English for Personal Assistants

I = word/phrase usually in the initial position in a sentence M = word/phrase usually in the mid position in a sentence F = word/phrase usually in the final position in a sentence Inf = informal usage Appendix B Punctuation Punctuation in written English is used as a means of conveying your message clearly and unambiguously. Thefullstop has two main uses: To signify the end of a sentence, e.g., The European Union has faced a lot of oppositionfromsomepoliticalpartiesinallcountries.Thereisstillalongwaytogo beforeEuropeistrulyunited. To show that a word has been abbreviated, e.g.,Mr.,Dr., e.g., Remember to keep sentences in English short and simple otherwise it may be difficult for your reader to follow you. Thecomma is used in sentences to show a pause between sense groups of words, e.g., The car industry expanded in the eighties, slowed down in the nineties, and it is anybody’sguesswhatitwilldointhecomingdecade. The comma is also used to separate words in a list, e.g.,Thesteel,coal,chemical,and gasindustriesallfacealotofcompetitionfromtheFarEast. Commas are also used for non-defining relative clauses, e.g., The response, which came rather late, surprised everyone concerned. Remember that in defining relative clauses no commas are needed e.g., The item which you ordered is no longer in production. Commas are not generally used before linking words like or, but or then, e.g., The presentation was quite long but everyone listened with great concentration. Commas are, however, used after subclauses in front position, e.g.,Althoughinterestrateshave beenfalling,thereisnosignofanyrecoveryintheeconomy.