Punctuation: Gap filling and error correction

These exercises are a follow-up to my paper to be delivered on 23 July 2018 at the 4th English Teachers' Convention in Stryszawa, Poland. They focus on problems which are typical of Polish learners of English.

Ex. 1 Fill in the gaps with punctuation signs. In some gaps you do not need to use a sign.

1. This is the best comedy ___ I___ve ever seen. My friend didn___t like it at all ___ but I think it was hilarious.
2. After dinner ___ we went for a walk. The weather was very pleasant ___ it was warm and sunny.
3. I was in the waiting room. I had already read the magazine ___ that I___d bought one hour before ___ and there were still eight people before me. If I hadn ___t brought a book with me ___ I would have gone crazy.
4. I will not let you play computer games ___ unless you finish your homework by five.
5. We knew ___ Egypt was hot in July ___ S/still ___ we decided to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh ___ for a week.
6. My friend Jane Smith ___ who lives in a small village ___ says ___ that she misses London.
7. My brother ___ who works as a waiter ___ wants to open his own restaurant one day. (I have one brother)
8. My brother ___ who works as a waiter ___ wants to open his own restaurant one day. (I have two brothers)

Ex. 2. Each of the following sentences contains at least one punctuation error. Correct the sentences.

1. George asked me, if I was an English teacher. I said, that he must have mistaken me for Mr Kowalski who looks a little, like me. He said — Sorry, I expected him to arrive first.
2. Although, it was raining Jukka went swimming, he said he didnt mind, a bit of rain.
3. Ill help you do the dishes, if you read my essay and tell me, if its any good.
4. The textbook is entitled French Grammar — Phonology, Morphology and Syntax.
5. Ian paid 23.000,99 pounds for an old car.

KEY

Ex. 1.
1. This is the best comedy [none] I[']ve ever seen. My friend didn[']t like it at all [, / none] but I think it was hilarious. 2. After dinner [none/ ,] we went for a walk. The weather was very pleasant [: / — it was warm and sunny. 3. 3. I was in the waiting room. I had already read the magazine [none] that I[']d bought one hour before [,] and there were still eight people before me. If I hadn[']t brought a book with me [, / none] I would have gone crazy. 4. none, 5. We knew [none] Egypt was hot in July [. / ;] S/still [,] we decided to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh [none] for a week. 6. My friend Jane Smith [,] who lives in a small village [,] says [none] that she misses London. 7. two commas (a non-defining relative clause) 8. no commas (a defining relative clause)

Ex. 2.
1. George asked me [none] if I was an English teacher. I said [none] that he must have mistaken me for Mr Kowalski [,] who looks a little [none] like me. He said[,] [']Sorry, I expected him to arrive first['].
2. Although[,] it was raining [optional ,] Jukka went swimming [. / ;] he said he didn[']t mind [none] a bit of rain.
3. I[']ll help you do the dishes [none] if you read my essay and tell me [none] if it[']s any good.
4. The textbook is entitled French Grammar[:] Phonology, Morphology and Syntax. (an optional serial comma after 'Morphology')
5. 23,000.99

Run-on sentences and comma splices

These sentences are the opposite of sentence fragments. They combine two main clauses that could be expressed as independent sentences but without a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or or for. I have decided to include comma splices, i.e. sentences in which a comma creates ambiguity or generally makes the structure unclear. Look at the following examples and their corrections.

a. *I like bananas they are very healthy. *I like bananas, they are very healthy. => I like bananas. They are very healthy. I like bananas because/for they are very healthy. I like bananas; they are very healthy.

b. *Henry said he didn't like gardening, however, he spent all day weeding and mowing his lawn. =>
Henry said he didn't like gardening. However, he spent...   Henry said he didn't like gardening; however, he spent...   Although Henry said he didn't like gardening, he spent...

Since however can be attached at the end of a clause, if the starred sentence in b. is preceded by other sentences, it is not clear whether the contrast refers to the first clause or the second one. That is why a full stop or a semi-colon is necessary.

Ex. Correct the following sentences.

1. English is not the only language worth studying, actually, Spanish is important too.
2. I had a terrible day my car broke down and my dog peed on the carpet.
3. She's always talking about her health problems it's quite annoying.
4. Julia's alarm clock didn't work, however, she woke up at six.
5. Have you bought the dictionary our teacher recommended I've bought a used copy online.
6. Jake is a good friend of mine, we went to school together.
7. Kate likes tea, her boyfriend prefers coffee. 
8. Most foreigners think that the books about the Moomins were written in Finnish, however, few realise they were written in Swedish.
9. I once attended a Business English course now I can't remember anything.
10. In American movies all French people smoke besides you can see the Eiffel Tower from any spot in Paris.

KEY (sometimes more options are possible)

1. ... studying. Actually, Spanish... / studying. Actually, Spanish... 2. ... day: my car... / ... day, because my car ... 3. ... her health problems. It's quite annoying. / ... her health problems; it's quite... / ... her health problems, which is... 4. ... work. However, she / ... work; however, she... / Although Julia's alarm clock didn't work, she (nonetheless) woke up at six. 5. ... recommended? I've bought... 6. ... of mine. We went to school... / ... of mine; we went to school ... 7. Kate likes tea while/whereas/and her boyfriend prefers coffee. 8. ... in Finnish. However, few ... / ... in Finnish; however, few ... 9. ... a Business English course, but now ... / ... course. Now ... 10. .. smoke. Besides, you ... / smoke, and you ...