Commas in English, or how not to eat grandma for dinner. Full stop, period, comma or English punctuation in practice Punctuation in English is simpler than Russian

Since childhood, I have loved the cartoon “In the Land of Unlearned Lessons.” I love it at least because of how well it shows the importance of knowing the rules of punctuation. Do you remember the classic “execution cannot be pardoned”?

In English there is also a humorous phrase: “Let’s eat grandma” where, depending on the place of the comma, you can either invite your grandmother to dinner, or make her dinner yourself... I suggest we talk about commas in English.

In fact, this comma must be used only when without it the meaning of the sentence changes:

– Please bring Bob, a DJ and a clown

Without a comma, the sentence can be understood as “Please bring Bob the DJ and the clown,” that is, Bob is both the DJ and the clown.

– Please bring Bob, a DJ, and a clown.

With a comma, the meaning is different: “Bring Bob, a DJ and a clown” - that is, three different people.

WE RECOMMEND: Please note that in some cases, when listing homogeneous members, a comma is necessary before the conjunction and to avoid confusion. If you are afraid of not guessing this case, then you can always put this “Oxford comma” - it will not be a mistake.

2. Comma in sentences with subordinate clauses

In Russian, complex sentences require a comma. Here look:

If you are not sure about this, then let me know now.

Let me know now if you're not sure about this.

Let me remind you that a complex sentence (SPP) has a main and dependent part. The main clause in our example is “let me know now.” Subordinate – “if you are not sure.”

In English, in the first case a comma is required, but in the second case it is not.

If you are not sure about this, let me know now.

Let me know now if you are not sure about this.

This is due to the fact that, according to the rule, a comma should be placed only if the subordinate (dependent) clause comes BEFORE the main clause.

One more example:

If you're ever in New York, come and look me up. (If you ever find yourself in New York, come visit me).

Come and look me up if you’re ever in New York. (Visit me if you ever find yourself in New York).

3. Comma in qualifying clauses

There is another case when in English we may not put a comma in the SPP.
In Russian, we always put a comma before subordinate clauses with “the one that...” or “the one that...”:

I'm standing in the house that Jack built.

I see the house that Jack built.

Such subordinate clauses are called attributive clauses and answer the question “which one?” In English you don't have to use a comma:

They’re the people who want to buy our house. (These are people who want to buy our house).

But it’s not so simple here... If this determinative part can be removed, if it is not the main determinant of the subject, then a comma is added:

Clare, who I work with, is doing the London marathon this year. (Claire, who I work with, is organizing the London Marathon this year).

Note: We already identified Claire - we named her name. If we remove the commas, the meaning doesn't change much: "Claire is organizing the London Marathon."

This type of sentence can use conjunctions w ho, which, whose, whom(but not that) and a comma.

Now compare:

They’re the people that she met at Jon’s party. (These are people she met at John's party).

If you remove the second part, you will be left with: “These are people,” and the meaning of the sentence will be lost. Since we cannot mentally remove the second part, then a comma is NOT needed: this emphasizes the indivisibility of the statement.

This type uses the same conjunctions who, which, whose and whom + that, which often replaces all of the above conjunctions in informal speech.

WE RECOMMEND: Please note that a comma is not placed before the attributive clause if without it the sentence completely loses its meaning. In such a sentence it can be used that. If the qualifying clause is removed without losing the main meaning, then we cannot use that and put a comma.

4. Comma after combinations “I believe, I think, I believe”

In Russian, introductory “I think, I believe, I say”, etc. are separated by a comma. It’s not surprising: it’s part of a complex sentence! And we already remembered that in Russian it is strict with them:

I think everything will work out.

But in English there is no need for a comma here. As an example, Audrey Hepburn's famous quote:

I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day…

5. Comma in participial phrase

In Russian there is a participial phrase, coming after the qualifying word(⇐ here’s an example), separated by a comma. In English - no.

I see the sun rising above the horizon (I see the sun rising above the horizon).

Conclusion: rules for placing a comma in English

These are not all the nuances associated with the English comma. In English there are generally far fewer cases where a comma is used.

Therefore, we will not stop at this article! 🙂 Our plans are to make a video about punctuation for YouTube channel. And very soon the service will release a very cool online intensive about the most common mistakes in English. Of course, there is a separate section for punctuation. See you!

Punctuation(punctuation marks) in English, as in Russian, are used to separate sentences, parts of complex sentences and words, to express intonation and semantic emphasis on individual words.

English punctuation rules are less strict than Russian, and their use often depends on the author himself (especially the use of commas).

Dot

Dot (Period) in English, as in Russian, is placed at the end of a declarative sentence.

• This is Lauren.
• - This is Lauren.
• I didn't like that cake.

– I didn’t like that cake. I'm cold. Close the door.- I'm cold. Close the door. The period is used when abbreviating words, abbreviations (except acronyms ). If a sentence ends with an abbreviation with a period, then the second period.

• not placed . Between letters in an abbreviation no space is included
• I wake up at 7 a.m.- I wake up at 7 am.
• We will arrive on Fri. the 17th.

– We will arrive on Friday the 17th. Prof. Morrison is in room 302. – Professor Morrison is in room 302. The use of periods in abbreviations also depends on the variety of English. For example, in British English

In language, abbreviations that consist of the first and last letter of a word are used without a period. IN

• American
• in English, a dot can be used in such abbreviations. Depending on the style of the text, the period may be placed in abbreviations of academic degrees and country abbreviations or omitted. Julia Carroll, PhD

• Richard Maxwell Ph.D.– Richard Maxwell, Ph.D.
• Charles Morrison MBA

UK – The United Kingdom

• W. E. B. Du Bois – William Edward Burghardt Du Bois
• J. K. Jerome – Jerome Klapka Jerome

• She said, “Calm down, baby, everything will be alright.”“She said, 'Calm down, baby, everything will be fine.'
• “Calm down, baby,” she said, “everything will be alright.”“Calm down, baby,” she said, “everything will be fine.”
• “Calm down, baby, everything will be alright,” she said.“Calm down, baby, everything will be fine,” she said.

Comma is placed after a conditional sentence with if and subordinate tense with when, if they come before the main clause. If the main clause comes before the conditional if-clause or when-clause, then they are not separated by commas.

• If you need help, just let me know.– If you need help, let me know.
• If you are tired, take some rest.– If you are tired, rest.
• When you feel lonely, just call me!– When you are sad, just call me!

• Take some rest if you are tired.- Rest if you are tired.
• Call me when you are home.- Call me when you get home.

Commas stand out dividing questions(tag questions).

• You are mad, aren't you?-You're evil, aren't you?
• He doesn’t know anything, does he?“He doesn’t know anything, does he?”

Colon

Colon (Colon) in English is used before a listing (list) or explanation of the previous part of a sentence.

• We have to buy the following things: bread, butter, milk, a cake.– We need to buy the following: bread, butter, milk, pie.
• I know what we should do: work.– I know what we have to do: work.
• He has got what he deserves: a good punishment he will never forget.“He got what he deserves: a good punishment that he will never forget.”

When after colons If several sentences follow, explaining the previous one, they are written with a capital letter. If this is a quote from someone, these sentences may be placed in quotation marks.

• Mom always told me: Be strong. Work hard. Never Give Up.“Mom always told me: “Be strong.” Work hard. Never give up".
• I will never forget his words: “Be careful with your dreams.”“I will never forget his words: “Be careful with your dreams.”

Colon The period is used when abbreviating words, abbreviations (except after a verb or preposition before listing items that are directly related to them.

• I want a new dress, new shoes, a new bag and a little puppy.– I want a new dress, new shoes, a new bag and a little puppy.
• I’ve read all his books including The Shining, The Dead Zone, Pet Sematary and others.– I read all his books, including “The Shining”, “The Dead Zone”, “Pet Sematary” and others.

Semicolon

Semicolon (Semicolon) is used to join independent clauses into one complex sentence. A semicolon indicates a pause, longer than a comma but shorter than a period. The semicolon is primarily used in formal documents or fiction.

• His car is broken ; it is also very old.
• – His car is broken; She is also very old. Some people like cats; others prefer having a dog.

Semicolon– Some people love cats; others prefer to get a dog.

• also used to join parts of a sentence or independent clauses that already have commas. Some people, for some reasons, like monkeys, racoons, rats;

• but others prefer having just a cat or a dog.– Some, for some reason, love monkeys, raccoons, rats; but others prefer to just get a cat or a dog.

Last summer i visited Moscow, Idaho;

Washington, D.C.; Springfield, California and some other cities. (– Last summer I visited the city of Moscow, Idaho; Washington, DC; Springfield, California and some other cities. Quotes

• Quotes Quotation Marks
• ) in English are used when quoting and introducing direct speech into a sentence. Saying

“I don’t care” was a big mistake. – The phrase “I don’t care” was a big mistake.“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. “I hope we meet again someday,” said Jack. When quoting or direct speech dot And.

• comma
• .”
• .”

• are placed in quotation marks, not after them. However, in British English, a period and a comma can be used
• after ”. quotes
• American English ”. British English

My favorite song is “We are stars”“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. – My favorite song is “We are stars”. She said, “It is the best thing I’ve ever read“She said, 'This is the best thing I've ever read.'

• Interrogative exclamatory
• signs can appear either in quotation marks or behind them, depending on the part of the sentence to which they refer. If there is an exclamation point and a question mark in direct speech, then there is no period or comma after direct speech.
• Jack asked, “Why is she here?”– Jack asked: “Why is she here?”

He yelled, “I don’t care!” - He shouted: “I don’t care!” Why did you say “I don’t care”?– Why did you say “I don’t care”? If in the middle of a quote or direct speech you need to enter.

• “Never say ‘I can’t do that’,” said my father.“Never say “I can’t do it,” my father said.
• “I saw the sign ‘Closed’ on the door but I entered anyway,” said Matt.“I saw the closed sign on the door, but I went in anyway,” Matt said.

According to the rules of the English language quotes also used when introducing into a sentence the titles of essays, articles, book chapters, songs from musicals, titles of film or television series, but not the titles of large individual works. The titles of complete works, individual songs, and films are often written italics.

• I didn’t read the chapter “Traveling alone” of this book.– I haven’t read the chapter of this book “Traveling Alone”.
• He wrote the song “Belle” for the musical Notre Dame de Paris.– He wrote the song “Belle” for the musical “Notre Dame de Paris.”

Washington, D.C.; Springfield, California and some other cities. also used for terms and words that are used in a sentence in an unusual sense (often to express sarcasm).

• Yesterday I had a phone call from my “best friend” Mark.– Yesterday my “best friend” Mark called me.
• It leads to a deficit of total body water known as “dehydration.”– This leads to a decrease in the amount of water in the body, known as “dehydration.”

Brackets

Brackets (Parentheses) in English are used to introduce additional information into a sentence. Such information can be highlighted commas or colon instead of parentheses, but the parentheses indicate that this information is not important or required.

• He got a small reward for his help ($20 or something) .– He received a small reward for his help ($20 or so).
• He didn't answer (after 5 minutes of hesitation) that he has never seen that girl.– He replied (after 5 minutes of doubt) that he had never seen this girl.

Points“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. commas always put dot brackets. However, there are cases when a whole sentence is conveyed in brackets, in which case a period can be placed in brackets.

• Matt got a bonus for his work ($100), but although Clark didn’t work that much his bonus was way bigger ($200).– Matt received a bonus for his work ($100), but Clark's bonus was much larger ($200), even though he didn't work that hard.
• You should watch this video! (You'll be surprised.)– You should watch this video (you will be surprised)!

My favorite song is “We are stars”“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. – My favorite song is “We are stars”. She said, “It is the best thing I’ve ever read can stand in parentheses, if they refer to the phrase in brackets.

• You completely forget about my birthday (didn’t you?).– You completely forgot about my birthday (didn’t you?).
• He came to my house (just imagine!) and asked for some money.– He came to my house (just imagine!) and asked me for money.

Square brackets (Brackets) are mainly used to enter author's remarks or corrections in someone's text, quotes or direct speech.

• He didn’t know the truth about Matt’s situation.– He (the teacher) did not know the truth about Matt’s situation.
• “Leningrad is the second largest city in USSR...”– “Leningrad (today we know this city as St. Petersburg) is the second largest city in the USSR...”

Apostrophe

Apostrophe (Apostrophe) in English is used to create possessive form of nouns(ending -’s).

• Kate's dog is really funny.
• Kate's dog is really funny. My brothers-in-law’s room is big.
• – My stepbrothers’ room is large. Guys’ parties are always really noisy.

Apostrophe- Guys' parties are always very noisy.

• also used in abbreviations and truncated forms of words in place of missing letters. Let's rock'n' roll!
• - Let's have a blast! I'd better go now.
• - I better go now. You’re my best friend.
• - You are my best friend. Kate won't do this anyway.

“Kate still won’t do it.”

My favorite song is “We are stars” Question mark (sign Question Mark

• ) in English is placed at the end of interrogative sentences. Are you going to the party tonight?
• -Are you going to the party tonight?
• Why didn't you go there?

– Why didn’t you go there? You are tired, aren’t you? Question mark-You're tired, aren't you?

• In complex sentences with direct speech or with inserted clauses interrogative
• is placed after the part of the sentence to which it refers.“Why is she so angry today? " asked Jim.
• - “Why is she so angry today?” – asked Jim. I asked him, “What can I do for you?” ”

“I asked him: “Is there anything I can help you with?” It is hardly surprising (isn’t it? ) that emerging markets have recently lost some of their appeal as means of diversifying risk.

• – It’s hardly surprising (is it?) that emerging markets have recently lost some of their appeal as a route to market diversification. There is no question mark
• for questions in indirect speech and in many rhetorical questions. Why don’t you help this old lady.

“Why don’t you help this old lady.”

I asked him whether he could go with me. (“I asked him if he could come with me.” Exclamation mark Exclamation mark

• Stop it right now!
• – Stop it now!
• You look fantastic!- You look amazing!

I asked him whether he could go with me. That's incredible! Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in literature!

• - Incredible! Bob Dylan received the Nobel Prize for Literature! can also be placed after interjections instead of a comma.
• Gosh! That was so tasty!- Crap! It was so delicious!

I asked him whether he could go with me. Oh dear! brackets.

• I completely forgot about cookies in the stove.- Mommies! I completely forgot about the cookies in the oven.
• can be placed in the middle of a sentence to emotionally emphasize a word, express sarcasm or surprise. In this case, the exclamation mark is taken in Ann says she bakes really (!) tasty cakes.– Ann says that she bakes very tasty pies.

Jim was preparing

(!) for his exams when I came.

– Jim was preparing (imagine!) for exams when I arrived.

Punctuation Marks – placing punctuation marks

Punctuation marks in English are used less frequently than in Russian. Let us recall that punctuation marks are special elements of writing that serve to indicate in writing the formal grammatical, semantic and intonation division of speech.

In English, the same punctuation marks are used as in Russian: for example, a period, a question mark, an exclamation mark are placed at the end. Quotations are used to highlight direct speech and quotations.

In both languages, the placement of punctuation marks in the text is governed by certain rules, but in English these rules are less strict. Good punctuation is the ability to make the right choice in the right place so that the reader can best understand the author's intonation.

Punctuation Marks

Full stop, period, dot, (decimal) point

Comma

:=colon

;=semi-colon

Question mark

Exclamation mark

Dash

‘=apostrophe

“ “ =quotation marks, double quotes

‘ ‘=single quotes

*=asterisk

&=and

@=at

/=(forward) slash

\=backwards slash or backslash

%= per cent, percentage

1. () = (round)brackets

(=open bracket) = close bracket

1. Capital letters

Capital letters indicate the beginning of a sentence. They are also used in writing proper names: personal names and titles, nationalities, days of the week, months, seasons, national holidays, geographical names. Capital letters are used in writing the titles of books, magazines and newspapers. Please note that if a proper name consists of two or more words, then all the words that make up the name are written with a capital letter:

The British Museum

Full stop point

2. when abbreviating words:

etc. – from Latin et cetera – and so on

co. – company - company

i.e. – from the Latin id est – that is

e.g. – from Latin exempli gratia – for example

3. at the end of an interrogative sentence in the form of a request:

Could you give me this book.

4. abbreviations (shortened words):

Dr or Dr. – doctor, doctor

Mr or Mr. – mister, master

Mrs or Mrs. - mistress, mistress

Prof. – Professor Nov. – November

5. When abbreviating the names of countries or organizations, it is possible to use abbreviations with or without a period.

USA or U.S.A.

U.K. – United Kingdom

Note 1:

The period is not used in acronyms (words consisting of the initial letters of other words or parts of words): NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization

UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

Note 2:

if a sentence ends with an abbreviation indicated by a dot, then the same dot serves to complete the entire sentence.

6. in decimal fractions, the integer is separated from the fraction by a dot (unlike the Russian language).

The dot is read point . Zero—nought.

If an integer is zero, then it is often unreadable.

0.25 – thought point two five or point two five.

57.5

0.0001

0.45

7. to separate larger and smaller monetary units of the same system: $10.75

8. when indicating time, separating hours and minutes: 6.45 a.m. – English 6:45 a.m. - Amer.

Note 3:

The period is not put in newspaper headlines, in the titles of books and other works:Mid Summer Night's Dream, New School to Be Built, Summit Talks.

Do not put a period if the abbreviation includes the last letter of the word: Rd (Road), Ltd (Limited), St (Street)

1. comma - comma

1. a number of homogeneous definitions:

Red, pink, yellow and white flowers filled the vases.

2. to separate the interrogative part in dividing questions:

You saw this film, didn't you?

They haven't come today, have they?

3. in dates to separate the day and month from the year:

Was not born June 14, 1940.

April 8, 1872

Moscow, July 12, 1972

4. in large numbers:

$1,000 a year / 1,767 / 2,565,727

5. in the English version (in the American version a colon is used) when preparing business correspondence after requests:

Dear Mr. Johnson, I have received your letter... – English.

Dear Sir:

I have received your letter... – Amer.

6. to separate explanatory words from direct speech, if there are no other punctuation marks:

He asked, "How long will it take you."

7. adverbial subordinate clauses if they come at the beginning of the sentence before the main one. If the subordinate clause follows the main clause, then it is not separated by a comma:

When it was convenient for him, he went to the office.

Cp. We worked overtime whenever it was necessary.

8. participial and absolute phrases at the beginning of a sentence:

The rain having stopped, we went for a walk.

A doctor, called to the scene, examined the injured man.

9. introductory infinitive constructions, if the infinitive construction performs the function of the subject, then it is not separated by a comma:

Then become a doctor was his dream.

Wed. That be successful, one must work hard.

10. after introductory words or expressions to separate them from the rest of the sentence:

Well, I like this.

By the way, I also need money.

However, nobody drank much.

11. after addresses and interjections.

“Fred, it’s disgusting. You’re cheating people who trust you.”

“What did you do, daddy?” he asked.

“Oh, no, Headmistress, that can’t be right!”

Well, what do you think they have done?

12. is put in cases where there is a possibility of misperception of the meaning of the sentence:

As the police car pulled up, the crowd surged forward (without the comma, one would think that the car crashed into the crowd)

After a period of calm, college students have begun to demonstrate again (without a comma, the word college could be attributed to the word calm)

13. if the word also is at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis (in other cases also is not separated by a comma):

Also, we noticed that the prices were going up.

We also noticed that the prices were going up.

14. to separate any part of a sentence containing additional information (but: if such part of the sentence is in the nature of an explanation or clarification, a comma is not used):

Yesterday I met John, who told me he was getting married.

A widow is a woman whose husband is dead.

4. Commas are not separated:

1. words in city addresses: 115 Oxford Street

2. when designating pages, years: page 15 / in the year 1986

3. subordinate clauses, when they come after the main clause:

I had to finish my work earlier to help mother.

It is important that you should be here tomorrow.

Our advice is that you should not smoke.

4. between the subject and the predicate, when the information is mandatory, not additional:

The driver who helped me that morning insisted that he knew me.

The girl with whom he fell in love left him after a few weeks.

5.sentences connected using conjunctions AND, OR, BUT, although a comma can be used.

There was a muddy pond in the garden (,) and this was the home of some frogs.

(In such cases, the comma is used more often in American English than in British English.)

5.Colon - Colon

A colon is used before listing and explanation. If a colon is followed by a complete sentence, then the first word of such a sentence is written with a capital letter:

Breakfast: Picking up the remaining chicken bite from the sofa. Knock it onto the carpet and bat it under the television set.

There are different trends in painting: classicism, romanticism, impressionism, cubism, etc.

The history of Britain: A Personal View.

Note: If the list of listed items is arranged in a column, each new line must begin with a capital letter, and no punctuation mark is placed after each item.

6. Semi-colons – Semicolon

1. A semicolon is sometimes used instead of a comma to separate items included in a list.

The shopping center has a number of features: a cinema; two meeting rooms; a fast-food cafe; a small gymnasium.

2. A semicolon can also be used instead of a period to separate two main clauses. In such cases, the sentences remain grammatically separate but connected in meaning.

Some cats sleep during the night; most cats are active during the dark.

3. The semicolon is used in formal writing, which contains many long sentences and syntactically complex structures.

7.Dashes – Dash

A dash is placed before the listing of homogeneous members, with a generalizing word:

We bought some new crockery – cups, saucers, plates, dishes.

8.Apostrophe - Apostrophe

1. in cases of using the possessive case:

mother's hat

students" books

Note: when forming the possessive case from proper names ending with the letter -s, you can use both options:

King Charles "s crown / King Charles" crown

2. to indicate missing letters or numbers:

he's

don"t

3. to indicate the plural of letters, numbers or abbreviations:

In the 1980's

VIP's

I can't distinguish his L's.

When speaking directly, the punctuation mark is placed inside the quotation marks (in Russian, a period and a comma are placed after the quotation marks).

You can use single quotes " " or double quotes "" "". Double quotes are more common in handwritten materials.

He said, “Now it’s time to begin.” “Now it’s time to begin,” he said, “and you will be the first to speak.”

Transmitting other people's thoughts

Sometimes we also report thoughts using the structure of indirect speech; quotation marks are not used:

Why did I marry so quickly, so foolishly, she thought to herself.

What would he say, she wondered, if he could see that now?

Exercises

1. Put in punctuation marks and capital letters

My name's hans I'm from zurich in Switzerland I speak german and a bit French zurich is in the north of Switzerland it got a population of about 700,000 im in England now because I want to learn more English the town where im staying is called hastings its on the south coast of England

Jack is a british student hes from York in the north of England hes on a Russian language course at Moscow state university he wants to learn more Russian hes on holiday with his friends in st petersburg on the coast of the Baltic sea hes fond of Rissian art jacks parents are coming to visit him in july hell show them a lot of interesting places

My names donna and ive got a brother his names desmond were twins were English and we live in London we like the same things we like running and swimming but we don’t like tv we like our city it’s a lovely place to live in

It was late Friday evening just before eleven oclock mr jones bought a ticket and walked onto the platform it was a cold January night there wasn't anybody on the platform the train was late suddenly mr jones heard something it was a cassette player and it was very loud mr jones looked around and saw nobody

1. Some of the sentences below have mistakes. Find these sentences and correct the mistakes. (Capital letters)

1. “The times” has a Sunday color supplement. 2. We often buy French bread in the form of thick sticks. 3. Jane Austin’s “Sense and sensibility” made a really great impression on me. 4. Sigmund Freud was an Austrian doctor who developed a new system for understanding the way that people’s minds work. 5. Mecca is a city in Saudi Arabia where the prophet Muhammad was born. 6. “Casablanca” with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is considered an all-time classic. 7. The Rolling stones, one of the most successful groups ever, first became popular in 1963. 8. October is the tenth month of the year between September and November. 9. The romances are remembered as skilled and effective soldiers, great builders and engineers.

1. Give abbreviations for the following. Check in a dictionary. Use full stops where they may appear.

1. the alphabet; 2. Home Box Office (a TV channel); 3. laboratory; 4. Mister; 5. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (an international organization); 6. please turn over (written at the bottom of the page to tell the reader to look at the next page); 7. departure; 8. His Excellency (a title of important state officials); 9. Member of Parliament; 10.post meridiem; 11. singular; 12. postscript (a note added at the end of a letter, giving more information); 13. John Boynton Priestley; 14. George Bernard Shaw

4.There are no commas in the sentences below. Say where they must be or may be.

1. Well Matilda aren’t you going outside with the others? 2. Oh I was. I was flying past the stars on silver wings. 3. They passed the greengrocer and then they came out at the other side of the village. 4. You won’t tell anyone about this will you? 5. Calm yourself down child calm yourself down. 6. It is quite possible that you are a phenomenon but I’d rather you didn’t think about yourself like that. 7. “By the way” Ma said “did you do anything about the car?” 8. She was a sweet gentle and caring creature. 9. It was cool dark and very unpleasant down the stairs. 10. If you write an email now he will get it immediately Bess believe me. 11. Pop departed across the field to the truck and Mr Charlton at once felt much more himself. 12. When he first asked me I laughed at the question. 13. Have you ever heard of Max Preston who came to our school last month? 14. The woman had a small suitcase a box an h-bag and an umbrella.

5. Use commas where and if necessary to complete the sentences.

1. This is the problem which we’re solving at the moment. 2. Tell him about it when he comes. 3. If they arrive early they will be able to have a short tour of the city. 4. The man whose face seems familiar to you is our principal. 5. I have been to Rhodes Crete and some other islands of the Mediterranean. 6. The guy who is waiting in the office wants to talk to you. 7. I will be delighted if you get a chance to know this outstanding writer. 8. Emily Green who was here in the morning won’t join us. 9. We’ll ask Dick who is the oldest in the family just to say a few words. 10. If my daughter leaves me I’ll miss her very much.

6. Explain the use of colons in these sentences.

1. In formal English we always read year dates as hundreds: 1999 9ninteen hundred and ninety-nine). 2. She still enjoys such books: science fiction, detective stories, historical novels. 3. We have everything we need: land, brains, wealth, technology. 4. American Literature: 20 th century. 5. She decided against going to Spain in November: the weather is usually dull and rainy there in that month. 6. The man had been paralysed: this, not age, explained his unsteady walk. 7. I decided to leave: John and Mary were obviously tired. 8. Please send the stipulated items: your birth certificate, your passport and your CV.

7. Use semi-colons instead of commas and full stops it is possible.

1. Taylor was an outstanding actor. With a few telling strokes he characterized King Lear magnificently. 2. The breakfast menu consisted of fruit juice or cereal, a boiled egg, toast and marmalade, and a pot of tea or coffee. 3. I had been aware that they sometimes disagreed violently. I had not realized that they were seriously contemplating divorce. 4. The room was bright, spacious and very cozy. 5. Everybody knows that, don’t they? 6. She slowly, carefully, deliberately moved the box. 7. She is expected later today. She is not expected to open the conference. 8. She bought eggs, butter, bread and coffee.

8. Put in punctuation marks in the direct speech.

A father and his baby

One Sunday some visitors to Hyde Park, who were sitting on benches quietly enjoying their sandwiches, were suddenly surprised by a strange young man.

The young man was pushing a pram. The baby in the pram was crying loudly. The young man stopped and said softly You should take it easy Tom. You should control yourself Tom.

The baby calmed down for a minute but then it started to cry again. The young man stopped, took out a little toy out of the bag, gave the toy to the child and said You should take it easy Tom. You should control yourself Tom.

They went on, but soon the child started to cry again. The young man stopped, took some chocolate out of his bag and gave it to the baby. Don't worry Tom. It's Ok Tom. You'll be all right Tom he said. But the baby didn’t calm down. It just cried louder and louder.

An old woman who had been watching the man came up to him and smiled. You’re a great father she said you know how to talk to your baby, in a nice, quiet voice. Then she looked into the pram and asked What’s wrong with you Tom? Why are you crying?

The father looked at the woman strangely and said The baby is a girl. Her name's Sabrina. Tom is my name.

9. Put in commas if it is necessary.

1. This princess who did her best to help the poor and the sick died in 1997. 2. Books by this playwright who lived in the 16 th century are still very popular. 3. This is a politician with his famous pipe which he smoked all the time. 4. This musician who comes from Liverpool is famous all over the world. 5. That’s the man who was friends with John Lennon. 6. That’s the politician who was one of the best British prime ministers. 7. That’s the woman whom everyone loved. 8. The building that was next to the school fell down. 9. Jane whose father was also a doctor works at the hospital. 10. I’m going to the town where I spent the best year of my life. 11. In the room I spotted a boy whose father helped me last year. 12. There were a lot of flowers in the tree her grandfather planted. 13. The present that he brought was the best. 14. The girl they are talking about is Mark’s sister. 15. His brother whom I have known for many years telephoned me yesterday.

10. Put in punctuation marks that are necessary.

10 Pink Street

Sevenoaks

Kent TN 1 2 NB

10 02 2012

Dear Ben

I haven't seen you for ages How are you

I have good news we moved our house a couple of weeks ago and I had to change school But it s very difficult for me to get used to new classmates and new teachers I don t have friends here and I feel very lonely Where did you meet your best friend What is he like What do you do

I m sorry I have to stop now because I must help my mother about the house Write soon

Best wishes

11. Put in semi-colons and commas where they are necessary.

Most people enjoy traveling but I don’t share their passion. The best holiday for me would be a quiet day when I can watch some films. I hate trains and crowds in the railway stations I’m afraid of traveling by air and I feel seasick when going anywhere by boat. What’s the point in traveling I ask? Why suffer if you can see faraway places on TV?

I’ve always dreamed about traveling. However traveling is not as thrilling an adventure nowdays as it used to be. Travelers of the past risked their lives every minute. Nowdays people travel with too much comfort. They can always find food and medical care. Of course safety and comfort are not bad things, but to me, the old way of travel is far more attractive!

I like traveling. Once my parents and I were traveling by ship and we were caught in a storm. The waves were huge and the captain insisted that all the passengers should stay in their compartments. The storm lasted for several hours. No one was hurt but now I can understand what travelers of the past felt when they were crossing the oceans on their little wooden ships.

12. Put in all necessary punctuation marks.

Dear ann

Thank you for your letter im ben im from great britain my country is beautiful too the capital of great britain is london there are many new and old houses and bridges in london there are a lot of cars in the streets you can also see many interesting towns in gb like oxford cambridge and others

i live in oxford but I often visit my granny she lives in the country there is a green garden with white red yellow and blue flowers next to her house there are green fields and white sheep in the country

i think russia is a beautiful country so i want to visit russia next summer

your pen friend

13. Put in all necessary punctuation marks.

my winter fantasy

yesterday I went to the park I met my best friend there it was sunny and cold we skied in the park we played snowballs and made a funny snowman the snowman looked at us and said hello we liked it very much

when I came home I had lunch at home I did my homework watched tv and drew a picture of my funny snowman

I put the picture on the wall at 10 pm I went to bed the snowman smiled and said good night

14. Put in commas

1. If I am not too busy I will go to the concert. 2. They will all be surprised if I make such a mistake. 3. If he doesn’t come on time will we have to wait for him? 4. If no one comes to help we will be responsible to do the work ourselves. 5. If you put on your glasses you will see better. 6. What will we do if they are late? 7. Will you be very angry if we don’t come? 8. Will he be very displeased if I don’t ring him up?

15. Put in commas

1. Tom's mother said that that was enough. She said that Tom would never go there again and added that she would see to it. 2. Grandmother asked who would read the next story and added that it was very interesting and that she was sure we all should like it. 3. To begin with she opened all the windows. 4. My neighbor is difficult to deal with. 5. To tell you the truth I am very tired. 6. His behavior leaves a lot to be desired. 7. These children are pleasant to look at. 8. To cut a long story short they got married. 9. To translate this article you must use a dictionary. 10. It was out of the question to bathe in this river.

16. Put in commas

1. It is certain to train if you don’t take your umbrella. 2.When copying English texts pay attention to the articles. 3. Be careful when crossing a street. 4. When leaving the room don’t forget to switch off the light. 5. You must have more practice when learning to speak a foreign language. 6. Arriving at the railway station he bought a ticket, walked to help the platform and boarded the train. 7. Having left the house and crossing the street he suddenly stopped remembering that he had forgotten to take his tablets. 8. He had no language problems having studied English for a long time.

1. I think it is time for the bell to ring. 2. I am almost sure they have this book in the library. 3. Probably he recognized you by your photo in the papers. 4. He is sure to be in at this time. 5. Of course she is trying to help you. 6. She is certain to be waiting for you at home. 7. There is little doubt that the first experiment failed. 8. No doubt she knew what she was going to do. 9. I am sure she is fond of the child. 10. Perhaps he visited the Hermitage when he was in St. Petersburg last year. 11. I don’t believe you have lost your passport; probably you have put it into another bag.

18. Put in commas if they are necessary

1. Everybody knows that Christopher Columbus discovered America. However America was named after Amerigo Vespucci who explored the eastern coast of South America. 2. To test his ideas Heyerdal decided to build a copy of the reed boats which were pictured in ancient Egyptian paintings and sail across the Atlantic. 3. On May 25 1969 the boat called Ra left a port in Morocco and headed across the widest part of the Atlantic. Before reaching Barbados Ra had broken but all the members of the expedition survived and wanted to try again. 4. However it was never used as a fortress. In 1824 it became a place of public entertainment. 5. Paul Samuelson was born on May 15, 1915 in Gary Indiana. He was educated at the University of Chicago in Illinois and at Harvard University.

19 . Put in commas if they are necessary

Nowadays many people think that they are too fat even if their doctors disagree. They think the best way to improve their fitness is following a diet. But is dieting really so effective and healthy?

On the one hand if you want to lose weight it is very important to keep your eye on what you eat. To begin with you should cut out snacks and desserts which add weight without boosting energy levels. Besides you ought to cut down on fat as it is believed to be one of the major causes of obesity. Finally you may count the number of calories you eat every day which may substantially reduce the amount of food you eat and help to lose weight.

On the other hand strict dieting may be dangerous. Firstly the lower the calories eaten per day the harder it is to get the daily requirements of proteins and vitamins. In addition excessive dieting causes muscle loss and this loss may be from your heart with severe consequences. Moreover, dieting lowers your metabolic rate so when you return to your normal food intake you will put on weight even faster than before.

To conclude I believe that to stay healthy everyone should follow a sensible well-balanced diet that gives their body exactly what it needs. However I think the best way of keeping fit is doing sports. If you do regular exercise you can eat and drink whatever you want because you are burning it all off.

20. Put in punctuation marks.

I love music. Since my childhood I’ve played many different musical instruments the piano the guitar and even the drums.

My music teacher sometimes says that I have a gift for music and I hope she’s right.

Recently I’ve joined our school band and we are going to take part in a modern music concert.

Unfortunately we couldn’t participate in the city music competition as it was our exam time.

At the “Advanced” level, they often place commas in English by intuition, focusing on Russian rules. In many cases this justifies itself, but not always. We will talk about these exceptions today.

1. Commas in English are allowed before “and” in listings

Take a look at the following sentence and its translation:

In Russian, a comma is not placed before the single “and” in listings, but in English it is possible. True, British linguists are still arguing about its necessity. It is constantly present in Oxford editions (which is why it is often called the Oxford comma). On the other hand, many authors prefer not to overload a sentence with unnecessary punctuation.

What should we do? We choose a compromise.

A comma in English is required only if without it the sentence could be misunderstood- the manuals are unanimous on this. In other cases, it is your personal choice. Linguist Diana Hacker gives an example where a comma in an English sentence is necessary to understand the meaning:

“If it is meant that the inheritance includes property, and (in addition to it) houses and warehouses, then a comma is required,” explains Diana Hacker. And if it is not there, then the meaning is as follows: “My uncle left me all his property as an inheritance, and it consists of houses and warehouses.”

Similarly, you may encounter a comma in English before “and” in homogeneous subordinate clauses, whereas in Russian it would be an error:

2. A comma in English is not used in short complex sentences.

In Russian, punctuation marks appear regardless of the length of simple sentences that are part of a complex sentence. In English, if both sentences are very short, you can do without a comma:

3. Some types of subordinate clauses are not distinguished by commas in English.

We are talking about relative clauses. They answer the questions “which?”, “which?”, “which?” and serve to characterize a person or thing. You recognize them by the words “who”, “which”, “that”, “whom”, “where”. In Russian, such subordinate clauses are always separated by commas, but in English, punctuation depends on the meaning.

Compare two sentences:

As you can see, in the second case the subordinate clause is highlighted, but in the first it is not. Why?

Try dropping the clause. What's left?

1. Passengers were immediately recognizable. - the main idea is lost. That is, the subordinate clause was necessary to understand the situation.

2. Jane has two young children. — the main idea is preserved. That is, the subordinate clause simply gave us a little more information about the children, that’s all.

Thus, if a subordinate clause can be discarded without fundamentally changing the meaning of the sentence, we separate it with commas. And when it is mandatory for understanding, it cannot be separated (by this we emphasize the semantic integrity of the statement).

Yes, and if the terms don’t scare you, then in the first case we are talking about the so-called Restrictive relative clauses, and in the second - about Non-restrictive relative clauses.

4. Commas in English highlight the year in dates

Please note: the punctuation mark is placed not only before, but also after the year.

There are two very important exceptions to this rule:

- if the number comes before the month:

- if only the month and year are specified, but there is no day:

We talked about this in more detail earlier.

5. Large numbers are separated by commas in English.

If the number contains five or more characters, it is required; if there are fewer, it is not:

3,500 or 3,500

Exceptions: street numbers, postal codes, telephone numbers, years - no punctuation required here.

6. Direct speech

In place of the Russian colon in English there is a comma.

How to remember all these rules? If you keep them handy and refer to them from time to time, they will stick in your memory faster. You will soon see this for yourself!

Punctuation(punctuation marks) in English, as in Russian, are used to separate sentences, parts of complex sentences and words, to express intonation and semantic emphasis on individual words.

English punctuation rules are less strict than Russian, and their use often depends on the author himself (especially the use of commas).

Dot

Dot (Period) in English, as in Russian, is placed at the end of a declarative sentence.

• This is Lauren.
• - This is Lauren.
• I didn't like that cake.

– I didn’t like that cake. I'm cold. Close the door.- I'm cold. Close the door. The period is used when abbreviating words, abbreviations (except acronyms ). If a sentence ends with an abbreviation with a period, then the second period.

• not placed . Between letters in an abbreviation no space is included
• I wake up at 7 a.m.- I wake up at 7 am.
• We will arrive on Fri. the 17th.

– We will arrive on Friday the 17th. Prof. Morrison is in room 302. – Professor Morrison is in room 302. The use of periods in abbreviations also depends on the variety of English. For example, in British English

In language, abbreviations that consist of the first and last letter of a word are used without a period. IN

• American
• in English, a dot can be used in such abbreviations. Depending on the style of the text, the period may be placed in abbreviations of academic degrees and country abbreviations or omitted. Julia Carroll, PhD

• Richard Maxwell Ph.D.– Richard Maxwell, Ph.D.
• Charles Morrison MBA

UK – The United Kingdom

• W. E. B. Du Bois – William Edward Burghardt Du Bois
• J. K. Jerome – Jerome Klapka Jerome

• She said, “Calm down, baby, everything will be alright.”“She said, 'Calm down, baby, everything will be fine.'
• “Calm down, baby,” she said, “everything will be alright.”“Calm down, baby,” she said, “everything will be fine.”
• “Calm down, baby, everything will be alright,” she said.“Calm down, baby, everything will be fine,” she said.

Comma is placed after a conditional sentence with if and subordinate tense with when, if they come before the main clause. If the main clause comes before the conditional if-clause or when-clause, then they are not separated by commas.

• If you need help, just let me know.– If you need help, let me know.
• If you are tired, take some rest.– If you are tired, rest.
• When you feel lonely, just call me!– When you are sad, just call me!

• Take some rest if you are tired.- Rest if you are tired.
• Call me when you are home.- Call me when you get home.

Commas stand out dividing questions(tag questions).

• You are mad, aren't you?-You're evil, aren't you?
• He doesn’t know anything, does he?“He doesn’t know anything, does he?”

Colon

Colon (Colon) in English is used before a listing (list) or explanation of the previous part of a sentence.

• We have to buy the following things: bread, butter, milk, a cake.– We need to buy the following: bread, butter, milk, pie.
• I know what we should do: work.– I know what we have to do: work.
• He has got what he deserves: a good punishment he will never forget.“He got what he deserves: a good punishment that he will never forget.”

When after colons If several sentences follow, explaining the previous one, they are written with a capital letter. If this is a quote from someone, these sentences may be placed in quotation marks.

• Mom always told me: Be strong. Work hard. Never Give Up.“Mom always told me: “Be strong.” Work hard. Never give up".
• I will never forget his words: “Be careful with your dreams.”“I will never forget his words: “Be careful with your dreams.”

Colon The period is used when abbreviating words, abbreviations (except after a verb or preposition before listing items that are directly related to them.

• I want a new dress, new shoes, a new bag and a little puppy.– I want a new dress, new shoes, a new bag and a little puppy.
• I’ve read all his books including The Shining, The Dead Zone, Pet Sematary and others.– I read all his books, including “The Shining”, “The Dead Zone”, “Pet Sematary” and others.

Semicolon

Semicolon (Semicolon) is used to join independent clauses into one complex sentence. A semicolon indicates a pause, longer than a comma but shorter than a period. The semicolon is primarily used in formal documents or fiction.

• His car is broken ; it is also very old.
• – His car is broken; She is also very old. Some people like cats; others prefer having a dog.

Semicolon– Some people love cats; others prefer to get a dog.

• also used to join parts of a sentence or independent clauses that already have commas. Some people, for some reasons, like monkeys, racoons, rats;

• but others prefer having just a cat or a dog.– Some, for some reason, love monkeys, raccoons, rats; but others prefer to just get a cat or a dog.

Last summer i visited Moscow, Idaho;

Washington, D.C.; Springfield, California and some other cities. (– Last summer I visited the city of Moscow, Idaho; Washington, DC; Springfield, California and some other cities. Quotes

• Quotes Quotation Marks
• ) in English are used when quoting and introducing direct speech into a sentence. Saying

“I don’t care” was a big mistake. – The phrase “I don’t care” was a big mistake.“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. “I hope we meet again someday,” said Jack. When quoting or direct speech dot And.

• comma
• .”
• .”

• are placed in quotation marks, not after them. However, in British English, a period and a comma can be used
• after ”. quotes
• American English ”. British English

My favorite song is “We are stars”“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. – My favorite song is “We are stars”. She said, “It is the best thing I’ve ever read“She said, 'This is the best thing I've ever read.'

• Interrogative exclamatory
• signs can appear either in quotation marks or behind them, depending on the part of the sentence to which they refer. If there is an exclamation point and a question mark in direct speech, then there is no period or comma after direct speech.
• Jack asked, “Why is she here?”– Jack asked: “Why is she here?”

He yelled, “I don’t care!” - He shouted: “I don’t care!” Why did you say “I don’t care”?– Why did you say “I don’t care”? If in the middle of a quote or direct speech you need to enter.

• “Never say ‘I can’t do that’,” said my father.“Never say “I can’t do it,” my father said.
• “I saw the sign ‘Closed’ on the door but I entered anyway,” said Matt.“I saw the closed sign on the door, but I went in anyway,” Matt said.

According to the rules of the English language quotes also used when introducing into a sentence the titles of essays, articles, book chapters, songs from musicals, titles of film or television series, but not the titles of large individual works. The titles of complete works, individual songs, and films are often written italics.

• I didn’t read the chapter “Traveling alone” of this book.– I haven’t read the chapter of this book “Traveling Alone”.
• He wrote the song “Belle” for the musical Notre Dame de Paris.– He wrote the song “Belle” for the musical “Notre Dame de Paris.”

Washington, D.C.; Springfield, California and some other cities. also used for terms and words that are used in a sentence in an unusual sense (often to express sarcasm).

• Yesterday I had a phone call from my “best friend” Mark.– Yesterday my “best friend” Mark called me.
• It leads to a deficit of total body water known as “dehydration.”– This leads to a decrease in the amount of water in the body, known as “dehydration.”

Brackets

Brackets (Parentheses) in English are used to introduce additional information into a sentence. Such information can be highlighted commas or colon instead of parentheses, but the parentheses indicate that this information is not important or required.

• He got a small reward for his help ($20 or something) .– He received a small reward for his help ($20 or so).
• He didn't answer (after 5 minutes of hesitation) that he has never seen that girl.– He replied (after 5 minutes of doubt) that he had never seen this girl.

Points“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. commas always put dot brackets. However, there are cases when a whole sentence is conveyed in brackets, in which case a period can be placed in brackets.

• Matt got a bonus for his work ($100), but although Clark didn’t work that much his bonus was way bigger ($200).– Matt received a bonus for his work ($100), but Clark's bonus was much larger ($200), even though he didn't work that hard.
• You should watch this video! (You'll be surprised.)– You should watch this video (you will be surprised)!

My favorite song is “We are stars”“I hope we will meet again one day,” said Jack. – My favorite song is “We are stars”. She said, “It is the best thing I’ve ever read can stand in parentheses, if they refer to the phrase in brackets.

• You completely forget about my birthday (didn’t you?).– You completely forgot about my birthday (didn’t you?).
• He came to my house (just imagine!) and asked for some money.– He came to my house (just imagine!) and asked me for money.

Square brackets (Brackets) are mainly used to enter author's remarks or corrections in someone's text, quotes or direct speech.

• He didn’t know the truth about Matt’s situation.– He (the teacher) did not know the truth about Matt’s situation.
• “Leningrad is the second largest city in USSR...”– “Leningrad (today we know this city as St. Petersburg) is the second largest city in the USSR...”

Apostrophe

Apostrophe (Apostrophe) in English is used to create possessive form of nouns(ending -’s).

• Kate's dog is really funny.
• Kate's dog is really funny. My brothers-in-law’s room is big.
• – My stepbrothers’ room is large. Guys’ parties are always really noisy.

Apostrophe- Guys' parties are always very noisy.

• also used in abbreviations and truncated forms of words in place of missing letters. Let's rock'n' roll!
• - Let's have a blast! I'd better go now.
• - I better go now. You’re my best friend.
• - You are my best friend. Kate won't do this anyway.

“Kate still won’t do it.”

My favorite song is “We are stars” Question mark (sign Question Mark

• ) in English is placed at the end of interrogative sentences. Are you going to the party tonight?
• -Are you going to the party tonight?
• Why didn't you go there?

– Why didn’t you go there? You are tired, aren’t you? Question mark-You're tired, aren't you?

• In complex sentences with direct speech or with inserted clauses interrogative
• is placed after the part of the sentence to which it refers.“Why is she so angry today? " asked Jim.
• - “Why is she so angry today?” – asked Jim. I asked him, “What can I do for you?” ”

“I asked him: “Is there anything I can help you with?” It is hardly surprising (isn’t it? ) that emerging markets have recently lost some of their appeal as means of diversifying risk.

• – It’s hardly surprising (is it?) that emerging markets have recently lost some of their appeal as a route to market diversification. There is no question mark
• for questions in indirect speech and in many rhetorical questions. Why don’t you help this old lady.

“Why don’t you help this old lady.”

I asked him whether he could go with me. (“I asked him if he could come with me.” Exclamation mark Exclamation mark

• Stop it right now!
• – Stop it now!
• You look fantastic!- You look amazing!

I asked him whether he could go with me. That's incredible! Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in literature!

• - Incredible! Bob Dylan received the Nobel Prize for Literature! can also be placed after interjections instead of a comma.
• Gosh! That was so tasty!- Crap! It was so delicious!

I asked him whether he could go with me. Oh dear! brackets.

• I completely forgot about cookies in the stove.- Mommies! I completely forgot about the cookies in the oven.
• can be placed in the middle of a sentence to emotionally emphasize a word, express sarcasm or surprise. In this case, the exclamation mark is taken in Ann says she bakes really (!) tasty cakes.– Ann says that she bakes very tasty pies.