• Describe other common punctuation marks used in writing
• Edit sentences to correct improper use of punctuation
• Identify characteristics of effective body paragraphs
• Discriminate between proper and improper use of commas, end marks, colons, and semicolons in writing samples

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

In this practice exercise, you explore the use of the colon and semicolon.

DELIVERABLES

Corrected paragraph

Step 1 Rewrite the following paragraph.

Add colons and semicolons where needed. Note that a spelling/grammar-checker does not always catch these errors.

• One of the most exciting experiences in my life was traveling to Uruguay in South America in June of 2005, through the end of August. I stayed with a family of four mama, papa, Guillermo, and baby. They had an older sister, Michelle she was already married and living with her husband. Papa was a T.V. and radio announcer. The schools were closed at that time, so the young people spent every day walking around the city and talking about everything we could think of life, relationships, the future, and religion. One of the most interesting features in the city was el Cerro, which means “the hill.” It was the only real hill in Montevideo at the top we had an amazing view of the city. I brought the following in a picnic for the trip tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. Someday I hope to take my own family on a trip like this one.

Example: We landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for three reasons the weather was bad, the crew had the flu, and the fuel was getting low it was an exciting trip.

Revision: We landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for three reasons: the weather was bad, the crew had the flu, and the fuel was getting low; it was an exciting trip.

Step 2 Correct the following paragraph.

Insert or reposition apostrophes as needed and delete any needless apostrophes in the following paragraph. If a sentence is correct as given, mark the number preceding it.

• 1 The eastern coast of Belize was once a fishermans paradise, but overfishing caused the fishing industrys sharp decline in this Central American country. 2 The country’s government is now showing the world that leaders’ foresight can turn a problem into an opportunity. 3 Belize is capitalizing on something that can capture tourists interest: whale sharks. 4 Huge but harmless to people, whale sharks regularly visit Belizes coast to feed on smaller fishes eggs. 5 The predictable gatherings of the shark’s attract large numbers of scuba diver’s and snorkeler’s, so that the fishs’ fascinating beauty has become an economic treasure. 6 A tourists eagerness to spend money for an up-close view of whale sharks is Belizes renewable and reliable resource.

Step 3 Correct the following paragraph.

Insert dashes, parentheses, ellipsis marks, brackets, or slashes as needed in the following paragraph. In some cases, two or more different marks could be correct.

• 1 “Let all the learned say what they can, ‘Tis ready money makes the man.” 2 These two lines of poetry by the Englishman William Somerville 1645 1742 may apply to a current American economic problem. 3 Non-American investors with “ready money” pour some of it as much as $1.3 trillion in recent years into the United States. 4 Stocks and bonds, savings deposits, service companies, factories, artworks, political campaigns the investments of foreigners are varied and grow more numerous every day. 5Proponents of foreign investment argue that it revives industry, strengthens the economy, creates jobs more than 3 million, they say, and encourages free trade among nations. 6 Opponents caution that the risks associated with heavy foreign investment namely decreased profits at home and increased political influence from outside may ultimately weaken the economy. 7 On both sides, it seems, “the learned say, ‘Tis ready money makes the man or country.” 8 The question is, whose money theirs or ours?