up
Yesterday morningIgot but the ground
was very wet.

The s u n was shining

It had becn raining. o u t of the window; the S n
raining when I looked
It w a snot
before. That's why the
was shining.
But it had been raining
ground was wet.
continuous:
the past perfect
Had been -ing is
doing
I/welyou/they (=l'd etc.) been working
Yesterday morning had |(- he'd etc.}|
he/she/it
playing etc

Some more examples:

clothes wcre dirty, their hair was untidy and
o When the boys camc into the house, their
one of them had a black eye. They'd been fighting.
I was very tired when I arrived home.
I'd been working hard all day.

You can say that something had been happening for a period of time before something else
happened:
Our game oftennis was interrupted. We'd been playing for about half an hour when it
started to rain very heavily.
Ken gave up smoking two years ago. He'd been smoking for 30 years.

Had been -ing (past perfect continuous) is the past of have been -ing (present perfect continuous).
Compare:
present perfect continuous past perfect continuous
I have been -ing
Ihad been
-ing
past now
past now
I hope the bus comes soon. I've been At last the bus came. P'd been waiting
waiting for 20 minutes. (before now) for 20 minutes. (before the bus came)
He's out of breath. He
has been He was out of breath. He had been
running.
running.
Compare had been doing and was doing
I t wasn't (past continuous):
raining when we went out. The sun was
ground was wet. shining. But it hadbeen rainng, o the
Ann was
sitting in an armchair watching
working very hard. television. She was tired because sheaD en

Some verbs (for

example, know and want) are not
For
o We were good friends. We had known cachnormally used in the continuous:
other for years.
a ist of these verbs, see Unit 4A. (not "had been knowng'
UCENM
ENGLISH III 87
Future Time in the Past
We use was/were going to
*intinitive to tell about
something that used to be in the future but isn't
anymore
1 didn't know they were going to move (but they did)
She was going to stay in Moronia (but she changed her mind)

B. Match the following sentences

. Barney killed his wife. a. Where on earth do you suppose they are?

2 To be or not to be, that is the questions. b. Why on earth don't you find someone else?
3. Jack's no good as a manager. c. How on earth did that happen?
4. My dress is ruined! d. What on easth are you talking about?
5. Tve looked all over, but I can'tfind them. e. Why on earth did he do that
6. Do you see that strange light? f. What on earth do you think it could be?

C. What had they been doing when the accident happened? Answer ad lib. Use picture on page 78. Start

with 1/ the police officer.

2/ the boys 6/ the eye doctor 9. 11/ Mrs. Panos and

2. 3/ Fred Jones 7/ the bus driver her daughter. .

3. 4/ the photographer 8/Betty

5/the barber 8. 9/Pete
D. What were they going to do before the accident? Answer ad lib. Use picture from page 78. Start with 10

turn left at the corner

1. 5. 4/ go to work
11/ wait for the bus
6. 5/ cut a customer's hair
13/ redecorate the store windows
7. 6/examine someone's eyes
3. 1/ play soccer
8. 8/ cross Third Avenuc
3/ ride down 22nd strcct.

ad ib. Start with watch

in 1-4 and the present tense in 5-8. Answer
Ask
and answer. Use the past tense

TV last night.
STUDENT A: Did you happen to watch T\ last night?

STUDENT B: No, 1 didn't. or Yes, I did.

5. Have a nine to-five job
H a v e your brakes checked this week
Know exactly what time it is
2. See any friends on your way to school 6.
7. Have enough money to lend me some

3. Notice if the roads were slippery

Own a new, red four-door car
8.
4. Be in court today
 ENGLISH I I I
88 UCENM
EXERCISES
in brackets.
Read the situations and make sentences from the words
arrived homne.
1 I was very tired when I ..Jhad.been.working.hard.all.day...

(I/work/ hard all day) They had a football and they were both very tired.
2 The two boys came into the house. * ****'*******'**** ***
********************.**************** ************°*********.
***

(they/ play / football).. smell of cigarettes.

T h e r e was nobody in the room but there was a
*****************************************'*^**.
*...
******.-
in the room) ..* . t
(somebody / smoke /
* *

didn't know where she w

She frightened and was.
4 Ann woke up in the middle of the night.
was
******************"****i*saoseos....,.
(she / dream)..
************************

just turned it off.

*****-*********

Mike sitting in front of the TV. He had

SWhen I got home, was
*°*°°*******************
(he/watch / TV)
****'****"*****°.***** *******°******. *°*************°*"*********°*

Read the situations and complete the sentences.

we began playing, it started to rain.
1 We played tennis yesterday. Half an hour after
when..t.started.te.rain...
2 We...had. been playing.fer.half.an.hou.
I had arranged to meet Tom in a restaurant. I arrived and waited tor him. After 20 minutes I

suddenly realised that I was in the wrong restaurant.

***'*°*********°****°***°*******°***°******°****°'°*°****°°* for 20 minutes when I.... *******************°***e***

'**°******.*** **************°***o
3 Sarah got a job in a factory. Five years later the factory closed down.
At the time the factory ******'*'"*************
. 9 Sarah ....
*****"'**'*"*********'*
.. there for five years.
4 I went toa concert last week. The orchestra began playing. After about ten minutes a manin
the audience suddenly began shouting.
The orchestra . .e**.*..* e*******o**o**-.**.* *****~***.*********** **°*****°.*** when *****°***°**

********'*******°*°**************** ***********°a**************°*°°'°**°***°°
5 This time make your own sentence:
I began walking along the road. I ...
********°***°**°**e ********°****°°*o**.***°** *° °****** ****"*'

when.

Put the verb into the most suitable form, past continuous (1 was doing), past perfect (I had
done) or past perfect continuous (I had been doing).
1 It was very noisy next door. Our neighbours...were.havina... (have) a party.
2 We were good friends. We...had.knwn... (know) each other for a long time.
3 John and I went for a walk. I had difficulty keeping up with him because he
************** ********ato .(walk) so fast.
4 Mary was sitting on the ground. She was out of breath. She
(run).
S When I arrived, everybody was sitting round the table with their mouths
(eat).
full. TheyY
6 When I arrived, everybody was sitting round the table and talking. Their mouths were
empty but cheir stomachs were full. They . .
7 Jim on his hands and
was on the floor. He
knees (eat)...(look)for his .

**°*****° *°**°***'*****
contact lens.
8 When larrived, Kate. . ************°*****'°** wait) for me. She was rather annoyeawirh
me because I was late and she .
***°°*************** *************e**.
9 I was sad when I sold my car. I... ************ *
wait) for a very long time.
**************** ..(have) it for a very long time
10 We were extremely tired at the end of the journey. We. . (travel)
*.******°* * *******"
for more than 24 hours.
9.
UCENM ENGLISH III 89
Put the verb into the correct form:
past simple (l did). past continuous (I
perfect (I had done) or past perfect continuous (I had been was doing), past
doing).
SARAH

STATION

Yesterday afternoon Sarah ..NeNE... (go) to the station to

meet Paul. When she
get) there, Paul *************************************************************************************************************
for her. His train . (already / wait)
***********************************
(arrive) early.

Hello.

When I got home, Bill aarsssoasisas* p********** (lie).on che sofa. The television was on.
but he *********************a************************************n*o****ap*v*aeuweesoi+*
nOt / watch) it. He
********************************************* (fall
asleep and ***********.+***a****aes**n****a* (snore) loudly. I ********************************************************************* (rurn) the
television off and just then he **********************************************************************
. ( w a k e ) up.

Last night I just/go) to bed and

****** *********************************"*** *** s********e******************************************************
(read)
a book when suddenly r (hear) a noise. I ************************************************-***
(get) up t o see what it was, but l ... *******( n o r see) anything, so
.

.
***************************************************************** g o ) back to bed.

4
CECR where's my passport? AARPORT CHECR IN

Lsa had to go to New York last week, but she alimost (miss) the
plane. She -**.**-**.************************************************** (stand) in the queue ar the check-in desk when she
suddenly . (leave) her
passporT ar home. Fortunately: she lives near the airport, so she n*n******************************************** have)
time to take a taxi home to ger it. She . .. . ---...- . ( g e t ) back t o the airport
just in time for her flight.
Come and
Hello.
Did you
good. game
havre
CYes, great Have a drink Cm soTy, but

********************-* ***************************** (meer) Peter and Lucy yesterday as I .

*****.************************************* ************
(walk) through the park. They ... ****** . (be) to the Sports Gentre where
they ***************************************************************
(play) tennis. They ******************************************************* go) to a café
a n d . .***********************************************************
.(invite) me to join rhem, bur I .
* *************************
t o m e e t a n o t h e r f r i e n d and (not have) time.
L (arrange)
 ENGLISH I I I
90 UCENM

Put the verb into the correct form.

chance at a rail station.
Julia and Kevin are old friends. They meet by
******************************************~**************************************** (1/ not/ see)
JULIA: Hello, Kevin. (1)
you for ages. How are you?
KEVIN: I'm fine. How about you?
(you/
look) well.
*****************e*****************************************************'**************
(2)
thanks.
JULIA: Yes, I'm very well
So, (3)
*****************************.******************************************************** (you/go) somewhere or
(you/ meet) somebody off a
train?
********>*a***********e*******+orr**+******e******+********************************
(4) business meeting.
for
KEVIN: ( *****************e**************e***************ea*******************************
(1/go) to London a

(you/ often / go) away on business?

JULIA: Oh. (6) . ************************************************u*sageee*~****ane*odeo*******

KEVIN: Quite often, yes. And you? Where 17). *******************************"*************************************

.(you/go)?
. ( I /meet) a friend. Unfortunately
JULIA: Nowhere. (8) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(be) delayed -
her train (9) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * n * * * * * * * r * * * * * * * * * * * * * + * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * a * * *

(10) * * * * * * * * * * * d * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s e * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4 * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4 a * * * * * * * * * * * * * + a + *

(I/ wait) here for nearly an hour.

KEVIN: How are your children?
JULIA: They're all fine, thanks. The youngest (11).******************* ****************

(just/start
school.
KEVIN: How (12) **************************************************************************
.(she/get) on?
(13) ******************************************************************************* .(she / like) it?
JULIA: Yes, (14) *********************************************************************w***********".
-(she/ think) it's great.
KEVIN: (15) *****44**************4*****4****************************************************** (you / work) at the moment? When I last
(16). **************************s
**a******s******* ***************************'*************** (speak) to you, 11" ********************************** * * . . . . . . . .... . .

(you/ work) in a travel agency.

JULIA: That's right. Unfortunately the company 18 **********************.saw**n**s ******orsas **************. go) out
of business a couple of months after 19)
***************************************************°.*********************. (1/ start)
work there, so (201 ************************9**************e**********
KEVIN: And (21) ***************e***************** q************i*n************e4*se*********
4e***************
lose) my job.
you/ not / have) a job since then?
JULIA: Not a permanent job. (22).
************************************************************************************* (I/ have) a few
jobs. By the way, (23) temporary
KEVIN: Joe? He's in Canada. ********+*a**************+***R**************************************** (you/ see) Joe rexently?
JULIA: Really?How long (241 . *e******s****4**aa*s*******« ********eaeoesesee*******s*
KEVIN: About a year now. 1251
(he/ be) in Canada?
***+***°**
*********+*********** «************
(26).*******************a******************************************* ..(he go). 127 esa*asae**s***************
- a****eae
(1/ see) him a few days before
unemployed for months, so 128). (he/ be ***********

********************es*********es*************** **a****s*********** he/ decide) to try his

luck somewhere else. (29 ****s***1e*4***a*****************
to going (he / really l look forward
JULIA: So, what (30
KEVIN: P've no idea. (he/ do) there?
*************************************************************
(3 **************************** **********es*****e*a*********°***************
*

(32) not / hear) from

him since
train.**********************************e*****************************************b**
It was really nice to see you
(he/ leave). Anyway, must I go and catch m,
JULIA: You too. Bye. Have a good
again.
KEVIN: Thanks. Bye. trip.
UCENM
ENGLISH NI 91
Reading
MS. ALICE PALMER, CUSTOMER
AT THE GRAND PRIX
It was the first time 1'd RRSTAURANT
ever been to the Grand
vonderful big picture of a Prix. l'd just finished
car race
they have on the wall there Thcn cating and I was
looking at that
lor a minute 1
thoughr l'd had too much to drink. But then suddcnly,
a car camc
the car went right trough the picturc!
and stoppcd somewhere in the back of the restaurant.
It was incredible!
through another wall into the kitchen
awfully nice there. Do
you know they didn't make me I couldn't believe my eyes. But they're
pay for my lunch? Wasn't that swet?
rcally

FRANK, COOK AT THE GRAND PRIX RESTAURANT

The minister of transportation was going to have lunch at our

restaurant, so l'd been making shrimp
salad all morning. It happens to be the minister's favorite dish, you know, and I always make it when he comes
(though hc hasn't becn hcrc for ages). I usc. only the very fincst shrimp and it's absolatcly dclicious. Wecll, as I was
saying, l'd just finished. And as I stood there looking at it, this stupidfool deove thrvugh. Ile ruined the mesr
bcautiful salad l'd cver made!

MR. 1'RIEID NOLAN, CUSTOMIER

I was in the bathroom when suddenly somcthing hit me. I had no idca what it was because I was busy
reading my paper. WhenI woke up in the hospiral they told mewhat had happened. My wife was sure mad at
me. She says I always spend too much time in the bathroom. But how was I to know that was going to happen?
lt's dcfinitcly not a place l'd expect to be run over by a car.

About the Reading

1. Docs Ms. Palmer go to thc Grand Prix often? 2. What was she doing when the accidenn happcncdr 3.
Where did the car break through the wall? 4. Had Ms. Palmer had anything to drink? 5. What was the

of transportation going to do? 6. What is his favorite dish? (Whar's yours?) 7. What had F'rank
minister
been doing all morning? 8. What do you imagine happencd to l'rank's salad? Describe it in your own
words. 9. What happencd to Mr. Nolan? 10. Whcre was Mr. Nolanand what was he doing when it
 ENGLISH I I I
92 UCENM Mr. Nolan's
12. Would you describe in's
what had happened?
did he find out
happened? 11. When
TEimbarrassing?
as interesting?
FExciting?
CXperience

Punctuation Tree
Arboreiuspunctuationitis

How to Use English Punctuation Correctly

Punctuation marks are symbols that are used to aid the clarity and comprehension of written language. Some
common punctuation marks are the period, comma, question mark, exclamation point, apostrophe, quotation
mark and hyphen. question
mark
1. End your sentences with a
period (full stop), question mark, or exclamation point (exclamation mark
or shout mark).

Use the
period (full stop) to denote a full stop at the end of a statement. The
of the most
commonly used punctuation marks. period (.) 1s one
The acessibikiy the
of computer has increased tremendoushy over
The question mark
(?), used at the end of a sentence, the past several years.
inquiry. suggests an interrogatory reute
What has humanity done about
the growing concern
of
(exclamation mark, shoutglobal
The
exclamation point warming?
emphasis in a sentence. mark)(1) suggests excitemc ement
I can't believe how
2 Use the semicolon
and colon
difficult the exam was!
O The semicolon properly.
(;) has a few uses.
Use a
semicolon to separate two
two clauses are very related but
wordy or complex, it is better to use a
independent clauses. Note
ud if the
.

orld at risk. People continue to

wory about
period instead.
the future; our failure to conserve resourees
the
UCENM ENGLISH III 93

Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items, especially those that contain
Commas.
I went to the sbow with Jake, my close friend;
his fiend, Jane; and her bestfriend, Jenna.
The colon (:) has multiple uses.
O
Use the colon to introduce a list. Be careful not to use a colon when denoting a
regular series. Usually, the word following suggests the use of a colon. Use only after a full sentence
which ends in a noun.

The professor has given me three options: to etake the exam, accept the extra credit
assignment, or to fail the class.
INCORRECT - The Easter basket contained: Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits, and

othercandy
3. Understand the differences between a hyphen and a dash.
word
The hyphen ( ) was once a common punctuation mark on typewriters, when long
-
a
O
is still used in a number of other areas:
might have been split between two lines. The hyphen is
Use a hyphen when adding prefix to some words. The purpose of this hyphen it
a
of a word like e-examine,
the word easier to read. If you were to leave the hyphen out
to make
that some words do not require a
would be eexamine, which would be harder to read. Understand
such as rstate, pretest, and undo. Let a dictionary be
hyphen to separate the prefix from the word,
to use the hyphen after a prefix.
your guide for when
each other. Example: re-arrange.
When you use a hyphen, the two words have to rely on
Cara is his exgirlfriend.
Use hyphens when creating compound
words from separate words.
the latest scandal.
up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to junmp
on
The
out as words. Separate the two words of any
Use a hyphen when writing numbers
number under one hundred with a hyphen.
amount is one hundred and
fify-two playing cards in a deck. ("The
There are
Elsewhere in the
c o m m o n error in US English,
where the "and" is usually omitted.
eighty" is a
the "and" is usually included.)
English-speaking world, however, numbers above one hundred-if
the
Be careful with spelling out
since all compound adjectives
number is used as an adjective, it is completely hyphenated, if a
are hyphenated (I have
one-hundred tapes). Otherwise, hyphen should only occur a
bundred
number, e.g., He lved to be
one
o c c u r s within the larger
number greater than 100
twenty-one. within a statement, a
should be used when making a brief interruption
The dash (-- or - ) It can also be used to
comment, or a dramatic qualification.
additional relevant to the
Sudden change of thought, an for further clarification, but should still be
add a parenthetical statement, such as should still flow
in mind that the rest of the s e n t e n c e
Sentence. Otherwise,use parentheses. Keep if the s e n t e n c e aPpears
the sentence;
the within the dash from and after
should be spaces before
statement
12aturally. Try to remove

make then you may need to

revise. There
sonted o r does not sense,
the dash in British English. YOu guessed i t a t the beginning of a
An introductory clause is a brief phrase that comesJes,

Sentence.
s e n t e n c e o r so thought. we
This is the end of our different purposes.
quotation mark/apostrophe for taken
double quotation mark and single
or
se the whether made by a person
encloses direct a quotation,
The double quotation (")
trom a piece of literature. exclaimed.
can't wait to see him perform!"Jobn dewloping nations is "strong influenced by its
value of the dollar in
Acording to the article, the
"
value.
aestbeticvalue, rather than itsface has a variety of uses.
O mark o r apostrophe ( ") possession. Be aware of the
The single quotation letter s to i n d i c a t e
with the
the apostrophe together A singular n o u n will use 's,
Use or plural nouns.

apostrophe with singular Also, be mindful of nouns that are

difference in using 8'.
an
noun will use
version of that singular use 's. Be aware of
the plural -here, you should
whereas
be plural, such as children and people hers and its (ir's is used
always considered to not apostrophes, such as
do require
nronouns
that are already possessive and
 ENGLISH I I I

94 UCENM
or s, except as a
without apostrophe

Their is possessive
contractions of it is and
it has).
tor the theirs.
only where it
becomes
be refilled.
predicàte adjective, tube needs to
bamster's water
The with possession.
noun
A singular meeded to be changed.
hansters bedding
store, the with possession.
In the pet singular
noun

A pluralized in the nation.

a r e the bigbest
These children 's
test scores
with posses$1on.
A plural
noun
make a contraction. For eamni.
le,
words to
combine two
to
Use the apostrophe have becomes they've.
yon'r, and they to indicate quotation
can', you are becomes
a n
cannot becomes mark within a regular quotation
Use the single quotation
wanted to come!"
within a quotation. T wasn't sure ifyou
Ai said, "Anna told me, make a plural noun fromn a sinnulae
's' to
is n o t used with
Note that an apostrophe
be avoided.
common mistake and should
This is a very
CORRECT apple apples
INCORRECT - apple > apple's
( ). This 1s another commonly used
sentence with the comma

5. Indicate a brcak or pause within a

where you might use a comma:
are several instances
punctuation mark. There o r a break within a sentence that supplements
an appositive,
Use the c o m m a when denoting
and adds information to the subject.
Windows
Bill Gates, CEO ofMicrosofi, is the developer of the operating ystem knouwn as
of three o r more "list" items within a
Use the comma when denoting a series. This is a set

writers may omit the last comma.

space in newspapers,
To save some
sentence. OCOIL
The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.
The computer store was filed with ideo games, computer bardware and other electronic

paraphernaha.
O
Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjecives describing it. This is somewhat KnOW
similar to a series, except that it is incorrect to place a comma after the final adjecive.
CORRECT - The powerful, resonating sound cangbt our attention.
INCORRECT - The powerful, rnsonating, sound caught our attention.
Use a comma when referring to a city and state. It is also necessary to use a comma to
separate the city and state from the rest of the sentence.
I am onginaly from
Frebold, NJ. CTWE
Los Angeles, CA, is one of the
largest cities in the United States.
Use a comma to separate an
introductory phrase (which is usually one or more preposidona
phrases) from the rest of the sentence. An introductory phrase briefly introduces the sentence, but is
part of the sentence's subject or predicate, and it therefore should be separated from the main clausenot
by
a comma.

After the shou, John and I went out to dinner.

On the back of y
couch, my cat's claws bave slowy been carving a
O Use the comma to
separate two independent clauses. Having two
large hole.
sentence Simply means that
you can split the sentence into rwo. If
independent clauses in a

independent clauses that are separated by a conjunction (such as and, as, but, your sentence contalns w o
comma before the
conjunction. for, nor, so, or yer ), place
Ryan went to the beach
ater bills yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.
Use a comma when
Hsually rise during the
summer, as people are thirstier
making a direct
address. during hot and bumd nays.
the person's name and the rest When calling one's attention
of by name, Spaarate
rarely in writing, because this is the statement with a comma. Note that this kind ot comna used
something that we do normally while
Amber, ould you come ber for a moment? speaking.
Use a comma to
separate direct quotations. A
a
quotation that is being introduced. It is not comma should come last wora be fore
usually not necessary if you are not necessary to use a comma in an after the
quoung an entire statement. indirect quote. n

While 1 was at his house,

Jobn asked me if I wanted
anything to eat.
UCENM ENGLISH III 95
An indirect
quotation that does not
While I was at his
house, Jobn asked, "Do you wantrequire a comma.
A direct quotation. anything to eat?
Acording to the cient, the
lauyer was "lay and incompetent."
A
partial direct quotation that does not
6. Understand the difference between require a comma.
Use parentheses parentheses, brackets, and braces.
(O)) to clarify, to place an
sure to include the
period after the closing parenthesis. afterthought, or to add a personal comment. Be
Steve Case
(AOL'sformer CE0) resigned from the Time-Waner board of directors in 2005.
Used for clarification.
Here, commas can
flashlight for the cammping trip (don'tforget thereplace
You will need a the parentheses.
An afterthought. Note that batteries).
the period (full stop) follows the last
not before the
-

first. Also note that pårentheses

suitable here, and is better off with replacing
the parentheses with a comma not be
a
period or a semicolon.
may entirely
Most grammarians believe that
parentheses and commas are ahvays interchangeable (I
A personal comment. disagree).
Use brackets ( [] ) to signify
an editor's note in a
brackets to clarify
revise a direct quote so that it
or to
regular piece of writing. You can also use
used to encompass the word "sic" appeals to your own writing. Brackets are often
(Latin
written "as is", with the error intended to be
for thus), suggesting that the previous word or
phrase was
displayed.
"[The blast] was absoutely devastating" said Susan Smith, a local bystander at the scene of the
incident.
"It was absolutely
devastating"- the actual quote by Susan Smith.
Braces (U)
most widely used
are in denoting a numeric set in mathematics.
Though generally
uncommon, braces can also be used in regular writing to indicate a set of equal, independent choices.
1,2, 5, 10, 20}
Choose your
favorite utensil {fork, knije, spoon j and bring it to me.
Know how to use the slash ( /).
O Use the slash to separate "and" and "or", when appropriate. The phrase "and/or" suggests that
a series of options are not
mutually exclusive.
"To registers you will need your driver's henseandyoryour birth cerificate."
O The slash is used when quoting lyrics and poetry to denote a ine break. Be sure to add spaces
between your slashes here.
"Rou, rou,rou your boat/genthy down the stream Mermil, merib, merrib, memib, /lijfe is but
a dream.""
The slash can replace the word "and" to join two nouns. By replacing "and" with a slash, you
suggest that there is equal important to both characteristics. Use these replacements in moderation to
place greater emphasis where "and" may not do so-as well as as not to confuse the reader. You can
also do the same for "or", as in "his/her". However you should ot use the slash to separate independent
clauses, as shown below.
"Tbe student and part-time enmplye bas ver lisle fre time."- "Thestadent/partsime employe
bas very kittle free time."
"Doyou want to go to the grocey store, or would you prefer to go to the mall?"> "Do you uant to
mall?-This is incorrect.
8o o tbe grocery store
/would you prefer to go to the

PUNCTUATION EXERCISES
w that you understand most of the rules of punctuation, you may
like to test yourselt by correcting the
following sentences.
.Th W regulations will prove to be to everyones disadyantag
 ENGLISH I I I
96
UCENM
and scienific ethod.
meth
natural history philosophy
on geology
be catalogued the
ones
books are to
2. All of these

was also a member of the Winning squash team.

m.
excellent basketball player the girl
3. As well as being an

that we should move quickly.

is according to my understanding
4. The point
intluence in determining the antecedents
ot the genetic
1988 suggests the importance
5. Instead Chambers

could not be absorbed.

found however that
most of the liquid
6. It was

covered in mud climbed slowly out.

7. The miner his face

see Table 2.
is very clear particularly in the professions
8. The trend toward specialization

was not to be.

were safe however this
9. Once daylight came we thought we

season ever written.

evocation of that
10. Keats poem To Autumn' is possibly the greatest

red with cold.

11. After their long walk the boys noses were

but think it's due to the torrential rain we had recently.

easy to isolate its
cause we
12. Ir's not

several times hit a free and then burst into flames.

left the road rolled down the bank turned
over
13. The car

14. Gourmets and arent we all gourmets will particularly enjoy the marinated quail.

the entertainment as
15. It was a rather hit or miss affair we found to our horror that we were expected to provide
well.

Practice sentences

Punctuate, or repunctuate, the follovwing sentences correcly (then go to answers):

1. She had only one purpose in ife she wanted to teach them to punctuate correctly.

2. Much of what comedy proposes to teach us, is already part of our lives.

3. Surrey emerges as a pioneer of the sonnet form, which later became known as the Shakespearnan sonnc

4. The wallet, lost on a Corporation bus by a Southampton widow, has been returned with all its casn and

conrents inract. Mrs. Karhleen Giffard of Millbrook Towers rhoughr she would never see the wallet confa

117 again. (Sontbanpton Evening Echo news item)

5. Astrophil is however a highly-developed character.
UCENM
ENGLISH III 97
Lonson's style is neoclassical, however,
Shakespeare's plays show little regard for rules.
He eagle a
symbol of power and his mistress as the dove a
symbol of peace and genteness will come
together
R The Christian ethic states that extra marital sex is sinful
o Ilook after two year old children |fvo posS7bilittes; wbat is the
difjerence in meaning while studying twelfth century
literature.

10. The Sheikh offered me two mens

jacket's three of his fathers camel's and twenty of his followers
concubine's.
11. This poems style is really difficult, its impossible to say what its meaning is.

Punctuation games

From the late Middle Ages onwards, English poets have used punctuation to play games with the language. Two
examples follow, both from dramatists using the comic potential of a not-very-educated reader who can't handle
the conventions of punctuation and completely misrepresents the intended meaning of the text; see if you can

repunctuate to make better sense of the text than they can, then go to answers.

1. An unsuccessful proposal of marriage 2. 'Our sport shall be to take what they mistake'

Sweete mistresse where as I loue you nothing [no at Prologue (PeterQuince: If we offend, it is with our
al, Regarding your substance and richesse [rches good will. That you should think we come not to
chief of al, For your beautie, demeanour offend But with good will. To show our simple skill,
personage,
and wit, I commend me vnto you That is the true beginning of our end. Consider,
never a whit.
We do
Sorie to
hear report of your good welfare, For (asI then, we come but in despite. not come as

All for
eare say) suche your conditions qualities) are, That minding to content you, Our true intent is.
here. That you should here
your delight, We
ye be worthie favour of no living man, To be are not

actors are at hand; and by their

abhorred of every honest man, To be taken for a repent you, The
that you are like know.
show, You shall know all
to
woman enclined to vice, Nothing at all to Vertue
stand upon points.
Theseus: This fellow doth
not
gving her due price. .. And now by these presentes
like a rough colt;
Messes I do you advertise [inform) That I am Lysander: He hath rid his prologue
lord: it is
ninded he knows not the stop. A good moral, my
to marie you in no wise. For your goodes
enough to speak, but to speak
true.
and substance, I could bee content To take you as not

you are..
 UCENM ENGLISH III
98
Answers to previous exercise

in life: she wanted to teach them to punctuate correctly.

1. She had only one purpose
point made in the first one, so the two sentences are linked by a colon
The seco1nd sentence enlarges on a

to teach us is already part of o u r lives.

2. Much of what comedy proposes

'Much... teach us' is the subject of the sentence (cf. 'This is already part of our lives), and shouldn't be :

from its verb by a comma.

3. Surrey emerges as a pioneer of the sonnet form which later became known as the Shakespearian sonnet

which. . sonnet' is a defining relative clause (distinguishing the new sonnet form used by Surrey from the

Petrarchan sonnet form, which had long been ia use), and so shouldn't be preceded by a comma.

4. The wallet lost on a Corporation bus by a Southampton widow has been returned with all its cash and contents

intact. Mrs. Kathleen Giffard of Millbrook Towers thought she would never see the wallet, containing 117,

again. [Sauthanpton Evening Ecbo news item]

In this sentence, the phrase 'lost... widow' is functioning like a defining relaive clause (cf. 'which was lost...),

explaining which wallet is being referred to, so shouldn't be marked off by commas; the phrase 'containing 117,

however, is non-defining (Mrs. G. never expected to see her walet again, full stop), and should be marked off by

Commas.

5. Astrophil is, however, a highly-developed character.

'However used as an
adverb (= 'nevertheless) within a sentence should aways be marked off by commas;(the
rules are
slightly different, however, when it is used to link two sentences; see next example).

6. Jonson's style is neoclassical; however, Shakespeare's plays show little regard for rules.
Here the wo sentences must be linked by a semicolon, not a comma; 'however, which is part of the second
qualifying, sentence, follows the semicolon, but must also be marked off on the other side
by a comma (see
previous example).

7. He the
as
eagle, a symbol of power, and his mistress as the dove, a symbol of peace and
gendeness, will come
together
'A symbol of power and 'a symbol of genless' are subordinate material, and should be
marked off from the n a
Sentence by commas on either side. You could use brackets instead of commas
(this is sometimes clearer wnc
the sentence is
long and complicated).
UCENM
ENGLISH III 9999
8. The Christian ethic states that
extra-marital sex is sinful
The hyphen makes it clear that it is sex
outside
marriage, not additional sex within
(though in practice Christanity tends to be
marriage, which is sinful
disapproving even of the
latter...).
Q Ilook after two year old children |'wo
possibilhties; what is the difference in meaning while studying twelfth-century
literature.

Should be either 'I look after two-year-old children'

(any number of children aged two) or'I look after
old children' (rwo children, both a year old).
two year
Twelfth-century
here is used
adjectivally, so has hyphen; but 'the
a

literature of the twelfth century wouldn't require a hyphen.

10. The Sheikh offered me two men's jackets, three of his father's camels, and twenty of his followers' concubines.
Different forms of the possessive: plural nouns not ending in -s (like men) take 's in the possessive, singular nouns
like father) take 's in the possessive, plural nouns ending in -s (like followers) take s' in the possessive. At all costs

avoid the 'grocer's apostrophe' (ie. using's for the regular plural (non-possessive) form: Lovely Banana's Today).

11. This poem's style is really difficult; it's impossible to say what its meaning is.

Two independent sentences here, but connected in meaning, so link them by a semicolon. Note the apostrophes

here, and paricularly the distinction between it's= itis and its = ofit.
 ENGLISH I I I
100 UCENM

Punctuation games

1. An unsuccessful proposal of marriage

(possible repunctuation)

at all
Sweete mistresse, where as I loue you, nothing |not

Regarding your substance and richesse [riches], chief of all

For your personage, beautie, demeanour and wit,

I commend me vnto you; never a whit

Sorie to hear report of your good welfare,

F'or (as I heare say) suche your conditions (qualities| aree

That ye be worthie favour, of no living man

To be abhorred, of every honest man

To be taken for a woman enclined to vice

Nothing at all, to Vertue giving her due price. ..

And now by these presentes rtnesses I do you advertise [inform]

That I am minded to marie you---1fn no wisee

For your goodes and substance; I could bee content

To takc you as you are...

2. 'Our sport shall be to take what they mistake'

(possible repunctuation)

Prologue (Peter Quince): lf we offend, it is with our good will

That you should think we come not to
offend,
But with good will to show our simple skill;
That is thc true
beginning. Of our end
Consider, then: we
come, but in despite
We do not come. As
minding to content you,
Our truc intent is all for your
delight;
We are not here that you should here
repent you.
The actors are at hand, and
by their show
You shall know all that like
you are to know.