Need help from a grammar expert

huxley · May 29, 2008

I'm doing a correspondence course. i'd like if someone could check if my exercise is correct.

[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]3.Write a paragraph in which you illustrate the correct usage of any ten of the[/FONT]

[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]following punctuation marks: Capital letters, period, semi-colon, colon, question mark,[/FONT]

[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]exclamation point, comma, apostrophe, hypen, quotation marks, parentheses, brackets,[/FONT]

[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]dash, slash.[/FONT]

---here is my answer.

QUESTION MARK:
[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]The question mark is used at the end of an interrogative sentence. It also replaces the period as a full stop.[/FONT]

a)[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]Use a question mark when asking a direct question.[/FONT] [FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]Example: “why didn't you attend the meeting?” He asked.[/FONT]

b)[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]Do not use question marks at the end of indirect questions.[/FONT][FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]Example: Clark asked what time they wanted to eat. [/FONT]

c)[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]when using a question mark in dialoque, place it inside the quotation marks.[/FONT]

[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]Example: Vicky asked, “Where are my shoes?”[/FONT]

d)[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]The question mark is only placed outside quotation marks when it does not form part of the quotation. [/FONT]

[FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]Example: Did frank says, “I like her, but I don't love her.” ? [/FONT]

would that be considered a paragraph?
And how is my answer and grammar?

thanks

alleycat · May 29, 2008

I don't think you're reading the question correctly. I believe they want you to write a paragraph about anything where you use at least ten of the punctuation marks correctly.

Soccer Mom · May 29, 2008

Hmmm. Methinks this should be in the Grammar forum?

Hang onto your hats. Please keep all hands and feet inside the thread.

Kalyke · May 29, 2008

That's not a paragraph. It's sentences and bullets. I would interpret the question to mean that you must come up with a paragraph (some set of sentences about something) using all of the punctuation asked for.

C.bronco · May 29, 2008

Yep. You're supposed to write a paragraph using ten of the listed items.

maestrowork · May 30, 2008

Listen to the ladies and cat. You need to write a single paragraph using, correctly, ten punctuation marks.

huxley · May 31, 2008

maestrowork said:
Listen to the ladies and cat. You need to write a single paragraph using, correctly, ten punctuation marks.

I understand it now. wow that's gonna be a hard one.

could I ask for a little help with that one

alleycat · May 31, 2008

huxley said:
I understand it now. wow that's gonna be a hard one

We can't do your work for you, of course, but we'll be glad to help you when the time comes.

alleycat · May 31, 2008

huxley said:
could I ask for a little help with that one

Go back and look at how each of the marks are used. In what way is a colon normally used? A semi-colon? What do they introduce? What is a [FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif]parenthetic expression?[/FONT]

huxley · May 31, 2008

Ok, I'm going to start with a subject "music" here goes.

Music transcends across language and boarders. People from different countries could find themselves shouting, “yeah!” and “hey!” side by side at a concert. It's unlike anything in this world; It brings people together and goes beyond languages. Where will music take us next?
Through out the years we've seen music shape its self into many different forms: jazz, blues, funk, even rap. Music is forever an evolving medium. It 's a creative expression of individuals and their ideas.

(I think I only have 9 maybe if I could think up a hyphen word to place in there) but how does it look?

alleycat · May 31, 2008

It's getting there.

One glaring typo: It should be "borders", not "boarder". I'm not picking on you, just trying to help you with your English. You might think about removing the word "across" in the first sentence. And you would probably want to use "itself" in place of "its self".

You're almost there. ;-)

alleycat · May 31, 2008

huxley said:
(I think I only have 9 maybe if I could think up a hyphen word to place in there) but how does it look?

Hint: What other kinds of music are there? Hip what?

Dawnstorm · Jun 1, 2008

huxley said:
It's unlike anything in this world; It brings people together

...world; it...

You don't capitalise after a semicolon.

huxley · Jun 1, 2008

Thanks guys, and I know that you are not putting me down. I need help and guidance, I know that. I just wanted to say that I'm French, and I decided to take an English course because I wanted to learn it.

ok I reworked my paragraph. Here goes:

Music transcends language and borders. People from different countries could find themselves shouting, “yeah!” and “hey!” side by side at a concert. It's unlike anything in this world; it brings people together and goes beyond languages. Throughout the years we've seen music shape itself into many different forms: jazz, blues, funk, hip-hop, even rap. Music is forever an evolving medium. It's a creative expression of individuals and their ideas. Where will music take us next?

(shouting, “yeah!” and “hey!” side by side -----are my commas well placed in this phrase? relating to the use of quotation marks)

Thanks

a_sharp · Jun 1, 2008

Good progress, Huxley. You listen well, and I think you're there. No comma after "shouting" would be my guess, but others may correct me.

alleycat · Jun 1, 2008

Since the words "hey" and "yeah" are whole sentences that someone is speaking (even if very short ones), then you would want to capitalize both words, I believe.

I agree with a_sharp that you don''t need the comma in that particular sentence.

huxley · Jun 1, 2008

Thanks a whole lot guys. Thanks

Need help from a grammar expert

huxley

alleycat

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Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Kalyke

C.bronco

I have plans...

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

huxley

alleycat

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alleycat

Still around

huxley

alleycat

Still around

alleycat

Still around

Dawnstorm

punny user title, here

huxley

a_sharp

Somebody give me an A

alleycat

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huxley