Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
Punctuation
Resource : Penguin Guide To Punctuation
Punctuation can make an enormous difference in the
meaning of whatever it is you’re writing. Consider
the following classic example of the change in
meaning that punctuation can communicate:
Woman , without her man , is nothing.
Woman , without her , man is nothing.
Let’s face it: proper punctuation can make or break
the impact of an otherwise well-constructed
sentence. These basic rules can strengthen your
sentences with the punctuation they deserve, so
that the quality of your ideas is communicated with
precision and clarity.
Comma , Semi Colon ; Colon : Apostrophe ’
Dash— & Quotation Marks ‘’ ’’
Prof Ali Shahab
1 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
1. Comma ,
Joining, Bracketing, Listing, Gapping
The joining comma is used to join two complete
sentences into a single sentence, and it must be
followed by a suitable connecting word. The
connecting words which can be used in this way are
and, or, but, and so ( FANBOYS )
Here are some examples:
Norway has applied to join the EC. Sweden is
expected to do the same.
Norway has applied to join the EC, and Sweden is
expected to do the same.
Umer is intelligent. He does not work hard.
Umer is intelligent, but he does not work hard.
Prof Ali Shahab
2 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
The bracketing Comma ( ), is a pair of bracketing
commas is used to mark off a weak interruption
of the sentence - that is, an interruption which does
not disturb the smooth flow of the sentence.
These findings, we would suggest, cast doubt upon
his hypothesis.
The Pakistanis, like the Australians before them,
have exposed the shortcomings of the English
batting order.
Adil Riaz , a CSS aspirant , is a gold medalist.
Adil Riaz (?) a CSS topper (?) is a gold medalist.
The listing comma is used as a kind of substitute for
the word and, or sometimes for or. It occurs in two
slightly different circumstances. First, it is used in a
list when three or more words.
Note also that it is not usual in British usage to put a
listing comma before the word and or or itself
(though American usage regularly puts one there).
So, in British usage, it is not usual to write
Prof Ali Shahab
3 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
My favorite colors are red, blue, and green.
The gapping comma is very easy. We use a gapping
comma to show that one or more words have been
left out when the missing words would simply repeat
the words already used earlier in the same sentence.
Here is an example:
Words have consequences. Silence has
consequences as well.
Words have consequences. Silence, as well.
2. Semi Colon;
Between two independent clauses. Normally it does
not need a conjunction.
Norway has applied to join the EC; Sweden is
expected to do the same.
It is also used with conjunctive adverbs to join
independent clauses together.
Prof Ali Shahab
4 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
The following are frequently used conjunctive
adverbs:
after all ,in addition, nonetheless ,on the contrary ,
in fact, on the other hand ,consequently ,in other
words, for example ,furthermore , meanwhile ,
therefore , moreover , however, nevertheless.
The tyre was flat; therefore, we called a service
station.
Umer is intelligent; however, he doesn’t work hard.
3. Colon:
a) Normally it is used before introducing a list
after the word following or follows.
My favorite colors are following: red, blue, and
green.
b) It generally explains the previous idea.
Lately, I have had only one thing on my mind:
graduation.
Prof Ali Shahab
5 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
Lately, I have had one thing on my mind:
graduating from college.
Lately, I have had only one thing on my mind: I
can’t wait to graduate.
Lately, I have had several things on my mind:
papers, grades, and finals.
: is the alternative of that is/are who is/are which
is/are…………….. i.e.,
4. Dashes —
a) In the middle of a sentence, a dash can put
special emphasis on a group of words or make
them stand out from the rest of the sentence.
Adeel — a CSS topper — lives in Islamabad.
An honest politician —if such a creature exists —
would never agree to this plan.
b) At the end of a sentence, a dash separates
information from the rest of the sentence.
Prof Ali Shahab
6 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
If I had arrived earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the
lecture.
If I had arrived earlier —but why blame the luck.
c) To resume a scattered subject
Joys, sorrows, sufferings — all are there in human
life.
Practice Activity # 1
1. The human mind is never
stationary it advances or it
retrogrades.
2. The laws of most countries today
are split into two kinds : criminal law ,
and civil law.
Prof Ali Shahab
7 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer
Lecture #1 English Précis & Composition
3 .The announcer called out the four
winning numbers as follows three,
twelve, twenty-two, and fifty-six
4. My favorite quotation was found on
a slip of paper in a hotel room
“Friendship is like a baked potato. It
is best when it’s kept warm.”
[Link] had played together in infancy
they had worked together in
manhood they were now tottering
about and gossiping away in the
evening of life and in a short time
they will probably be buried together
in the neighbouring churchyard.
Prof Ali Shahab
8 MA Eng (Pb) Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (UK)
Ex Election Officer