This paper investigated six to nine year old children's ability to use contractive and possessive apostrophes, the effects of type and token frequency, and the effect of teaching on this ability. Apostrophes provide an interesting opportunity to examine the basis of frequency effects in rule inference, as type and token frequencies dissociate in…

In this article, I examine Lynn Truss's book of punctuation rules and faux pas, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves," contemplating the complex relationships among class, academics, and language snobbery. I don't refute Truss's lessons on punctuation. Instead, I use her text as a jumping-off point for discussion of the social issues embedded in her guide and…

Intended as a home resource book for children, this grammar handbook is a quick reference source for questions on grammar and punctuation. The book provides information, as well as sentences to illustrate each definition and guideline, about the most frequently used terms in grammar and punctuation. The book's information is organized…

The punctuation system presented in this paper has explanatory power insofar as it explains how good writers punctuate. The paper notes that good writers have learned, through reading, the differences among a hierarchy of marks and acquired a sense of independent clauses that allows them to use the hierarchy, along with a reader-sensitive notion…

Written for children who are in the first four years of school, this handbook provides review and additional practice in language, grammar, and punctuation for students who may need such study. Younger children may need parental help in using the handbook, while older children may be able to read and understand the material for themselves.…

Intended for use by students at any level above grade one, this practice book is designed to familiarize students with the basic elements of a sentence. The practice book then proceeds to nouns and verbs, and then to capitalization and punctuation. The book is self-paced so that students may use it independently, and answers are provided for…

Punctuation contributes substantially to the effectiveness of a piece of writing, and its successful use calls for an awareness of the sound of written language. For centuries, debates have existed over whether punctuation is determined by grammar, or whether its primary function is to signal the "prosody"--the patterns of pitch and…

This is the first cover-to-cover revision of the basic stylebook adopted in 1960 by United Press International and The Associated Press. Its primary purpose is to provide a set of consistent guidelines, reflecting current word usage, for newspaper editors handling wire-service copy and for others who follow the same style. The main entries, which…

With increasing enrollments in journalism, many journalism instructors contend that problems of spelling, grammar, usage, and punctuation are particularly acute. Some of the questions raised at recent gatherings include: Are formal rules of English grammar dying? Is proper punctuation mere pedantry? What can journalism schools do about grammar and…

A result of a three-week reading institute at Northern Illinois University during the summer of 1974, this publication consists of papers focusing on various aspects of reading from a psycholinguistic perspective and strategy lessons to be used in the development of effective and efficient readers. The contents include five sections: "Moving to…

The test detailed in this document is designed to diagnose learning deficiencies in punctuation for grades three through seven and supplies the teacher with a list of specific teaching concepts which need to be taught to each child. The document contains a test description, directions for administration and scoring, two references, a sample of…

Presented are the philosophy, suggestions, and materials that grew out of the development of a competency-based course on business writing; special emphasis is given to punctuation. Steps to consider for a successful course in business writing include diagnosis of students' initial levels of proficiency in punctuation, on a rule-by-rule basis; the…

Nine components of a system for teaching shorthand transcription are described and examples of how each component was integrated into courses at Los Angeles City College are presented. (BM)

Examines four common student misconceptions in grammar and punctuation, suggests the reasons for these misconceptions, and argues that teachers need to help students develop a thorough understanding of the English language system. (MM)

This workbook is designed as an introduction to the "Editor in Chief" series, which reinforces the rules of written English. In this workbook, student first review the rules of grammar and mechanics using multiple-choice questions; then the students learn to apply these rules in context by editing stories in a variety of formats. This "Beginning"…