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.Copyright, Terry Gibson, BA, MEd

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Be Grammar-Confident Leisurely Crash Course in Written English An oxymoron of course. . Welcome to Course A-3 Grefs Open GLOSSARY in Course C-1 . . . Start . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . Task. . . . A3 a . General paragraphing, Form, square or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Indented, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Task .A3a . . . A3 b Punctuating conversation: with use of . . . . . . . . . . . . . dialogue. . .(Changing indirect to direct.) A3b . . . . . . . And in poetry....Rhythm within words. . . . A3 c How to break into the natural rhythm within . . . . . . . . . . . . words of two or more syllables! Get your . . . . . . . . . . . . . dictionary!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3c The excitement of discovery: finding stressed syllables in longer words to create the rhythm around them, or to fit .. . Self-test   Click to Move Within This Course   A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8  Active when red   Click to Find Other Courses   Course B Course C Course D Course E

Swan's Practical English Usage, published by Oxford is the 1995 text that serves as reference. It is recent but will be replaced within the next few years as we get more and more muddled. . . . . . .Both British and American Forms are updated. e.g. dialog, US .

. . . We know that as we do new things they become familiar, and thus, easier. Repeats bore only those whose aims are low. . . .. .. . . . . .  New Views about PARAGRAPHING . . . . .This assignment, as the one before it, starts with an unbroken block of text. Familiar to parents and teachers of young children, we know that some of the most imaginative and exciting stories hide in such.unbroken text. Even in this one, a story hides in a very long run-on sentence. . . . . .Probably the best way to set its ideas free would be to find the indirect speech, and to separate its sentences because each change of speaker begins a new paragraph. . . . . .After that, to.add periods where sentences seem to end shows it more clearly. Whether to punctuate as direct quotations next, or to sort out paragraphs is a matter of choice, but certainly a new paragraph begins when the speaker changes. . . . . .Item 2 will probably be the last thing to think of before considering it done. . . . . . . . . . . . . And so we continue a Leisurely Crash Course in Written English . . .Because the base has already been set in the major areas of grammar, .familiarity with the first two web pages will be useful.. . . You may find more here than you will need just now, and when it will be needed at a later time, it will return as REVIEW. . . . Because language fascinates me, it has an unruly eagerness to far exceed our need. Be assured there is a carpet of continuity . \ beneath what might otherwise appear to be arbitrary rules, in what still is, a remarkably consistent, logical system of communication. .. . Use what you need, leave the rest for another time. PARAGRAPHING Review Start a new paragraph when there is: [1.] Change of speaker, point of view. [2.] Change of topic, time or place .. EXAMPLES: -----"Don't worry," Bob said, "my old Ford has seen worse." Just then it coughed and stalled in the middle of a big one. [1]----- "You spoke too soon." --change of speaker [2]----- He just grunted as he reached for a rag and opened the door. --Change of topic [1]----- "Where are you going?" --Change of speaker [1]----- He looked at me funny, as if he thought some things need no answers. --Change of person [2]----- I took the umbrella and stood up to my knees in water trying to keep the rain off the motor while he wiped the spark plugs dry. By then we were both thoroughly soaked. He tried to start it up again without success. It was getting dark as we sat in the car wondering what to do because there had been no other cars on the road. [All in the same paragraph concerning both of them. [1]----- "I think we passed a farmhouse a while back," Bob said. "Wait here while I go for help." EXAMPLE A3 BEGAN as a REFERENCE Indented paragraphs (like in published novels)have no blank lines between the paragraphs. Software and e-mail may make it hard to indent, collapsing the space. With HTML, color those dots, the space holder ( . . . ) to match the background, and paste them to indent and "disappear." Elsewhere type in ----- or copy paste your choice of space holder. Certain e-mail software collapses spaces, so if you want a blank line between, after the last word, <enter> type a dot <enter> and start the next line under the dot. See Week 2 for help. AGAIN: [1.] Change of speaker, point of view. [2.] Change of topic, time or place . . A short example, (pretend that the indent ----- or ..... is invisible.) (----- )space-holder for indentations may be typed or pasted, to outwit the software. YOURS SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS. -----I sat in the car shivering, thinking we should not have left before morning. The farmhouse must have been miles away. "Come on, Bob!" I said to no one at all, "It'll be dark soon!" -----It seemed hours before he got back with the farmer, leading a Clydesdale. -----"Wow, is he ever big!" I said. "Bigger than any horse I've ever seen!" I was so relieved I didn't mind that they didn't answer. -----Without delay the car was hitched and we were on our way with a one-horsepower motor snorting, splashing his way through the water. INCIDENTALLY... Today I marked a piece with all paragraphs square at the margin, with no blank spaces to indent it, but no blank line between paragraphs. Error, surely? At first it looked that way, but no, it is Software sabotage! Re-do! Hitting space-space-space- space-space looks nice until after sending, it goes pfftffft. . . ! FOR ALL WHO ARE STILL NEW TO ALL THIS . . . . . . . . . . How to "copy-paste" 1. Make the five dots ..... , whatever. 2. Put the cursor over the dot on the left, hold down the left-front of the mouse, pull it over them. 3. Release the left-front, and the dots are in a dark box, hi-lighted. 4. Click Edit on the top bar, choose and click "copy" 5. Click where you want it to go, return to Edit on the top bar, then you click on "Paste" ..... and the dots are there. (or hyphens ----- .) 6. Repeat paste paste paste in all the places where you need the dots,(or whatever.) If you needed that, thank a fellow student who did too, and ASKED..

. . . . ... . . . . . . . ... . . . A3a . . ... . . . . . . . ... . .. .Assignment A3a . . . . ... . . . . . . . ... . .PARAGRAPH AND PUNCTUATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the selection below You have the job to edit and improve a story "from a client" so that all will think it's the best thing s/he has ever written. You have been given freedom to do your best and you need this job! Decide early if the client is a man. . . . . ... . . . . . . . ...PARAGRAPH AND PUNCTUATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the selection below Feel free to change it so dialog fits your characters. Clear all the Run-on sentences and Punctuate to make it read well. it was not as far as I thought we stopped in front of the barn while the men worked on the car I was told to go up to the house for tea I was a sorry-looking visitor indeed I did not want to track mud in but the farmer's wife said not to worry the warmth was very nice and she asked where we were going and nodded when I told her you're not from around here are you no we were visiting relatives for the holiday she said there was a better road I knew Bob would be very glad to know that when he came in he said that the car started with no trouble at all, and seemed more angry than glad he wanted to pay the farmer for his help but was told no need that the look on his face when the car started first crack was better than any pay on our way home along the different road Bob said he had decided to trade in that car for a new one we can trust out of sight of a garage Do you have a new paragraph for each change of speaker? Have you used direct quotations? Because this is the first time for this, compare yours with the list below, and feel free to adjust yours to include them. .

. . . . ... . . . . . . . ... . . . . . ... . . . . . .Assignment Reference . . . . You got the job to edit and improve a story submitted by the boss, but it is not as expected. Not a happy scene. . . . . A friend walks by before you have half finished. "New on the job?" he comments. . . . . Frustrated, with sweat unnoticed on your brow, you ask, "It shows?" . . . . "They do this to all new guys." .. .. . "Ah." Initiation. "A bit of a struggle." More so than you want to admit. .. .. . "Do you mind if I see?" At the dubious look, he adds, "It's OK. Treat it as an Exercise, not a test." .. .. . "Hmm!" (A pause.) "Hey, Not bad! I like how you organized it." INDIRECT QUOTATION and CLUES ARE GIVEN. it was not as far as I thought / we stopped in front of the barn while the men worked on the car / I was told to go up to the house for tea / I was a sorry-looking visitor indeed / I did not want to track mud in but the farmer's wife said not to worry / the warmth was very nice and she asked where we were going/ and nodded when I told her / you're not from around here are you / no we were visiting relatives for the holiday/ she said there was a better road / I knew Bob would be very glad to know that / when he came in he said that the car started with no trouble at all, and seemed more angry than glad / he wanted to pay the farmer for his help / but was told no need that the look on his face when the car started first crack was better than any pay / on our way home along the different road Bob said he had decided to trade in that car for a new one we can trust out of sight of a garage / Since this was NOT A TEST, after you have done your best, GO to check out some answers to the following questions. Make changes in your own version. AND/OR give answers to the following: 1. What happens to most of the verbs that were in the past tense? (What's a verb? See Glosssary in http://www.mattaweb.ca/web2008/CourseC-1.htm 2. Why are some extra comments added? 3. Does every comment need to give who says it? 4. How punctuation and paragraphing has changed, with dialogue. (dialog US) . . NEW Just to show the importance of this topic, I am reading a novel named OBSESSION by Jonathan Kellerman, a reat read published by www.ballantinebooks.com, with sufficient description of persons, places and times, in the great majority of this book, entire chapters are filled with conversation! There is never any doubt what is happening! Although not demanded, there will be extra points for students who can convert an exercise into an anecdote that would be worthy of publication. (Pleasre remind!) Because this is the first time you are doing something full of speeches back and forth, compare yours with the list below. Did you find them all? If not, please adjust yours to include them and include original ideas to enrich the story. Thanks Isabel for the way to increase the value of this exercise. . So, how many of them did you find? . . . . . . . Indirect quotations: 1. I was told to go up to the house for tea . 2. (I did not want to track mud in) but the farmer's wife said not to worry 3. she asked where we were going (and asked you're not from around here are you ) 4. no we were visiting relatives for the holiday (This is a direct one, needing punctuating.) 5. she said there was a better road 6. I knew Bob would be very glad to know that 7. when he came in he said that the car started with no trouble at all, and seemed more angry than glad 8. he wanted to pay the farmer for his help 9. but was told no need that the look on his face when the car started first crack was better than any pay 10. Bob said he had decided to trade in that car for a new one we can trust out of sight of a garage Example of direct quotation: -----"Did you remember to lock the door?" she asked. -----"Come on," he replied, "I always remember." <i>[Full credit given even if you had to add some you had missed. This is not a test. The aim is to have all writers able to write good dialogue. (dialog in US)]   NEW with thanks to Michelle who expressed a need: . . . . . .The evaluation of A-3 in the AP "Learn" pages includes this: "using a page of dialogue from any published novel as a guide, revise it as dialogue, with correct paragraphing, to show the difference when we hear what people say. Submit for marking in the Submit-box at the end of this unit if you have chosen not to attempt the poetry. Otherwise wait to submit all work together for full credit and bonus points. " Michelle wondered how such an answer would look. Quoting what is in the AP version: There will be a concern with copyright so if you quote any, please name the novel and its author and publisher before you do anything. (Choosing can be tricky, because most published novels already have enough conversation.) Look for indirect quotation at the beginnning or end of a section of conversation, or a block of description. Method: Find a section where indirect quotation is printed. Example: Respect copyright: (Copyright demands this, and we should not have assumed everyone knows.) Jonathan Kellerman is one of my favourite authors. I selected the following from page 8 of his novel OBSESSION, published by Ballantine Books. First, a section copied as a guide. Dr. Delaware is speaking: ". . . What I'm saying is for the last few years everyone's been big on wiping out crime. Then we do our job too well and John Q gets complacent. The Times just ran one of their heartrending series about how a life sentence for murder actually means life and ain't that tragic. More of that and we're back to the sweet days of easy parole." [Note, when quoting what a character says, errors are accepted..] - - - "That assumes people read the paper." - - - He huffed. [What does a person do when he huffs? It will affect what he says.] [ It is followed in the book by an explanation rather than more conversation. That looks like a possible place to create our own new dialog (US) Copying continues, while in my mind I plan how to do it. ] What follows are the thoughts of a character, and since we cannot hear them, they have no quotation marks. - - - I'd been suppoenaed as prosecution witness, had spent four weeks on call, three days sitting on a wooden bench in a long gray corridor of the Criminal Court Building on Temple. - - - At nine thirty a.m. I'd been working a crossrord puzzle when Tanya Bigelow phoned to tell me her mother had died of cancer a month ago and she wanted a session." [End ] [The assignment, choose parts of that to continue Dr. Delaware (a psychologist ] as he complains to the other character in the story. Here is how I'd do it. ] Michelle asked, "To be sure it is what you're looking for. I am to take the dialogue that is in the book, and write it as I am telling you about the conversation?" [ Yes. Use the book as a guide. "That assumes people read the paper." - - - He huffed. What attitude does it suggest? It starts right after that. I'd paste what came next, and DELETE it when done.] - - - He was not happy. "So?" he said. [- - - I'd been suppoenaed as prosecution witness, had spent four weeks on call, three days sitting on a wooden bench in a long gray corridor of the Criminal Court Building on Temple. Revise to use it.] - - - "Look, my friend, I did not ask to be subpoenaed--" - - -"Did I say you did?" At my "no" sign, he continued "but you got time off from work, didn't you?" - - -"It was not a vacation as prosecution witness, spending four weeks on call--" - - -"And no trouble either, I'll bet! " - - -"Well, no--" I conceded. "Not nearly as deadly as three days sitting on a wooden bench in a long gray corridor of the Criminal Court Building!" - - -Apparently he had visions of numb butts; his tone changed. "So what happened during the three days?" - - -"A crashing lot of nothing. Nobody to talk with, checking my cuticles. I hate boredom!" - - -"I guess SO! I can't picture that." - - -"I filled many pages of crossword puzzles. . . " - - -"Sudoku would be my choice." Apparently his mood had improved with the extent of my suffering. [Continuity proven, it does not have to be longer than that. I hope that helps. This is now included as an edit in the assignment page. Thank you Michelle, VERY much for helping future students! ] TG St Careful reading or reading again, whichever works for you-- these pages have the explanations that describe or tell facts that will help do the assignments. There is no harm in knowing what punctuation can do for you even if you never intend to use it in your own writing! In assignments, please follow instructions carefully to get full credit for your effort. If it still puzzles you, please IM or e-mail to ask for help. No charge, no complaint, and I hope, no delay! With thanks to Isabel and Michelle whose assignments have led to improvements that will benefit others. --Terry . . . . \ . AND FOR The POETS, . .Assignment A3c Using the internal rhythm in longer words A3c Continue and complete at least 12 lines, (providing six 4-beat lines of your own taDA taDA taDA taDA. We have seen enjoyable ballad-form poems already with an alternating tetrameter / trimeter form, as was suggested. This time you are free to go with pentametered sonnets, with the required words of two and more syllables included, not exclusively, but to advantage. Make use of the taDA taDA taDA taDA taDA iambic rhythm to qualify as an Elizabethan sonnet or a take-off invention I call "Semi-sonnets" because they have part of the form, in whatever order you choose, and change if any lines need changing. Yours may, but it does not have to rhyme.) A large collection of lines follows, all with the correct rhythm, all of them with a trimeter "--ence" end-rhyme. Help yourself (Dictionary?) --------------------------------------- EXAMPLE: Con-SUMP-tion SO con-SPIC-u-OUS: They LIKE to SHOW the REST of US ex-OR-bi-TANT ex-PENSE ---------------------------------------- If it fits, you have permission to use these two lines as part of yours. ca taDA taDA taDA (3 beats) trimeter . . . . . . . ex-or-bi-tant ex-pense taDA taDA taDA taDA (4 beats) tetrameter ex-pense to hide in-tel-li-gence taDA taDA taDA taDA taDA (pentameter 5 beats) . . . . . . . too much ex-pense to hide in-tel-li-gence (your own choices) These suggestions should be read aloud before choosing. They do more than rhyme. They show how to use long words (with many syllables) where their natural cadence and stressed syllables to add to the beat. ENJOY taDA taDA taDA taDA tre-men-dous-ly in-tense taDA taDA taDA taDA it made no dif-fe-rence taDA taDA taDA taDA in-cre-di-ble sus-pense taDA taDA taDA taDA su-preme in-com-pe-tence in-ten-ded abs-ti-nence and ea-ger con-fi-dence then here the joy dis-pense for-e-ver-more, si-lence in-com-pe-tent-ly dense with bald-faced in-so-lence em-pa-thic trans-fe-rence com-pli-cit in-do-lence un-kind im-per-ti-nence in-dul-gent neg-li-gence un-skilled bel-li-ge-rence im-pres-sive e-mi-nence with blea-ry self-de-fence ( A small point, truly successful rhythm hides even as its sense of unity lends its grace. Enjambment works to hide the dominant effect of end-rhymes.) NEW With thanks to Isabel whose comment (and the need) reminded me not to assume all students are already accustomed to iambic meter. Note above, all pairs of words begin with an unstressed syllable. CLUE: i AM bic ME ter IS un-STRESSED to START (5 beats) . . . . . . . no MAT ter WHAT the KIND may BE (4 beats) . . . . . . . ex AM ples GI ven HERE (3 beats) Pentameters have 5, tetrameters have 4 and trimeters have 3, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and AS you GUESSED // . . . . . . . . . . . . . . all DI-me- TERS // . . . . . . . . . . . . . . have ON-ly TWO. .No i AM bic LINE be- GINS with STRESSED words . Trochaic meter starts like that. . . ... ... .............................. ........................................New for You ..........Proof-reading our own writing needs attention, even after we have developed automatic habits. Although most of it will be correct we must still watch out for awkward things that other readers would notice. It is especially important if you are hoping to submit the peice for publication! ..........Did you catch the typo? (Piece of pie! Believe the lie? Create your own list of tricky words to help remember them.) "I before E except after C, or when heard as 'A' as in neighbour and weigh." So how about feisty, either, beige and neither? ..........That's all right, you say, we have spell-check. And that is why we have D3! (Wait for it) Homophones sound the same, and are not caught by spell-check although the meaning is different ! If you are planning to write a story or book (even for young children so they need not "unlearn bad habits") these exercises will be a real help, especially since almost any published novel will be a good example. (Exception, Kiddie books like those by Robert Munsch which are intended to be orally presented. ) . . Updated May 28, 2008 Please submit graded answers to AP Class box if not placed by Teacher, advancing to a higher level. We have had trouble in the submit-box in AP toward the trophy when ungraded work has been submitted. By submitting graded works into the box, they cannot be lost! The RULES KEEP CHANGING (Sorry) Your five best assignments were the minimum for a trophy. Because of challenge, that has changed to the first four, followed by a review page + evaluation for the trophy. There is a second trophy after the last four, with similar need for 4 + 1 submitted. . . . . . Bonus points if 90% or better ! The evaluation form will be sent to get five submissions demanded by the software. For full feedback, please send your E-mail address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back to Top or onward to Part A4 . . . . . . . .. . Copyright: Tiled wallpaper drawn by Terry Gibson 1996