Starter quiz
- What is a conjunction?
- A word to connect clauses or sentences ✓
- A word to describe a noun
- A clause that cannot stand on its own
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- What is an independent clause?
- a clause that does not make sense on its own
- a clause that does make sense on its own ✓
- the clause at the beginning of a sentence
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- What do you use to separate items in a list?
- apostrophe
- comma ✓
- colon
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- Which sentence below is an interrogative sentence?
- Defiance will be punished!
- Who do you think you are? ✓
- You will be punished if you break the rules.
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- What is atmosphere?
- the place a story is set
- the feeling associated with a place ✓
- the weather in a place
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- Which sentence describes a place with an oppressive atmosphere?
- The penetrating eye on the billboard glared down at the citizens. ✓
- The beady eye on the billboard glanced down at the citizens.
- The sharp eye on the billboard looked down at the citizens.
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Exit quiz
- What is the purpose of a colon?
- To separate two independent clauses that link together.
- To introduce a list or explanation. ✓
- To emphasise some extra information in the middle of a sentence.
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- What is the purpose of a semicolon?
- To introduce a list or explanation.
- To separate two independent clauses that link together. ✓
- To emphasise some extra information in the middle of a sentence.
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- Which sentence uses a colon correctly?
- The society controlled in two ways and they were: propaganda, and surveillance.
- The society controlled in two ways: propaganda and surveillance. ✓
- The society controlled in two ways: which were propaganda and surveillance.
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- Which sentence uses dashes correctly?
- John - a haggard man in his fifties - walked to work in the cold. ✓
- John - a haggard man - in his fifties walked to work in the cold.
- John - a haggard man in his fifties walked to work in the cold.
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- 'The leaders had absolute control they exercised their power everyday.' Where should the semicolon go in this sentence?
- The leaders had absolute control; they exercised their power everyday. ✓
- The leaders had absolute control they exercised their power; everyday.
- The leaders; had absolute control they exercised their power everyday.
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- Correct the use of colon in this sentence: 'She finally deciphered the stench of: decaying food.'
- She finally deciphered the stench: decaying food. ✓
- She finally deciphered the stench which was: decaying food.
- She finally deciphered: the stench decaying food.
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- A colon is used to introduce a list or to introduce a list or explanation
- A semi-colon is used to separate two main clauses that are linked
- A dash can add extra information about a noun
Common misconception
Using semicolons and colons interchangeably
A semicolon always has to have an independent clause on either side of it.
Keywords
Dingy - describes a place that is dark and often dirty.
Colon - a punctuation mark (:) that goes before a list or explanation.
Semi-colon - a punctuation mark (;) that indicates a pause between two independent, but related clauses.
Dash - a punctuation mark (-) that interrupts a sentence to give extra information.
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