Fundamental English Writing : Punctuation and Proper noun

• Punctuation and Proper noun

Today I learn about punctuation and proper noun in Fundamental English Writing class. In punctuation part has an easy way to make sentence cleaner and read easier.

1. The period or full stop : Full stop is a little dot at the end of sentences. Many people forget to use it or do not mind about it but it separates sentences that make us read easier.One sentence represent one idea.
2. Capital letter at the beginning of  sentences : At the first word of sentence, you must use the capital letter and use it for proper noun – for instance, names of people, countries, companies etc…

In Thai language, we do not have a full stop and a capital letter but we use a space to separate the sentence.

• Grammar : There is , There are

The meaning of “there is ” and “there are” is “have”. The rule to use them are

1. Singular, countable noun : There is
   Singular represents one thing and countable noun is noun that you can count -for example, dog, cat, table.
   Example of using “there is” : There is a dog in this house.
2. Plural, countable noun : There are
   Plural represents many things – for example, dogs, cats, tables.
   Example of using “there are” :
   – There are many dogs in this house.
   – There are some cats in the room.
   – There are a few table in the classroom.
   – There are not many girls in the toilet.
3. Uncountable noun : There is
   Uncountable noun is noun that you can not count -for example, rice, sugar, water, coffee.
   Example of using “there is” :
   – There is a lot of rice on a dish.
   – There is some sugar in a bowl.
   – There is a little water in a glass.
   – There is not much coffee in a cup.

• Family tree

Tony give us an exercise to draw our family tree and write a paragraph about our family.First, list the number of family, name, occupation and their age.Then draw the family tree. I have mistake in this writing exercise,I use “Rd.” in the part of address. I must use Road because “Rd.” is a abbreviation that is not allowed in the writing.

• Word study

1. retailer (n.) : a person who sells goods to the public. (Do not use merchant.)
2. wholesaler (n.) : a person who sells goods to a retailer.
3. civil servant (n.) : a person who works for the government.
   (Do not use government officer.)
4. an only child (n.) : having no brothers an no sisters.
5. unemployed (adj.) : not having a job.
6. retired (adj.) : having finished work due to age 60 or 65.