Success with WritingOnline Workshop

Part 8: punctuation

Created by: Jane Mangano

Perfect Punctuation

• Spend a few minutes writing down all that you know about punctuation in the text box below.

• For each piece of punctuation, write down what it is called and what does it looks like.

Commas

• To mark off an independent clause from a dependent clause.

• The athlete, who loves to win, crossed the line in record time.

• To set off transition markers from the independent clause.

• Consequently, the company’s profits increased in the second half of the financial year.

Commas cont.

• Before conjunctions that join independent clauses.

• The university has won prizes, but it has not attracted many students.

• To set off yes and no.• Yes, I have visited Rottnest.• To set off words of address.• Girls and boys, please take your rubbish with

you.

Commas cont.

• What has been left out?• Where else would commas be used?

To separate items in a list!

• I bought cheese, icing, apples and grapes.• The athletes visited Australia, Japan, Hong

Kong, Canada, and France.• It is okay to put a comma before and in a list.

Just be consistent.

Where do the commas go?

• Complete the comma exercise in your workbook.

Pesky apostrophes

• When are apostrophes used?• Write three sentences in which apostrophes

are used.

Apostrophes

• Apostrophes are used to show where a letter or letters have been dropped from a word.

• Cannot – can’t would have – would’ve• Apostrophes are used to show possession.• The bag of Michelle. Michelle’s bag.• The playground of the boys. The boys’

playground.• The playground of the boy. The boy’s

playground.

Apostrophe exercise

• Complete the apostrophe exercise in your workbook.

Still a little unsure?

• If you’re still a bit unsure about punctuation, go to the Delicious page and work through the interactive exercises and tutorials.

• http://delicious.com/stacks/view/T4QJ9l

Final Reflection

• New – write down something that you learnt today that is new to you.

• Knew – write down something that we covered today that you already knew.

• Q – write down a question that you are going to go away and find the answer to after this workshop.

Congratulations!

• Congratulations! You have now completed the Success with Writing Online Workshop.

• Make sure you email the AESC office when all sections of the course are complete.

• Once your online submission has been checked by a lecturer from the AESC, and deemed to have been fully completed to a satisfactory standard, we will be delighted to sign off on your completion of the Workshop.