英語詞匯RealLifeEnglishImprovingyourpunctuationDOC36頁

1、Real Life English Improving your punctuation Its important to know the rules of punctuation when you write, as using the wrong punctuation may lead to misunderstandings. Using the correct punctuation is especially important when you are writing to impress, such as when you are applying for a new job

2、, or when you are writing to a customer. Here is a guide to the rules for using the more common punctuation marks.When to use capital letters1. At the beginning of the sentenceIts cold today.2. For the personal pronoun “I”I live in a big city.3. For “proper nouns” - names and titles: Sarah, Mr Steve

3、ns, Doctor Roberts- places and countries: London, England,- nationalities and languages: He is French, She speaks Italian- companies, products and brands: Microsoft, Coca Cola- institutions: The Ashmolean Museum, The Department of Trade- religions and religious festivals: Christianity, Ramadan- abbr

4、eviated names: The BBC4. For books, television and radio programmes, newspapers and magazinesThe Simpsons, The Times.5. Days of the week and months of the yearWednesday, August 10th.6. Historical periods or eventsThe Russian Revolution7. Rivers, mountains and lakes and geographical regionsThe Amazon

5、, The Middle East8. In addressesFlat 2, 16 London Road.When to use commas1. To separate items in a listWe need coffee, tea, sugar and milk.British English writers do not normally put a comma before “and”, although in AmericanEnglish, a comma can be used.We need coffee, tea, sugar, and milk.”2. To se

6、parate clauses which are related in meaningDo you know the answer, or should I ask Tony?Where the clauses are short, commas are not used:I was tired so I went home.3. After introductory phrasesUnfortunately, I cannot send you the information.4. Before and after a word or phrase that interrupts the m

7、ain clauseSome children,if they are gifted, attend special schools.5. Before and after non-defining clausesThe factory workers, who were in a meeting, decided to accept the pay offer.= All the factory workers were in a meeting.Compare with a defining clause (which restricts the noun).The factory wor

8、kers who were in a meeting decided to accept the pay offer.= Only the factory workers who were in a meeting decided to accept the offer: those workers who were not in the meeting didnt decide to accept the offer.6. To show millions, thousands and hundreds5, 890, 281110, 050When to use a full stop(or

9、 period in American English)1. At the end of the sentenceThank you for your letter.2. After initials in American EnglishMr. G. Hoover. (The British English version is “Mr G Hoover”)3. As a decimal point2.5%, $9.99.When to use a colon1. To introduce a listYou will need to bring the following: a water

10、proof jacket, a change of clothes, a battery-operated torch and some matches.2. To introduce explanationsThere is one thing to remember: the nights can get cold, so bring a warm jacket.3. To write the timeThe 10:40 train to London is late.4. Between the title and subtitle of a bookShakespeare: The C

11、omplete WorksWhen to use a semi-colonSemi-colons show a pause which is longer than a comma, but not as long as a full stop. Short clauses which are related in meaning can be separated by a semi-colon. However, if the clauses are longer, you will probably need a semi-colon:Well need to hold some meet

12、ings abroad with our suppliers; please could you check your availability in April.1. To separate long items in a listOur writing course includes several components: correspondence, includingletters and emails; style and vocabulary choice; punctuation; layout and planning.2. To give balance to senten

13、ces, or to link parallel sentencesWe went out for the day; they stayed in.When to use an apostrophe1. With an s to show possessionThe companys profits.The s comes after singular nouns and after irregular plural nouns (those which do not end in s).The companys staff, the childrens shoes.But the apost

14、rophe follows the swhen the noun is plural and regular.Compare:The boys school (school of one boy) and the boys school (school of many boys.)With nouns which end in y in the singular, but end in ies in the plural (like company) the apostrophe follows the s when it is plural.The companys profits (pro

15、fits of one company) and the companies profits (profits of more than one company.) With hyphenated nouns, the s comes at the end of the word.My brother-in-laws Ferrar.2. To show abbreviationI dont like smoking. (= do not)3. In time referencesIn two weeks time.Be careful!1. Apostrophes are not used f

16、or possessive pronouns.Whose is this pen? (Not Whos this pen as “whos” = who is. That pen is hers. (Not That pen is hers.)Its also exists as a possessive pronoun:Its market has grown. (The market of the company).(Not “Its market” as “its” = it is or it has.)2. Apostrophes are not used to make a plur

17、al of nouns that end in a vowel.For example, two memos (not “two memos”).House vocabulary Unless you live in a block of flats or a bungalow (one-storey house with or without an attic), British houses normally have two or three floors or stories. On the ground floor youre likely to find the living ro

18、om, kitchen and dining room, while on the first floor youll probably find bedrooms and a bathroom.On the second or top floor is the attic, or loft. On the roof of many houses you can still see a chimney and chimney pot - even if the house now benefits from central heating.The floors of a house are c

19、onnected by stairs, with a landing (area) on the upper floor which leads to the upstairs rooms. Most British houses are made of brick and cement. In a row of terrace houses (houses joined together), the interconnecting walls are cavity walls: they have a space between them to allow air to circulate.

20、 On the interiors, the walls are covered in plaster, and then either painted or decorated with wallpaper. The internal walls of a house fall into two categories: load-bearing walls (those that are structural and support the weight of the floors) and partition walls (those walls that divide rooms, bu

21、t can be knocked down.) Floors and roofs are supported by strongbeams, which are long, heavy pieces of wood or metal. Floors can be covered in a variety of materials, such as parquet (wooden squares), laminate flooring (a type of thin wooden plank), or tiles (either ceramic or vinyl). In living room

22、s and bedrooms, the floors are generally covered with carpets.Houses are normally connected to local utilities, such as mains water, electricity and gas supply. In the countryside, not everyone is connected to mains gas, and some houses have gas tanks in their gardens. The vast majority of people ar

23、e connected to the local sewage system (for waste water), but some people have their own septic tanks in their gardens to treat waste water. Houses that are connected to utilities have separate meters to show how much they consume. Representatives of these utility companies visit houses regularly to

24、 take meter readings - with which they can then bill their customers.Some electrical jobs (such as wiring or rewiring = installing the electrical cables) should only be done by professional electricians, although you can still change a plug, or change a socket (the hole in the wall where you put the

25、 plug in to connect to the electricity supply). For safety reasons, the wiring in the house is on more than one circuit: lighting usually is on one circuit, and the sockets are on another circuit. Some plumbing (water piping) jobs should also be done by professional plumbers. For example, although y

26、ou can change taps, you should get a professional to install a gas boiler.Some building work can be done without supervision. Many people enjoy doing DIY, such as putting up shelves, fitting cupboards and doors, assembling furniture and so on. However, for the big jobs, such as loft conversions and

27、building extensions, you need to first apply for and obtain planning and building permission (from the local authorities) then employ a firm of builders.In Britain, damp winter weather causes many problems to houses. For example, some houses can suffer from damp (humidity) or dry rot, caused by wate

28、r seeping into walls and timber (wood). For this reason, houses have gutters (tubes attached just under the roof that run along the length of the house to catch rain water) and some may need regular damp proof treatment (special chemicals to prevent damp from spreading). Window sills (the piece of t

29、he wall - internal or external - in which the window is set) and window frames (the wood that goes around the window) should be made waterproof (so that water cannot get in), and most people have central heating via radiators to keep the air inside warm and dry. Special thermostats set on the wall h

30、elp to regulate the temperature in the room. In addition, most people have insulation in the loft to keep warm air in, and cold air out.Vocabulary for English language course Many people go to the UK in summer to study English. Typically, they enrol in a language school for a fortnight (=two weeks)

31、or even longer, and attend language classes in the morning. In the afternoon, there is often a choice between supplementary (= extra) lessons, or social activities, such as trips to museums or places of local interest, or sport activities. The school will probably also book your accommodation.Maybe

32、you will stay with a local family on a full-board (= accommodation and all meals included) or half-board (= accommodation plus breakfast and dinner) basis, or perhaps you will stay in student accommodation, such as a hall of residence (= specially-built accommodation for students attending English u

33、niversities).Before you start your English course, youll probably need to do a placement test, which will assess your language level. If youre attending a business English course, youll probably also do a needs analysis, which pinpoints the areas of business English that you need to work on. Most la

34、nguage schools offer a range of courses. For instance, you might decide to have your lessons in a small group, or you might prefer a one-to-one or individual course. Schools also offer exam-preparation courses (for the Cambridge or TOEFL exams) as well as YL (young learner = children) courses and ES

35、P (English for Specific Purposes) courses.Your teacher should be TEFL-qualified, which means that he or she has undergone specific training to teach English as a foreign language. He or she should be sensitive to your problems or needs, as well as able to manage the classroom effectively and to prov

36、ide a range of learning activities.However, its also true to say that you get out what you put in: the harder you study, and the more you take advantage of being in an English-speaking country, the faster you will improve your English.How to make a booking in English Making a booking in English does

37、 not have to be complicated. In fact, if you keep the information concise, you will find it easy!Starting the conversationId like to. book a double room (for two nights from Monday 2 August to). book a table (for two at 9 pm tomorrow night). book a flight (from London to Paris on Tuesday 10 November

38、). book seats (tonight for Phantom of the Opera)You can also reserve a room, a table or seats.Responding to questionsHow many people is the booking for? Its for two people.How would you like to pay? Can I pay by credit card?Can you spell your surname? Yes, its B - R - O - W - N.Can you give me your

39、credit card number and expiry date?Yes, its .Travel bookingsWhat time do you want to leave / arrive / check-out? Id like to arrive in London by 6 pm.Would you like to take advantage of our special insurance / extra facilities? No thank you / Could you give me extra information?Asking for more inform

40、ationDoes this price include all taxes? (for hotels and flights)Is there a booking fee? (for flights, theatre tickets)How much is the baggage allowance? (for flights)Could you confirm my booking?What time should I arrive? (for theatres, restaurants)What time do I have to check in / do I have to chec

41、k out? (for flights, hotels)Is there an ensuite bathroom? (for hotels)TipsRemember the essential information:- how many nights (at a hotel)- how many people (at a restaurant or the theatre)- what time (for a flight or at a restaurant)- how much does it cost (for a flight, theatre tickets or a hotel

42、room)Research the vocabulary you need before you make a call:- what type of theatre seat you need- what type of hotel room you want- where you want to sit on the planeRemember to pronounce numbers and letters clearly.When you spell something or give a number, speak slowly and emphasise the important

43、 information.How to ask for things in English Asking for things in English doesnt need to be stressful. Just remember some key phrases, and youll be able to deal with most situations smoothly and confidently!Asking clerks or at help desks(Hello.) Can / Could I have . please? (Falling intonation)(Goo

44、d morning.) Can / Could you give / get me . please?(Good evening.) A table for two, please.Interrupting people to ask them for somethingExcuse me. Do you know if?. Do you have?. Do you accept . (credit cards)?. Is this the right way for. (the Post Office)?. Could you tell me if . (theres a Post Offi

45、ce near here)?In more formal situationsExcuse me. Would you mind . (keeping an eye on my luggage?). I wonder if you could . (move your suitcase a little.)Responding to questionsYou ask for something, then the person you have asked needs more information. He or she asks you a question. If you havent

46、expected this, you can play for time - say something to give you time to think. Say something like Oh, Ah, Um, or Er to give you a second or two to formulate an answer. Remember, complete silence makes the other person feel uneasy!You: Two tickets to Glasgow, please.Clerk: Single or return?You: Um,

47、return please. Were coming back tomorrow.(You are at the bureau de change)Clerk: How would you like your money?You: Oh, er, three tens and a five, please.You: Hello. Can I have a leaflet about London museums, please.Clerk: Sure. Anything else?You: Um, do you have any information about musicals?TipsW

48、hen you ask someone for something, or you ask them to do something for you, it is essential to be as polite as possible. Here are some ways that you can be polite.Say helloA hello and a smile go a long way! Say hello at the beginning of your request.Hello. (Id like) a travel card, please.In more for

49、mal situations, you can say Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening. (Remember, we only say Good night if were saying Good bye at the end of the day.)Good evening. Weve booked a table for four.Remember please and thank youPlease normally goes at the end of the sentence:Two tickets please.Can yo

50、u give me directions to Oxford Street, please.Say thank you after you have received something:Heres your change.Thank you.You can use Yes, please or No, thank you in response to a question:Would you like salad with your pizza?Yes, please or No, thank you.Say excuse meIf you ask someone who is doing

51、something else, remember to say excuse me:Excuse me, do yo have this dress in a smaller size? (In a shop)Excuse me, do you know where the nearest bank is? (On the street)Structure of an example conversation1. Clerk greets you(Good morning.) How can I help you?What can I do for you? 2. You ask for so

52、methingHello. Id like some information aboutCan I have.Three stamps for Europe, please.3. Clerk asks you a questionSingle or return?Air-mail or surface mail?4. You answerOh, er, single thanks.Um, let me see. Air-mail please.5. Clerk asks you if you need anything elseWill that be all?(Is there) anyth

53、ing else?6. You answerAh, actually Id also likeNo, thats it thanks / thank you.See also Making requests in the Speaking section.Asking for things in English doesnt need to be stressful. Just remember some key phrases, and youll be able to deal with most situations smoothly and confidently!Asking cle

54、rks or at help desks(Hello.) Can / Could I have . please? (Falling intonation)(Good morning.) Can / Could you give / get me . please?(Good evening.) A table for two, please.Interrupting people to ask them for somethingExcuse me. Do you know if?. Do you have?. Do you accept . (credit cards)?. Is this

55、 the right way for. (the Post Office)?. Could you tell me if . (theres a Post Office near here)?In more formal situationsExcuse me. Would you mind . (keeping an eye on my luggage?). I wonder if you could . (move your suitcase a little.)Responding to questionsYou ask for something, then the person yo

56、u have asked needs more information. He or she asks you a question. If you havent expected this, you can play for time - say something to give you time to think. Say something like Oh, Ah, Um, or Er to give you a second or two to formulate an answer. Remember, complete silence makes the other person

57、 feel uneasy!You: Two tickets to Glasgow, please.Clerk: Single or return?You: Um, return please. Were coming back tomorrow.(You are at the bureau de change)Clerk: How would you like your money?You: Oh, er, three tens and a five, please.You: Hello. Can I have a leaflet about London museums, please.Cl

58、erk: Sure. Anything else?You: Um, do you have any information about musicals?TipsWhen you ask someone for something, or you ask them to do something for you, it is essential to be as polite as possible. Here are some ways that you can be polite.Say helloA hello and a smile go a long way! Say hello a

59、t the beginning of your request.Hello. (Id like) a travel card, please.In more formal situations, you can say Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening. (Remember, we only say Good night if were saying Good bye at the end of the day.)Good evening. Weve booked a table for four.Remember please and

60、thank youPlease normally goes at the end of the sentence:Two tickets please.Can you give me directions to Oxford Street, please.Say thank you after you have received something:Heres your change.Thank you.You can use Yes, please or No, thank you in response to a question:Would you like salad with you