The best English tutors available
James
5
5 (58 reviews)
James
£150
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Vishal
5
5 (75 reviews)
Vishal
£149
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Daniel
5
5 (52 reviews)
Daniel
£90
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Tim
5
5 (52 reviews)
Tim
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Thiru
5
5 (43 reviews)
Thiru
£45
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Nev
4.9
4.9 (34 reviews)
Nev
£28
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Joe
5
5 (20 reviews)
Joe
£125
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Alexis
4.9
4.9 (30 reviews)
Alexis
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
James
5
5 (58 reviews)
James
£150
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Vishal
5
5 (75 reviews)
Vishal
£149
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Daniel
5
5 (52 reviews)
Daniel
£90
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Tim
5
5 (52 reviews)
Tim
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Thiru
5
5 (43 reviews)
Thiru
£45
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Nev
4.9
4.9 (34 reviews)
Nev
£28
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Joe
5
5 (20 reviews)
Joe
£125
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Alexis
4.9
4.9 (30 reviews)
Alexis
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

Introduction

Would you like to learn an easy method for rapidly enhancing your grades in your written assignments?

It's simple: pay attention to SPAG!

SPAG is an acronym for spelling, punctuation, and grammar, and in the AQA English Language exam, it accounts for 16 of the 40 total marks. However, the key to earning as many marks as possible is not just to ensure that your spelling, punctuation, and grammar are correct, but also to showcase your abilities. This implies that you must intentionally shape your writing to demonstrate as many skills as possible.

The remainder of this article will concentrate on punctuation and how to increase your score in this area. Keep an eye out for future articles on other aspects of writing and SPAG skills.

Why is Punctuation Important?

Have a look at these two examples:

Example 1:

I believe that all students should be taught the importance of using a range of punctuation. It’s not just that it makes your work easier to read, it’s that it lifts it up and creates a more interesting, readable text. There are 11 different types of punctuation available but so many writers limit themselves by using just the boring full stop and comma. This is madness and severely limits their grade. Enough.

Example 2:

I believe that all students should be taught the importance of using a range of punctuation (and that includes you too!). It’s not just that it makes your work easier to read - it lifts it up and creates a more interesting, readable text.

 

Example 1 uses three separate types – the full stop, comma and apostrophe. The text is fine. It makes sense, it’s easy to follow but it’s dull.

Example 2 on the other hand uses seven – the full stop, comma, apostrophe, brackets, dash, exclamation mark and question mark. It’s still the same text but this time the writer has consciously crafted it to include a greater range of punctuation - which in translates into marks.

Tips to improve your own use of punctuation

  • Practice

If using a range of punctuation in your written work doesn’t come naturally to you, then you need to practice.

  • Make a checklist

Before you start writing, create a checklist of all 11 types of punctuation and mark them off as you use them. If your text is less than 200 words, try to use at least 5 different types of punctuation. For longer texts, aim to incorporate all 11 types. It will require practice to achieve this goal.

  • Don't overdo it

In addition to using a comprehensive range of punctuation, it is crucial to avoid excessive use. It is recommended to limit the usage of colons and semi-colons to one each in a text, and to exercise discretion when using parentheses and ellipses. Overuse of punctuation signals a lack of proficiency and will result in a deduction of marks by the examiner.

Moreover, it is essential to have a solid understanding of the objectives of each type of punctuation. Incorrect usage of punctuation, like overuse, can negatively impact your grade.

Punctuation for GCSE and A Level Students

The Full Stop .

The use of full stops is important to distinguish one sentence from another. For example, when a writing sample lacks proper punctuation, it may sound confusing when you read it aloud. However, you may notice that you intuitively pause where the full stops should be, in order to make it more comprehensible

The Comma   ,

Comma is an essential punctuation mark in separating both words in a list and clauses in a sentence. For instance, in a list, commas are used to separate the items. Examples of such lists include:

She bought eggs, bread, yogurt, and pasta from the supermarket.

He visited Greece, Paris, Switzerland, and Turkey last year.

Additionally, when using a list of adjectives to describe something, remember not to use a comma before the final adjective. For example:

He was a old, rude small-minded man.

It was a beautiful, sunny, wide-open day.

In a complex sentence, commas are used to separate the main and subordinate clauses. For example:

Alice runs the restaurant, which is on Main Street.

Mariah, who broke her leg by falling from a cliff, still managed to participate in the competition.

The Ellipsis  ...

Ellipsis, which consists of three dots in a row, is used to indicate the omission of part of a sentence or thought. This is particularly useful in dialogue, as it can suggest that a character is trailing off or pausing to consider something.

For example, "I wonder..." said Jones, suggests that Jones is contemplating something else.

Ellipses can also be used in the main body of your writing to indicate an unfinished sentence or thought. For instance, "She wondered when the bus would arrive. She had to be in college by 8am or else..." leaves the reader to imagine the consequences.

It's worth noting that, like exclamation marks, ellipses should be used sparingly, and it's generally better to finish your sentences to ensure clarity and coherence in your writing.

The Semi-Colon  ;

Semi-colons are used to link two independent clauses that are connected in meaning. For example:

I can’t go out tonight; I have a high fever.

This could also be written as two separate sentences or using a coordinating conjunction such as "because".The semi-colon is used because the two clauses are closely related. Here are a few more examples:

Istanbul is a beautiful city; the architecture is stunning and the weather is pleasant.

When listing a series of phrases, a semi-colon can help the reader group the information. For example:

The guests arrived at the event: Mr Edward, from Cardiff; Sami Ibrahim, from Manchester; Ms Rabia, from Hull.

Similarly, when listing the ingredients for a cake, a semi-colon can help group the items:

To make a cake you’ll need: a large mixing bowl; finely milled flour; softened butter; caster sugar and eggs; a good strong arm to stir it all together.

The Colon   :

A colon is a punctuation mark that is used to introduce an item or a list of items. For example:

  • Sarah has two best friends: Mariah and Emma.
  • There was only one European country left for her to travel : Ireland.

The Exclamation Mark    !

In addition to full stops, exclamation marks can also be used to end sentences. They alter the sentence's tone, providing emphasis, conveying a sense of shouting, or expressing that the statement is shocking. For instance, "He ran up the hill. It was enormous!" and "She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was one hundred and ten years old!" are examples of sentences that use exclamation marks to add impact.

However, it's important to use exclamation marks judiciously and resist the urge to add more than one at the end of a sentence. Additionally, be sure to avoid overusing them as they can lose their intended effect if used too frequently.

The Question Mark   ?

A sentence that asks a question is known as an interrogative sentence, and it is indicated by a question mark at the end. Some examples of interrogative sentences include:

Where do you live?

What is the square root of 25?

Which party are you going to vote in current elections?

The Brackets

The brackets "()" are a  type of punctuation that are used to include additional information to a sentence without changing its meaning:

Example 1: John (who preferred to be called John and not Johnny) was a grumpy, old man.

Example 2: Alice’s pet dog (she hated cats) was ten years old.

If you are using parentheses towards the end of a sentence, the full stop to complete the sentence goes outside of the parentheses. For example:

Sarah wore the pink dress (her sister, Mariah, had already chosen the red one).

Dash -

There are two types of dashes which differ in length and function.

The en dash, usually shorter in length, is employed to indicate a range, such as between dates or numbers. For instance:

  • The company was active from 1990-2000.
  • He travelled on the Chicago-New York train last night.

The em dash is longer and can be used in lieu of other punctuation marks, such as commas, colons, or parentheses. For example:

  • Her answer was unmistakable — Yes!

The Apostrophe    ‘

Apostrophes have two primary uses: to indicate possession (with apostrophe + 's') and to show omission (replacing a letter or letters in a word or phrase).

When one thing belongs to another, the apostrophe + 's' is used to show possession. For example:

The boy's shoes were left outside the door.

The dog's paws were dirty.

Both of the above examples indicate possession using the apostrophe + 's'.

If the possessive noun is already plural and ends with an 's', then only an apostrophe is added at the end of the word, without an additional 's'. For instance:

The employees' cafeteria was empty. This sentence conveys the idea that multiple employees use the cafeteria.

The students' bags were misplaced. It shows that the bags of multiple students got misplaced.

With singular nouns

When it comes to singular nouns that end in 's', there are two acceptable ways to indicate possession: adding just an apostrophe or an apostrophe + 's'. However, it is important to maintain consistency within your writing.

For instance, you could write "Mr Jones's watch was stolen" or "Mr Jones' watch was stolen" to demonstrate possession of the watch. Likewise, you could write "The class's homework was finished" or "The class' homework was finished" to indicate that the homework belonged to the class.

In either case, the choice of whether to add the extra 's' after the apostrophe is up to the writer's preference, but it should be used consistently throughout the writing.

Omission

Omission refers to the act of leaving out letters from words to create a contraction. This is commonly used in informal writing and speech to shorten words or phrases.

Examples of contractions include:

  • Do not → Don’t
  • Could not → Couldn’t
  • Cannot → Can’t
  • Will not → Won’t

It's important to note the difference between "its" and "it's". "Its" without an apostrophe is used to show possession, while "it's" with an apostrophe is a contraction of "it is" or "it has".

Examples:

  • The lioness licked its cub.
  • It's been a hectic day. (contraction of "it has")

 

 

Did you like this article? Rate it!

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars 5.00 (2 rating(s))
Loading...
Emma

Emma

I am passionate about travelling and currently live and work in Paris. I like to spend my time reading, gardening, running, learning languages and exploring new places.