10 steps to heaven exam skills 2

LO: To understand the range of skills needed on the Reading section of the exam

The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

STARTERWhich of these are LANGUAGE and which are PRESENTATIONAL features? Organise them into groups. Font Rhetorical questions Images Colours Sentence structure Emotive language Subheadings PunctuationThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011


TASK: Practising Exam SkillsInformation retrieval: Which event is this poster promoting? Identifying and interpreting presentational features: How do the presentational features of the poster persuade the reader to support Christian Aid? Identifying and interpreting language features: How does the use of language in the poster persuade the reader to support Christian Aid?


In the centre of the poster is a large black-and-white picture of a woman carrying a sack. Many aspects of the way the image is presented make the reader feel sympathy for the woman. For example, the fact that the picture is in black and white creates a dark and dreary atmosphere that makes the womans life seem hard. Black and white is also an oldfashioned picture style, which makes the reader feel as though the woman does not have modern comforts or an upto-date lifestyle. This makes the reader feel that they should support Christian Aid in order to give poor people like this woman a better lifestyle. Remember, this is only one aspect- you should talk about as many of the presentational features as you can, using this level of detail.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Exemplar Paragraph: How do the presentational features of the poster persuade the reader to support Christian Aid?

Exemplar Paragraph: How does the use of language in the poster persuade the reader to support Christian Aid?The main headline of the poster says The poor havent a share in the world. This uses a pun on the well-known phrase he/she hasnt a care in the world. This is effective because not having a care in the world means that you are free from responsibility and worry: the point the posters creators are making is that the poor people supported by Christian Aid are in the opposite position in that they have too much to worry about. Also, the use of the words share in the world suggests that the plight of these people is grossly unfair, because the world is something that everyone should be able to share as a basic right. This makes the reader want to support Christian Aid in order to share their own good fortune with others. Remember, this is only one aspect- you should talk about as many of the language features as you can, using this level of detail.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Exam-Style Question: You try!How does the leaflet put across its message? You should look atUse of language Use of layout and presentational features


LO: To understand how to retrieve key information and write about it


Starter: Practice Question 1 What do we learn about Warwick Castle from the text (4 marks)?Attacked in 1264, besieged in 1642 and damaged by fire in 1871, the castle has nevertheless gloriously survived the ever-changing fortunes of history. The origins of Warwick Castle can be traced back to the Saxon fortification which Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great, used to defend against the invading Danes. The first castle to appear on the site was a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068 at the command of William the Conqueror. By 1220, the Castle had undergone a major transformation, as stone replaced wood as the principal building material. A shell keep, a circular tower with thick, crenellated walls and fighting platforms for its soldiers, topped the mound which was defended by a 7.6m stone curtain wall which surrounded it.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Mark Band 3: 4 marksclear evidence that the text is understood clear engagement with the text and makes inferences offers relevant quotations to support what has been understood makes developed references to information about the casrle

Mark Band 2: 2-3 markssome evidence that the text is understood attempts to engage with the text and makes an inference offers some relevant quotation to support what has been understood makes some reference to information about the castle

Mark Band 1: 1 marklimited evidence that the text is understood limited engagement with the text may offer limited quotation, textual detail or copying out limited reference to information about the castleThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Look at the mark scheme. How many marks do you think this answer would get? Warwick Castle was attacked in 1264, besieged in 1642

and damaged by fire in 1871. The origins of Warwick Castle can be traced back to the Saxon fortification. The first castle to appear on the site was a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068. By 1220, the Castle had undergone a major transformation, as stone replaced wood as the principal building material. Answer: 1 markThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

What about this one? Warwick Castle was attacked in 1264 and besieged in

1642. Warwick Castle is originally a Saxon castle: can be traced back to the Saxon fortification. The first castle to appear on the site was a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068. By 1220, the Castle had undergone a major transformation, as stone replaced wood as the principal building material. Answer: 2 marksThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

This one? Warwick Castle has had a lot of attacks and damage in

the past: it was attacked in 1264, besieged in 1642 and damaged by fire in 1871. Warwick Castle is originally a Saxon castle: can be traced back to the Saxon fortification. Originally, the castle was made of wood: a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068 Answer: 3 marks


This one? Warwick Castle has had a lot of attacks and damage in the

past: it was attacked in 1264, besieged in 1642 and damaged by fire in 1871. Warwick Castle is originally a Saxon castle: can be traced back to the Saxon fortification. Originally, the castle was made of wood: a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068 In 1220, the castle was reconstructed using stone: By 1220, () stone replaced wood as the principal building material. Answer: 4 marks What does this tell you about how to answer the question for maximum marks?The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

What do we learn about Tyrannosaurus Rex from this paragraph (4 marks)? Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest meat-eating

dinosaurs that ever lived. Everything about this ferocious predator, from its thick, heavy skull to its 4foot-long (1.2-meter-long) jaw, was designed for maximum bone-crushing action. Fossil evidence shows that Tyrannosaurus was about 40 feet (12 meters) long and about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 meters) tall. Its strong thighs and long, powerful tail helped it move quickly, and its massive 5-foot-long (1.5-meter-long) skull could bore into prey.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Peer Marking TasksMark each others answers about Tyrannosaurus Rex, using the mark scheme. 2. Write a paragraph of your own about a topic that you know well. Try to match the length and style of your paragraph to the length and style of the paragraphs about Warwick Castle and Tyrannosaurus Rex. 3. Swap paragraphs with a partner and practise retrieving 4 pieces of information. 4. Mark each others answers using the mark scheme.1.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

LO: To understand how to analyse presentational features and their effects


Starter: Denotation and Connotation Draw a rose in the centre of your page. Around the edges, write down everything you think of when you see an image of a rose.


What did you come up with?


Denotation and Connotation Denotation is what you can see in the image with no

interpretation. For example: a red rose. Connotation is the underlying meanings of an image; the ideas the image conjures up in the readers mind. For example: love, Valentines Day, the England rugby team, the Labour Party. For a C or above in the exam, you MUST write

about the connotations of an image.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Denotation and Connotation: Practice Image Denotation Connotation


Exam Practice: How does the leaflet use images to persuade the reader to visit the attraction?Pick a leaflet from the website below and answer the question above. Remember to refer to the connotations of the images.

http://www.tourismleafletsonline.com/


Dont Forget- other presentational features include:Layout: is it cluttered? Busy? Sparse? Colours: bright? Muted? Pastel? Garish? Themed? Fonts: varied? Consistent? Formal? Jazzy? Childish? Text boxes, headings and subheadings: used to give key facts? To highlight important information?Remember to IDENTIFY PURPOSE, PICK OUT A FEATURE and EXPLAIN ITS EFFECTS.


Exam Practice 2: How does the leaflet use presentational devices for effect?


LO: To understand how to analyse language and its effects


STARTER: Identifying Purpose Copy the list of text types and identify the purpose of each one. You should use the list of purposes in the box to help you. DONT FORGET A TEXT CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE PURPOSE!Text Types A Tourist Information guide to Kent A football match report A history text book on World War II An NHS leaflet about the flu jab The listings for the local cinema An advertisement for washing powder A website containing funny news stories from around the world

Purposes To inform To explain To describe To persuade To advise To entertain


Your task in the language questions is:Identify the language features that help the writer achieve that purpose

Identify the purpose of a text

Explain HOW the language used achieves the purpose


Example: from the website for Chislehurst CavesGrab a lantern and get ready for an amazing adventure! Just a short way from central London, close to Bromley in Kent, lie the Chislehurst Cavesmiles of dark mysterious passageways hewn by hand from the chalk, deep beneath Chislehurst. What is the purpose of this text? Which language features help achieve this purpose?


D grade Example

The purpose of this text is to persuade people to visit Chislehurst Caves.

The writer uses describes the caves using words like deep, dark and mysterious.

This persuades the reader to visit because the caves are dark and mysterious.


C grade Example


The writer uses describes the caves using words like deep, dark and mysterious.

This persuades the reader to visit because the words used make the caves sound spooky and dangerous.


B grade Example


The writer uses adjectives such as dark mysterious and deep to describe the caves.

This persuades the reader to visit because these adjectives make the caves appear slightly spooky and dangerous, which makes them sound like an exciting place to visit.


A grade example


The writer uses adjectives such as dark mysterious and deep to describe the caves.

This persuades the reader to visit because the use of the word mysterious makes the reader feel as though they may discover something new if they visit the caves, while the words dark and deep have connotations of excitement and thrill.


A* grade example- for an A*, look at sentence structure!The writer uses a long, descriptive sentence containing the adjectives deep, dark and mysterious to describe the caves. The length of the sentence, with its multiple clauses separated by commas, mirrors the mysterious journey of exploration that the visitor will go on when visiting the caves, making them keen to visit .



Persuasive Techniques: AFORESTAlliteration Facts Opinions Rhetorical Questions/Repetition Emotive Language

Statistics Three (Rule of )The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Your turn! How does the writer use language to persuade the reader to visit Chislehurst Caves?Grab a lantern and get ready for an amazing adventure! Just a short way from central London, close to Bromley in Kent, lie the Chislehurst Cavesmiles of dark mysterious passageways hewn by hand from the chalk, deep beneath Chislehurst.


TASK: How does the language used in the leaflet persuade the reader to visit Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre?Tip: Dont forget AFOREST- but you could refer to other language features as well.

Alliteration Facts Opinions Rhetorical Questions/Repetition Emotive Language

Statistics Three (Rule of)The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

LO: To understand how to compare two texts in terms of presentational and language features


Starter: Comparative Connectives Make a list of as many connectives as you can think of which compare two things.


Comparative ConnectivesTo show a similarity or add a point also moreover in addition additionally as well furthermore even indeed

To show difference or opposition to a point however in contrast by contrast yet whereas instead but nevertheless though alternatively anyway on the contrary rather on the other hand in fact even so differs from in other respects elsewhere

To reinforce a point besides moreover anyway after all


Exam-Style Question Compare the different ways in which presentational

devices and language are used for effect in the two texts. Give some examples and analyse the effects.


Compare the different ways in which presentational devices and language are used for effect in the two texts. Give some examples and analyse the effects.


Mark Band 4: 13 16 marks offers a full and detailed understanding of the texts in relation to language analyses how the writers have used language differently to achieve their effects offers appropriate quotations or references in support of ideas with perceptive comments focuses on comparison and cross-referencing between the texts

Mark Band 3: 9-12 marks shows clear evidence that the texts are understood in relation to language offers clear explanations of the effect of words and phrases in the different contexts, offers relevant quotations or references to support ideas offers clear comparisons and cross references between the two textsMark Band 2 : 5-8 marks shows some evidence that the texts are understood in relation to language shows some appreciation of the effect of words and phrases in the different contexts attempts to support responses with usually appropriate quotations or references attempts to compare language use and make cross references Mark Band 1 : 1-4 marks offers limited evidence that either text is understood in relation to language offers no real appreciation of the effect of words and phrases in the different contexts offers few examples with limited comment or analysis shows limited ability to compare or make cross referencesThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Structuring Each Paragraph1. Compare the purposes of each text2. Identify a technique in both texts 3. Analyse the use of the technique in Text 1 4. Explain the effect on the reader in Text 1 5. Use a comparative connective 6. Analyse the use of the technique in Text 2 7. Explain the effect on the reader in Text 2


Example Answer: 1 paragraph What mark do you think this is worth?These adverts have opposite purposes: Advert 1 is designed to prevent people from smoking, while Advert 2 is designed to persuade the reader to buy a particular brand of cigarettes. One way in which they achieve their purposes is through the use of eyeline in the images. In Advert 2, the image is of a man who is placed in the centre of the image, looking directly at the reader. This direct and challenging look makes the man seem confident and in control when he has the cigarettes, which is designed to persuade the reader that if they buy those cigarettes, they will become more confident too. In contrast, the little girls eyeline in Advert 2 is looking up and past the camera. This makes her seem innocent and nave, but also links to the tagline Some children go to heaven earlier, implying that because the girl is a victim of passive smoking, she will soon go to heaven and that is what she is looking towards. This persuades the reader not to smoke because the idea of such a young, innocent child going to heaven as a result of passive smoking is shocking and distressing.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Your turn! Write another paragraph comparing another aspect of the language or presentation in the adverts. Try to use the structure below.1. Compare the purposes of each text 2. Identify a technique in both texts 3. Analyse the use of the technique in Text 1 4. Explain the effect on the reader in Text 1 5. Use a comparative connective 6. Analyse the use of the technique in Text 2 7. Explain the effect on the reader in Text 2

Use the mark scheme to mark your partners work.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

LO: To understand what will be required of us in the Writing section of the exam


Starter: Evaluate your current skills. How confident are you about the following?

Write appropriately for purpose and audience Engage the reader Shape paragraphs/structure Use 5+ types of punctuation accurately Use emotive language and crafted vocabulary Use a range of sentence types on purpose (inc. short sentences) Use connectives/discourse markers Use a range of linguistic devices Sophisticated and original ideas and craftingThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

The Structure of the Writing SectionTotal marks for this section: 40Section 1: Writing to inform, explain, describe (Shorter Task): 16 marks You should spend about 25 minutes on this section Section 2: Writing to argue, persuade (Longer Task): 24 marks You should spend about 35 minutes on this sectionThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Example Tasks: Pick one and write the opening paragraph. Write the text of a leaflet informing teenagers about

what there is to do in your local area. Write a letter to a friend explaining the benefits of taking up a new type of sporting activity. Describe an experience in your life which had an unexpected or surprising outcome. Write a letter to the local council, persuading them to provide facilities for teenagers in the local area. Write a speech to be given to your class, arguing the benefits and/or disadvantages of wearing school uniform.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Use the list below to evaluate your work. How well have you demonstrated each of these skills?


LO: To understand how to write effectively in response to the first Writing question


STARTERTry to categorise these texts into Inform, Explain or Describe: A piece of travel writing about a journey to Antarctica A leaflet about changes to the bus timetable A letter to a foreign exchange student about what your school is like

Inform

Explain

Describe


Which techniques might be used in each category? Metaphors and similes Facts and statistics

Giving both sides of a story Personal experience Conditionals (if... then...)

Imperatives (Do this, do that) Sensory writing Extension: Add any others you

can think of to your diagram!The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Example TasksINFORM: Your school is holding a summer fete. Write a letter to parents informing them of the event. EXPLAIN: You have been asked to write an entry for a computer guide for old people who have never used a computer before. DESCRIBE: Write about the atmosphere of a football stadium for someone who has never been to a match.


PALIdentify PURPOSE, AUDIENCE and LANGUAGEINFORM: Your school is holding a summer fete. Write a letter to parents informing them of the event. EXPLAIN: You have been asked to write an entry for a computer guide for old people who have never used a computer before. DESCRIBE: Write about the atmosphere of a football stadium for someone who has never been to a match.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011


TASKUsing the sheet to help you, write the continuation of ONE of the tasks. Try to use all the techniques from the top of the sheet. REMEMBER YOUR PUNCTUATION, SPELLING AND SENTENCE VARIETY!


Example D grade paragraph (Explain)Computers are useful because they help you to do your work quicker and easier, they do this by letting you save your work electronicly and get it back more quickly than if you had to look in a big filling cabinet.Why is this a D grade?


Example C grade paragraph (Explain)Computers are useful because they help you to do your work more quickly and easily. They do this by letting you save your work electronicly, work on it again and again, make changes and get it back more quickly than if you had to look in a big filing cabinet. Its easy to see why computers are the future! Why is this a C grade?


Example B grade paragraph (Explain)Computers are useful for many reasons. Firstly, because they help the user to make changes to your work more quickly and easily. They do this by allowing you to save your work electronically, work on it again and again, alter it repeatedly and get it back more quickly than if you had to look in a big filing cabinet. Why stay stuck in the dark ages? ts easy to see why computers are the future!Why is this a B grade?The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Example A grade paragraph (Explain)Computers: soulless machines, or the future of the modern world? In my view, computers are essential for many reasons. Firstly, because they help the user to make changes to their work with speed and ease. They do this by allowing you to save your work electronically; work on it again and again; alter it repeatedly and get it back more quickly than if you had to look in a big filing cabinet. Why stay stuck in the dark ages? Its easy to see why computers are the future!Why is this an A grade?The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Example A* grade paragraph (Explain)Computers: soulless machines, or the future of the modern world? It is unquestionably the case that computers have their drawbacks. Who wants to sit alone in their bedroom, interacting only with a screen? However, it is also true that computers are- in my view at least- an essential part of our future. Who would want to be stuck with pen and ink when a computer (however soulless it may appear) lets you do so much more. With a computer, you can save your work electronically; work on it again and again; alter it repeatedly and get it back more quickly than if you had to look in a massive filing cabinet stuffed to the brim with dusty paper. Why stay stuck in the dark ages? Its easy to see why computers are the future!Why is this an A* grade?The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

TaskLook at your paragraph. How does it compare to the example for your target grade? Rewrite your paragraph, trying to improve your paragraph by using Advanced vocabulary A variety of sentence structures A range of punctuation


LO: To understand how to write effectively in response to the second Writing question


ower of three motive language hetorical questions ay again

Involve your audience by speaking to them directly using personal pronouns and shared experiences.Including little stories to illustrate a point.

Questions to get your audience thinking they dont require an answer.Destroy/criticise the opposing argument.

ndermine opposing views necdote irect address

Being over-thetop to get a point across.

Words, phrases and imagery that arouse an emotional response.

Including lists of three items/reasons in your writing.

xaggeration

Repeating the same word, phrase or idea more than once for emphasis.


Link to Martin Luther King speech


Which teachniques did you find?I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

Direct address, exaggeration, anecdote, emotive language, say again (repetition)The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Your turn! Find the techniques:We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Example Question: Write an answer to this question, using the techniques we have learnt.


Evaluate your work. How well have you demonstrated the following skills?


Note to Teachers The subsequent lessons are more content-heavy and

will probably require some tweaking prior to delivery: you may need to add starters, break up the teacher talk with more tasks etc. However, they are included because the content is useful and saves you reinventing the wheel!


LO: To understand how to vary your sentences for effect


What is meant by a range of sentence structures?There are four REALLY EASY ways that you can vary your sentences:1.

Dont always start with the subject. Instead of I walked slowly over to her, change it to Slowly, I walked over to her.


2If you find you have a lot of short sentences. Combine some of them to make compound sentences. The rain was falling heavily from the clouds above. It was very dark. Would become: It was very dark and the rain was falling heavily from the clouds above.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

3Add additional detail to your sentences. For example: I couldnt see through the windscreen that day. Could become: I couldnt see through the windscreen that day because of all the dust.


4Experiment with the order of words, for example, instead of : I couldnt see through the windscreen that day because of all the dust. You could have: Because of all the dust, I couldnt see through the windscreen that day.


6 top tips for improving your sentence openings: Tip 1 Begin your sentence with a preposition! A preposition is a word that tells you about where or

when something happened Examples: Before he could catch him, the dog had run off to the far side of the field. Underneath the table, John began to wonder if he would ever escape.


Tip 2 Begin your sentence with a participle! A participle is a verb with either an -ing or an -ed

ending Examples: Wearing his favourite Manchester Utd t-shirt, Max strode onto the pitch. Petrified by the noises he could hear, the baby began to cry.


Tip 3 Begin your sentence with an infinitive! An infinitive is the form of a verb which has to in

front of it Examples: To escape, the children had no choice but to steal the ice cream van. To make himself heard, Jamie took the loud hailer from its stand.


Tip 4 Begin your sentence with an adverb! An adverb is a descriptive word which describes the

action of the verb Examples: Calmly, the soldier began to unhook the booby-trap. Foolishly, the students had forgotten to leave their mobile phones at home.


Tip 5 Begin your sentence with a subordinate clause! A subordinate clause is a clause which gives more

information but doesnt make sense alone Examples: Although it was still only morning, Jamie knew he had to go home. Despite his best efforts, it was clear that the gymnast would never win gold.


Tip 6 Begin your sentence with some repeated

structures! Repeated structures allow you to use the same type of phrase a few times in a row Examples: Bored of lessons, tired of teachers, and weary of writing, he ran for freedom. From the sea in the east, to the river in the west, Amy could see for miles.


Task Write 2 sentences on your chosen topic for each of the

6 tips .


LO: To revise the different punctuation marks and how to use them


The punctuation marks we will learn about today are The full stop (.) The comma (,) The colon (:) The semi-colon (;) The apostrophe ()


The full stop The full stop (.) is used at For example: John kicked the ball. The

the end of a sentence. A sentence is a group of words which makes complete sense. After a full stop, we need a capital letter.

ball smashed a window. These are sentences. They make complete sense. John kicked The ball These are not sentences. They do not make complete sense.


The comma (Part 1) The comma (,) is used to

separate the main clause of a sentence from the subordinate clauses. The main clause is the section of the sentence which makes complete sense by itself. The subordinate clauses do not make sense by themselves. They need a main clause to add to their meaning.

For example, look at the sentence While the children were working quietly, Miss Jeffery was surfing the Internet. Miss Jeffery was surfing the Internet is the main clause. It makes complete sense by itself. While the children were working quietly is the subordinate clause. It does not make sense by itself. The main clause and the subordinate clause are separated by a comma. While the children were working quietly, Miss Jeffery was surfing the Internet.


The comma (Part 2) The comma (,) is also For example: For lunch

used to separate items in a list. The rules are as follows: In a list of objects, there is no need for a comma before the final object, because and takes its place.

today I had: a cheese sandwich, a packet of crisps, a Fruit Shoot and an apple. There is no need to do this: For lunch today I had: a cheese sandwich, a packet of crisps, a Fruit Shoot, and an apple. The comma before and is unnecessary.


The comma (Part 3) Rule Number 2: In a list of

adjectives or adverbs, there is no need for a comma between the final adjective or adverb and the word it describes. NB: an adjective describes a noun (person, place or thing). For example: The beautiful girl. An adverb describes a verb (a doing word). For example: The car moved quickly.

Using the comma in a list

of adjectives: The old tramp was a smelly, dirty, unpleasant-looking man. Using the comma in a list of adverbs: The motorbike sped powerfully, dangerously, exhilaratingly along the road.


The colon (Part 1) The colon (:) is used to introduce a list. Remember the list of things I had for lunch? For lunch today I had: a cheese sandwich, a packet of crisps, a Fruit Shoot and an apple. Another example: There were a lot of things on Annas floor: clothes, books, plastic bags, shoes, papers and a dirty coffee mug she had forgotten to take downstairs.


The colon (Part 2) The colon is also used to add further explanation to a

point previously made. For example: Schools nowadays are much improved from previously: corporal punishment no longer exists, and teachers generally make an effort to involve and engage students in lessons.


The semi-colon Many people get confused about the use of the semi-

colon But its not hard! It is used in two main ways.


Using the semi-colon (Part 1) One way to use the semi-colon is to separate items in a

list in which each item is fairly long and complicated.

Let me explain


The semi-colon explained (Part 1) In the sentence For lunch However, in the sentence I

today I had: a cheese sandwich, a packet of crisps, a Fruit Shoot and an apple. semi-colons are not needed between the items. They are short and uncomplicated, and only require separating with commas.

did lots of things at the weekend: I went to the theatre with my friends; I visited my gran for Sunday lunch; I did a huge pile of marking; I created a PowerPoint presentation. semi-colons are used to separate the items because they are each quite lengthy. This makes the sentence clearer.


Using the semi-colon (Part 2) Another way to use the semi-colon is to separate

clauses in a sentence which have equal weight. Let me explain:


The semi-colon explained (Part 2) Remember the explanation Sometimes, a sentence

of main clauses and subordinate clauses? The main clause in a sentence makes complete sense by itself. The subordinate clauses do not make complete sense. They need the main clause to add to their meaning.

does not have a main clause and a subordinate clause. Instead, it has two or more clauses which each have equal weight (as though the sentence had two or more main clauses). For example: Mavis was a student at the local school; she was a hard-working and pleasant girl.


The semi-colon explained (Part 3) Heres that sentence again: Mavis was a Sixth Form student at the local school; she was

a hard-working and pleasant girl.

Notice that each of the clauses makes complete sense by itself. Each one could be expressed as a sentence: Mavis was a Sixth Form student at the local school. She was

a hard-working and pleasant girl.

To put it simplyThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

The semi-colon explained (Part 4) A semi-colon is an alternative to a full stop when you want to make two or more short sentences into one long one. Another example: There had been no possibility of taking a walk that day. It had been raining steadily since dawn. becomes There had been no possibility of taking a walk that day; it had been raining steadily since dawn. You should always use a semi-colon and not a comma in this situation.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

The apostrophe The apostrophe is another one that causes a lot of

unnecessary problems It has two main functions: To show possession and To show omission. Let me explain


The apostrophe of possession: singular owner. The first use of the

apostrophe is to show possession (when something belongs to someone). The apostrophe always goes after the last letter of the word describing the person to whom something belongs (the owner). If the owner is singular, the apostrophe is followed by an s.

The book of the boy becomes The boys book

The nappy of the baby becomes The babys nappy The toys of the child becomes The childs toys


The apostrophe of possession: plural owner When the owner in a sentence However, when the owner in

(the person or thing to whom something belongs) is plural AND ends in an s (boys, babies) there is NO s after the apostrophe. For example: The books of the boys becomes The boys books The nappies of the babies becomes The babies nappies

the sentence is plural but does not end in an s (children, sheep) there is an s after the apostrophe. For example: The toys of the children becomes The childrens toys The fleeces of the sheep becomes The sheeps fleeces


The apostrophe of omission The apostrophe is also used when letters are omitted (left out) from a word or words. The apostrophe always goes in the place where letters are missing. For example: have not becomes havent because the o is omitted. Some more examples on the next slideThe PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Apostrophes of omissionhave not shall not will not do not must not cannot is not you arehe is they are

havent shant wont dont mustnt cant isnt yourehes The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec theyre 2011

Almost over The function of

punctuation is to make your writing clearer and easier to understand. A good way of checking whether you need a punctuation mark is to read your work out loud. If you pause for breath, its a good bet that you need to add a punctuation mark of some kind.The PiXL Club English Conference 12th Dec 2011

Hurrah! Its the end! Yup You now know all there is to know

about punctuation! Thank you for listening


10 steps to heaven exam skills 2

Documents

big filing

principal

linguistic

support christian

stone replaced

sixth form

make complete

makes complete