Writing skills success - LearningExpress 2009

Lesson 2. Periods, question marks, and exclamation points
Pretest

No iron can pierce the heart with such force as a period put just at the right place.

—Isaac Babel, Russian journalist (1894-1940)

LESSON SUMMARY

End punctuation is as essential to writing as road signs are to drivers.

This chapter shows which end marks to use and where.

The exercise that follows reviews Lesson 1, Capitalization, and gives you an opportunity to see what you already know about periods and end marks. Correct the capitalization in the Problem column on the next page, adding periods, question marks, and exclamation points where you think they should go.

Check your answers with the Solution column as you go.

Problem

William Reese had not been inside Oak Hill high school for five years when he graduated, William left harrisburg, Pennsylvania to attend the university of Wisconsin He was looking forward to seeing his old Teachers, and he was sure they would be surprised about how successful he had become william was not a model high school student In fact, he was awful his guidance counselor, Ms Lewis, always told him that she couldn’t understand how someone as bright as he was could get such poor grades William came very close to failing at least three of his subjects every marking period he especially disliked math and science

After school on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and fridays, William would get into his old Honda civic and drive to Cedar street, where he worked the afternoon shift at Milton’s bookstore This was his favorite place to be he loved being surrounded by books, and when he wasn’t helping customers, he would sit behind the counter and read as much as he could During these afternoon shifts, William read some books that changed his life one of his favorites was on the Road by Jack Kerouac his reading inspired him to keep a Journal, which he wrote in every day

When it was time to consider college william spent many hours with Ms Lewis thinking about his future After reading his journals, Ms Lewis suggested that perhaps William would be happiest at a College where he could study creative writing The rest is history

William was one of the Top Students in the creative writing Program at the University of Wisconsin during his Junior Year, one of his essays was accepted for publication in a National magazine, and soon after that, William received a call from an editor at Bound brook publishing who wanted to publish a collection of William’s short stories as soon as the book was published William sent a copy to Ms Lewis thanking her for her support and advice

Now he was on his way back to visit Ms Lewis and his other teachers, who were probably all asking the same question Can this be the same William Reese

Solution

William Reese had not been inside Oak Hill High School for five years. When he graduated, William left Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to attend the University of Wisconsin. He was looking forward to seeing his old teachers, and he was sure they would be surprised about how successful he had become.

William was not a model high school student. In fact, he was awful! His guidance counselor, Ms. Lewis, always told him that she couldn’t understand how someone as bright as he was could get such poor grades. William came very close to failing at least three of his subjects every marking period. He especially disliked math and science.

After school on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, William would get into his old Honda Civic and drive to Cedar Street, where he worked the afternoon shift at Milton’s Bookstore. This was his favorite place to be. He loved being surrounded by books, and when he wasn’t helping customers, he would sit behind the counter and read as much as he could. During these afternoon shifts, William read some books that changed his life. One of his favorites was On the Road by Jack Kerouac. His reading inspired him to keep a journal, which he wrote in every day.

When it was time to consider college, William spent many hours with Ms. Lewis thinking about his future. After reading his journals, Ms. Lewis suggested that perhaps William would be happiest at a college where he could study creative writing. The rest is history!

William was one of the top students in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Wisconsin. During his junior year, one of his essays was accepted for publication in a national magazine, and soon after that, William received a call from an editor at Bound Brook Publishing who wanted to publish a collection of William’s short stories. As soon as the book was published, William sent a copy to Ms. Lewis thanking her for her support and advice.

Now he was on his way back to visit Ms. Lewis and his other teachers, who were probably all asking the same question. Can this be the same William Reese?

Rules for Using Periods

■ Use a period after an initial and after every part of an abbreviation, unless the abbreviation has become an acronym—an abbreviation that is pronounced as a word, such as AIDS—or a widely recognized name (TV, FBI, NATO, NASA).

Titles—Mr., Ms., Dr., and so on—are also abbreviations that use periods. If the abbreviation comes at the end of a sentence, only one period is needed.

Examples:

The tour leaves on Mon., Jan. 1, at 3 P.M.

The book was written by C.S. Lewis.

A.J. Mandelli researched brain function for the FBI.

■ Use a period as a decimal between numbers and between dollars and cents.

Examples:

A gallon equals 3.875 liters.

The new textbook costs $54.75.

Only 5.6% of our consumers spend over $100.00 per month on our products.

■ Use a period at the end of a sentence that makes a statement.

Examples:

Henry Kissinger served under two U.S. presidents. Wilson will lecture in the forum after school today.

Many consider P.T. Barnum the best salesman ever to have walked the earth.

■ Use a period at the end of a sentence that makes a request, gives an instruction, or states a command.

Examples:

Empty the kitchen trash before you take the garbage out.

Turn right at the first stop light, and then go to the second house on the left.

■ Use a period at the end of a sentence that asks an indirect question.

Examples:

My neighbor asked if we had seen his cat. (The direct question was, “Have you seen my cat?”)

Quentin wanted to know how we had arrived at that answer. (The direct question was “How did you arrive at that answer?”)

Practice

Choose the correctly written version from each of the following sets of sentences. You will find the answers to each set of questions at the end of the lesson.

1. a. The train passed through Rockford, IL., on its way to St. Joseph, MO.

b. The train passed through Rockford, IL, on its way to St Joseph, MO.

c. The train passed through Rockford, IL, on its way to St. Joseph, MO.

2. a. Ms Cory Ames, Dr Matthew Olson, and H.J.

Lane went to Chicago, IL..

b. Ms Cory Ames, Dr Matthew Olson, and HJ Lane went to Chicago, IL.

c. Ms. Cory Ames, Dr. Matthew Olson, and H.J. Lane went to Chicago, IL.

3. a. At the age of 15, Justin measured 5 ft. 11 in. tall.

Now, at 17, he has grown to 6 ft. 3 in.

b. At the age of 15, Justin measured 5 ft. 11 in.

tall.. Now, at 17, he has grown to 6 ft. 3 in..

c. At the age of 15, Justin measured 5 ft 11 in tall.

Now, at 17, he has grown to 6 ft 3 in.

4. a. Bob asked if the price of the CD was $13.98?

b. Bob asked if the price of the CD was $13.98.

c. Bob asked if the price of the CD was $1398C.

5. a. Tie your shoe. Before you trip and break a leg.

b. Tie your shoe before you trip and break a leg.

c. Tie your shoe before you trip and break a leg

6. a. Mr and Mrs Fletcher visited 10 cities in 20 days.

b. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher visited 10 cities in 20 days.

c. Mr and Mrs. Fletcher visited 10 cities in 20 days.

7. a. Mayor and Mrs. Dorian will address the city council at 8:00 P.M.

b. Mayor and Mrs Dorian will address the city council at 8:00 P.M.

c. Mayor and Mrs. Dorian will address the city council at 8:00 P.M.

8. a. Oh, all right. Tell me your riddle.

b. Oh. all right. Tell me your riddle.

c. Oh, all right Tell me your riddle.

Rules for Using Question Marks and Exclamation Points

■ Use a question mark after a word or group of words that asks a question, even if it is not a complete sentence.

Examples:

What did you do last night?

Will you put out the trash?

Okay?

May we go to the movies after we’ve finished our homework?

Are we?

■ Use an exclamation point after a sentence that expresses strong feeling.

Examples:

Look out for that car!

I just can’t stand the smell in here!

A word of caution about using exclamation points to show strong feeling: Exclamation points are a little bit like salt on food. Most people like a little bit. Nobody likes too much.

■ Use an exclamation point after an interjection—a word or phrase expressing strong feeling—when it is written as a single sentence.

Examples:

Doggone it!

Yikes!

■ Use an exclamation point after a sentence that begins with a question word but doesn’t ask a question.

Examples:

What a dunce I am!

How marvelous of you to come!

Practice

Choose the correctly written version of each of the following sets of sentences.

9. a. Wow! That is an incredible view?

b. Wow? That is an incredible view!

c. Wow! That is an incredible view!

10. a. I can’t believe how naive I was!

b. I can’t believe how naive I was.

c. I can’t believe how naive I was?

11. a. The auditor asked me why I didn’t save the receipts?

b. The auditor asked me why I didn’t save the receipts.

c. The auditor asked me why I didn’t save the receipts!

12. a. Can you tell me the seating capacity of this meeting room.

b. Can you tell me the seating capacity of this meeting room?

c. Can you tell me the seating capacity of this meeting room!

13. a. Unbelievable. I never thought she would go through with it!

b. Unbelievable? I never thought she would go through with it.

c. Unbelievable! I never thought she would go through with it!

14. a. Was Alexander the Great born in 350 B.C.E.

b. Was Alexander the great born in 350 B.C.E.?

c. Was Alexander the Great born in 350 B.C.E.?

15. a. Our group will meet at the library at 10:00 P.M. to research T.S. Eliot.

b. Our group will meet at the library at 10:00 PM to research T.S. Eliot.

c. Our group will meet at the library at 10:00 P.M. to research TS. Eliot.

16. a. Hannah asked how much the prom bid was. Kayla told her $50.00.

b. Hannah asked how much the prom bid was? Kayla told her $50.00?

c. Hannah asked how much the prom bid was? Kayla told her $50.00.

17. a. Wow. What a close call that was?

b. Wow! What a close call that was.

c. Wow! What a close call that was!

18. a. Those carpenters. Do you know how much they charged?

b. Those carpenters? Do you know how much they charged?

c. Those carpenters! Do you know how much they charged?

Answers

1. a.

2. c.

3. a.

4. b.

5. b.

6. b.

7. c.

8. a.

9. c.

10. a.

11. b.

12. b.

13. c.

14. c.

15. a.

16. a.

17. c.

18. c.

TIP

Take a few minutes to practice what you have learned today. If you are reading a book right now, look through a few of the pages until you find at least three examples of each type of end mark you learned about today. Are the end marks used according to the rules you used today? If you’re not currently reading a book, just grab one from the shelf at home or at work.