JAG03 Unit 6 Punctuation?!... and relative clauses Task 1 Punctuation A) What do the following punctuation marks look like? When are they used? · full stop (Br), period (US) · comma · colon · semicolon · dash and hyphen · question mark · exclamation mark · quotation marks · brackets · asterisk · apostrophe · stroke or slash B) Use appropriate punctuation marks in the following sentences: 1. In the words of Murphys Law Anything that can go wrong will go wrong 2. It is a fine idea let us hope that it is going to work 3. People live near volcanoes for a variety of reasons including they were born there the land is fertile and good for farming people are optimistic and believe eruption in unlikely and they do not have any choice as to where they live for example they may be limited by economic 4. If the flight is cancelled you will get a refund and or new tickets 5. Unconformities are important in understanding the geological history of a region they are also important because they are often a natural boundary between two rock types with different characteristics C) Using comma with subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses beginning with as, although, when, if , because are followed by a comma, e.g. Because the speakers frequently wandered off the point, the discussion was lengthy. If the same sentence has the subordinate clause after the main clause, no comma is needed. The discussion was lengthy because the speakers frequently wandered off the point. D) Defining and non-defining relative clauses Study the two sentences: A defining clause gives essential information, no commas are used: My sister who lives in Edinburgh is coming to visit at the weekend. A non-defining clause gives additional information, commas are used: My sister, who lives in Edinburgh, is coming to visit at the weekend. E) Sentential relative clauses Sentential relative clauses refer to the whole sentence that comes before them. There is always a comma before them and they start with which. They decided against using the method, which was a wise decision. F) Using commas with adverbs and adverbial phrases When an adverb, or an adverbial phrase, is used at the beginning of a sentence, it is usually followed by a comma. E.g. however, nevertheless, moreover, in addition, in contrast, in comparison, on the other hand, etc. When used inside a sentence, they are always enclosed by commas. There are, however, still enough options left for us. G) Using commas in a list If a list contains more than two items, use and or or before the last item, with or without a comma before them. A comma before and or or is more common in American English. Practice: 1. If anyone calls just say I´ll be back by 4p.m 2. As national surveys show women still earn only 70% of average male wage 3. Unconformities represent a time period when erosion was occurring 4. One of these substances is lead which is found in petrol 5. These instruments are not sterilised which is dangerous 6. To summarise the strength of Earth materials varies with composition texture and location 7. There were for example two sightings of the bird in 2011 in Scottish Highlands 8. Together these processes destroyed the bond between the concrete and the rock 9. Despite their resistance semiarid conditions caused the rocks to disintegrate 10. Unfortunately this characteristic was not discovered and tested until the dam had failed 11. The most important rock-forming silicate minerals or mineral groups are quartz the feldspar group micas and the ferromagnesian group Task 2 Relative Clauses Complete the sentences below with the words below. of which through which with whom to whom from whom whose to which neither of which for which whom 1. Langham argues that Alan Turing is the mathematician ……………..computer science owes the greatest debt. 2. The Pianura Padana is the plain in northern Italy ………… the river Po flows to the Adriatic sea. 3. If these types of fault occur in a bridge, there are two option for repair, …………….. is cheap. 4. There are several reasons ………. we might have to postpone the project. 5. No one can be sure of the extent ………….. the search for water in Africa will become the key source of conflict over the next fifty years. 6. The employees …… we interviewed criticised the new company policy. 7. The press conference on the new deal, the details ……….. have not yet been announced, is likely to be held later this week. 8. All new employees should have a mentor ……….. they could obtain advice. 9. They live in a house ……….. roof could collapse at any time. 10. The technicians ………. we negotiated seemed unable to solve the problem. (Adapted from Paterson, K. Oxford Grammar for EAP. OUP, 2013.)