Dash, comma or colon?
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Dash, comma or colon?
This sentence is taken from a punctuation exercise in the 11+ for Essex.
Pelagia was amused by the situation not so the cat
Can anyone shed any light on the correct punctuation mark between situation and not?
The answer sheet has a dash.
Could either a comma or a colon have been used?
Pelagia was amused by the situation not so the cat
Can anyone shed any light on the correct punctuation mark between situation and not?
The answer sheet has a dash.
Could either a comma or a colon have been used?
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
brackets?
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Re: Dash, comma or colon?
A definite no to the comma, a more cautious no to the colon. Personally I would go for a semi-colon; the dash looks like a copout to me.
Last edited by muffinmonster on Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
I would go for the cop out I reckon, not perfect but not incorrect...
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
Semicolon is incorrect here as "not so the cat" cannot stand alone.
Why is the comma wrong? I would really like to know. I was never taught this at school and have read both askoxford and Fowlers and cannot see why.
Why is the comma wrong? I would really like to know. I was never taught this at school and have read both askoxford and Fowlers and cannot see why.
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
my first reaction was comma moved, as a sort of pause for breath. If it had been me in the test i think I would have used a comma actually
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
My reaction was a comma too. I spent 8 years involved with the publishing industry and OH copyedited for most of that time. He thought colon; I thought comma. Our modern DC both thought dash!
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
I probably wouldn't get level 4 in my sats, I tend to go for short sentences rather than complex ones.
Having spent years being told off for starting sentences with however I find it hard to encourage children to do so.
Having spent years being told off for starting sentences with however I find it hard to encourage children to do so.
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Re: Dash, comma or colon?
What's wrong with starting a sentence with 'however'?
Re: Dash, comma or colon?
.
Last edited by Belinda on Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.