Search results for 'tag:Punctuation tag:Conversations' matching tags 'Punctuation' and 'Conversations'

Re: the use of ( a , the , of , in , on , none )

Clive — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:35:41 GMT

Hi,
You have mixed your examples and your comments together, in a way that confuses me. Your lack of capital letters and your creative use of your own version of punctuation also makes it hard for me to follow your comments.

Think of it this way.
You walk into a room where I am, and you say 'I saw a student today'. I might say 'Oh, that's nice', or I might not even say anything at all. It's the first time this student has been nebtioned in our conversation.

You walk into a room and say 'I saw the student today'. I'd probably ask 'Which student?', because it sounds like you are referring to a specific student that you think I am already aware of.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: I Want To Be Fluent English Speaker How Please?

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:58:38 GMT

Hello to all,

I believe that to learn English depends of the interest of individual and depending of the English knowledge you wanted to learn. like for instance, if you want to speak English all you have to do is to listen very carefully to some tools such as CD, DVD, tapes etc. either audio or video, any kinds of topics as long as educational and knowledgeable and while you are listening just follow and speak what they are talking this is a training of the tongue or tongue twisting trying to develop proper accent, pronunciation, intonation etc, if any words you donât understand have your dictionary besides you and open it. next step just prepare any topics as guidelines [ prepare the main topics, sub topics and conclusion] prolong, elongate and expound the topics you wanted to discuss make it in English version at first you might have the difficulty to speak but try and try until your English would connect and connect at this point your trying to bridge the gap. What is needed in English is that at least you have many words to know {synonym and antonyms} is what i mean.

The basic training of English is that you have to speak English by any topics. I understand that for a person who lived {not speaking country have the difficulty to speak English} on my behalf, English education must start first on basic like for instance if you need English conversation find a person who could talk with you English, or else speak and talk English with yourself even if someone listening at you and say something you are a fool forget it. What is needed is you learn something and speak English. if you have the difficulty to write English just read books literatures etc at this point you can get many ideas and your vocabulary broadens, watch the period, punctuation, commas, etc, if you are not a good English listener try to listen English teachings, news whatever that could improve your English, the four pillars of English are: reading. Speaking, writing and listening, if you have this all then you can speak English although not fluent as what others did but at least you can communicate via reading, writing, listening and speak. Fluent English would follow donât give up keep trying until success.

I am a Filipino not an English speaker, writer, etc but in terms of communication i could communicate. For to me to learn English depends on individual. If we have the basic then we have to improve, have the desire, act on it, and apply no need a tutor individual interest is vital here. Donât be shy to speak English if the English is crooked and someone laughs at you accept it consider yourself that you are not an English person, perhaps the person who laughs at you donât know how to speak English and even to communicate with. Thereâs a saying goes: a noisy person have little knowledge than a silent one. in this world what is important is communication regardless of races, nationality and religion. a crooked English is better than nothing, a crooked or a carabao English has the opportunity to become fluent rather than nothing. but if you have nothing at all nobody blames except yourself, your making your own fate and destiny donât blame your parents and the government its your own decision for what you are now, your right decision now will be your future someday but if you donât plan or decision today do you think you have something to expect in the future. To speak English needs perseverance, long patience and determination to reach the goal this is fundamental requirements. people who cannot speak English has less opportunity to go abroad particularly in the open country, and thatâs the reason why I wanted to learn English even basic for this is my only tool to go to other countries if opportunities permit.

From Philippines,

Rene

Re: can someone please check my job application

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:43:55 GMT

Hi All,

Many thanks for replying.I have now amended my application and would really appreciate it if someone could check it for spelling, grammar and punctuation.This application is really important to me and i would appreciate any help at all:

Question 1 - Done

Working with people of different backgrounds, ages, or gender Please describe a situation where you have interacted with people who are different from you in terms of background, age or gender: What was the situation:It seemed a new colleague was having difficulty settling in at work. He chose to sit by himself and appeared reluctant to join in with group activities. What role did you play:During general conversation, he mentioned he is homosexual and finds it difficult interacting with people in case they judge him on his sexuality. I encouraged him to talk to the other colleagues as they were friendly and I drew him into conversations by asking for his opinions and showing an interest in his replies. I made sure that he was fairly treated and was not unconsciously ignored by some members of the team. What happened as a result: He soon became settled and felt comfortable enough to take part in group activities. It has also given him much more confidence in dealing with people. He has now become a valued member of the team and has brought new viewpoints and new skills to the team.QuoteEnd>

Question 2 - Done Please describe a situation where you have had to work closely with others as part of a team: What was the situation:As a team of sales advisors, we are set targets by senior management that we are required to achieve. On this occasion, some team members were absent due to illness, and as a result, our individual target was increased to compensate for the sheared workload. What role did you play:I suggested we have a meeting to examine how best to cope with the additional workloads. I said I would look at sales opportunities to generate leads, as this is one of my strengths, other team members agreed to concentrate on existing customers. I also suggested working late one evening a week, we then discussed who would do each evening and I offered to take the first shift. What happened as a result:The team exceeded the sales target and my manager was so pleased with our efforts that our strategy has been used as an example of good practice for other teams when short staffed. I was praised for setting up the team meetings and my ideas and have learned the benefits of working with team members to solve problems.

Question 3 - Done Please describe a situation where you have taken steps to improve your skills and / or learn new things: What was the situation:I made a decision to start a website design company. I felt confident of my skills and knowledge of website design, but I had limited skills and experience in business marketing and consequently found it difficult establishing a customer base. What role did you play:I researched marketing techniques on the internet and managed to teach myself the basics, but I decided I would benefit from further tuition. I decided to contact my local chamber of commerce who arranged for me to attend a business marketing course. A key marketing techniques I learned was to contact potential customers directly, rather than expecting them to contact me. I decided to contact my local chamber of commerce who arranged for me to attend a business marketing course. I made notes of all suggestions and idea that was discussed. A particular suggestion I liked was to contact potential customers directly, rather than expecting them to contact me. What happened as a result: I contacted a local surveying company to arrange a sales meeting and the result of a successful presentation, I managed to secure a sale. Using my newly acquired skills, I built relationships with new customers and further developed my business. I learned that asking questions is a key element of learning. Question 4 - Done

Please describe a situation where you have had to remain calm and controlled in a stressful situation: What was the situation:Whilst driving home from work at rush hour, I witnessed a cyclist get his front tyre caught in a tram track resulting in him being thrown from his bike. The cyclist had landed in a dangerous position and could potentially be further injured. What role did you play:I pulled my car over to a safe location and I assessed the situation. I managed to stop traffic in both directions with my own safety being of main concern. I phoned for an ambulance and checked the welfare of the man. I was under pressure from inpatient drivers who were sounding their horns and wanted us to move. I blocked this distraction and refused to move the patient to prevent further injury. What happened as a result:Because of my prompt response and refusal to allow anyone to move the man off the road, I prevented any further injury being caused. An ambulance came and took the man away by structure.

Question 5 - Done

Please describe a situation where you have had to work on your own in accordance with guidelines: What was the situation:

During the purchase of my family home, I received a letter from our solicitors stating that a previous loft conversion did not meet current fire regulations. Our solicitor said we can still go ahead with the purchase, providing that relevant alterations are made. What role did you play:The project involved installing a new loft window which required me to research and follow strict guidelines set by the City Council. I was under pressure to complete this project as a surveyor was scheduled to assess the work on a particular date. I found myself working evenings and weekends on my own to compensate for this tight deadline. What happened as a result:

The work passed the evaluation and I now live in the house with my family and in peace of mind that the house is fully compliant with all safety regulations.

Question 6 - Done

Please describe a situation where you have had to change the way you do something following a change imposed by someone in authority: What was the situation:At my current employment, I am required to sell products to customers. A business decision was made to change my job role from inbound sales to outbound sales. What role did you play:I conducted research about my new role by asking people in my organisation who do a similar role for there views and day to day working life. I found that it is more beneficial to contact customers directly and up sell a product that they may not currently be aware of. I adjusted my existing sales techniques to adapt my new job role. I shared my research with sceptical colleagues and I helped them see the benefits of the change. What happened as a result:I was given an opportunity to develop my skills and progress my career. The hand over of job roles was successful and I am now achieving a much bigger volume of sales.

amazed by this sentence?!

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:31:01 GMT

How would the proper wording and punctuation of this sentence go?

Amazed by the popularity of this building, I notice just how many lawyers, completely absorbed in their cell phone conversations, visit this great structure every day.

Could you help me to proof this essay?

Cheese1987 — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:28:50 GMT

Analyse the formality of the article in SCMP

It is indispensable for us to use an appropriate style when writing. There is no doubt that formal style should be practiced for newspaper as objectivity and impersonality are important. South China Morning Post is one of the most prevalent newspapers in Hong Kong. It is believed that the language style of its article is formal. There is an analysis of the formality of a newspaper article in the SCMP.

High Formality can be revealed when looking at the articleâs choice of vocabulary. Instead of using âa lot ofâ or âlots ofâ, the writer used âthe number ofâ and âmanyâ. âjustâ is also replaced by âonlyâ. However, some informal words can also be found in the article. For instance, âjobâ and âgetâ are less formal words. In order to be formal, âpositionâ and âacquireâ should be used insteadâ. Somehow it is reasonable to use these less- formal words because these words are used in the conversation. In this article, two-word verbs and words from old English are not used. Therefore, It is clearly that SCMP has high formality.

Complete sentences, complex sentences and passive constructions should be used when writing in a formal English style. In this article, every sentence is written in complete sentences. Take the second paragraph as an example. â The study results, released by Oxfam yesterday, showed about one in eight workers made less than HK$5000 a month last year.â this sentence is completed. It is also a complicated sentence because it included complementary meaning. Passive construction is used in the paragraph. Hence, high formality of the article can be seen from its sentences and constructions.

The formality can also be shown by the use of transitional words, phrases and the use of punctuation. . Some of the words such as âmoreoverâ, âwhileâ, âdue toâ, âasâ are often used in a formal article. However, only âbutâ can be found in this article. Also, no semicolons are in it. Although there is only a few âformalâ words or punctuations used in the article, the âinformalâ punctuation such as dashes and parentheses are nowhere to be found too. From this point of view, it is believed that it is a semi-formal article.

Abbreviations and short forms are informal. To write a formal article, they should be avoided. Indeed, there are no abbreviations and short forms in this article. Hence, this article should not be treated as low formality. Instead, it should be seem as semi-formal or highly formal.

In conclusion, South China Morning Post is written in a formal style to a large extent. Its high formality can be shown when looking at its choice of vocabulary, sentence, construction, transitional words, phrases and the use of punctuation. Formal style should be used in the newspaper. SCMP does it well in this aspect it is a good newspaper and worth reading.

Re: observing and writing the conversation can someone edit punctuation?

Feebs11 — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:52:06 GMT

Cjcox wrote:
âWeâ was used when Dee said, âCan we really tell someone itâs wrongâ¦â He used Eric and Vicenteâs names and said, âEric, you can iterate and you too, Vicenteâ¦â When he said, âI believe inmates deserveâ¦â, he had eye contact with Eric. He looked at Vicente and said, âWhat do you think?â When Dee referred to a same sex couple, âtheyâ was used (âThey are going to haveâ¦â). Deeâs hands were on his lap while he listened to Eric and Vicente talk. He nodded his head and looked at both Eric and Vicente as they spoke. Although Dee did use eye contact with both Eric and Vicente, âWeâ was used in the statement, âWe canât control sex acts in prison.â

I query your use of the word "iterate" = verb 1 perform or utter repeatedly. 2 make repeated use of a mathematical or computational procedure, applying it each time to the result of the previous application.

observing and writing the conversation can someone edit punctuation?

Cjcox — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 06:45:29 GMT

âWeâ was used when Dee said, âCan we really tell someone itâs wrongâ¦â He used Eric and Vicenteâs names and said, âEric you can iterate and you too Vicenteâ¦âWhen he said, âI believe inmates deserveâ¦â he had eye contact with Eric. He looked at Vicente and said, âWhat do you think?â When Dee referred to a same sex couple âtheyâ was used (âThey are going to haveâ¦â) Deeâs hands were on his lap while he listened to Eric and Vicente talk. He nodded his head and looked at both Eric and Vicente as they spoke. Although Dee did use eye contact with both Eric and Vicente, âWeâ was used in the statement, âWe canât control sex acts in prison.â

semicolon and colon usage

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 07:52:39 GMT

Hi,

1. I was looking at the punctuation section of cogs.susx.ac.uk website for its help on semicolons and colons and I have some questions on them.

In its "The Semicolon" section, it is noted, "If a suitable connecting word is used, then a joining comma is used, rather than a semicolon: Women's conversation is cooperative, while men's is competitive."

Can you give me some common connecting words that appear a lot in sentences that would make a comma suitable (with simple sentences)? Thank you.

Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words?

2. In "The Colon" section of the same said website, it was noted that the colon is used to indicate that what follows it is an explanation or elaboration of what precedes it.

Does that mean what follows can explain or elaborate any part of what precedes it -- any small part?

In "The Semicolon" section of the said website, it was noted that a colon, instead of a semicolon, should be used for this. If a colon is to be used, then what part of the preceding clause does the clause that follows it elaborate or explain?

We've had streams of books on chaos theory: no fewer that twelve since 1988.

Re: Are you done criticizing me?

Goodman — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:38:13 GMT

Shreksbro wrote:
No, this is informal and bad English. You should really say, 'have you finished...'.

Even if it were correct to use done in that context (and I don't think it is - a task can be 'done', but I'm not sure that a human can be 'done') then the question 'are you done?' would be a complete sentence in itself. If you wanted to qualify the question then some punctuation would presumably be required, for example, 'Are you done? Criticizing me, I mean.'.

I won't go so far as saying "done" is "bad English". In fact it's quite common that we use "done" in our daily conversation and it's completely gramamtical and idiomatically correct.

Are you done using the washing machine? I have a load of laundry to do.

I am done discussing with you. It's been an hour and we are not going anywhere with the discussion.

She is not quite done with her boyfriend yet. I saw them together yesterday.

need some help.

Market — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 19:53:49 GMT

I'm doing some more proof reading, so I'm going to post some phrases that I'm unsure about. I hope you can help me with my punctuation. Here goes.

1."I'm terribly sorry for disturbing your meal, but once you see what i have (comma?) you'll understand. (I sense there's a comma,but I'm unsure.)

2."Of course, but first you see(comma?) I was hoping for some sort of cash reward for my troubles."

3."Get on with it (comma?) fool! (I'd say yes cause it's a direct address. Fool could be replaced by "mark")

4." What do I care about other (peoples or people's ) conversations." (Basically I'm confused. Is it "peoples" or "people's")

5."His words (comma?) not mine. I swear."

6."You insult me(comma?) plus you want a reward for what you did."

Thanks for the help guys.