English Grammar, Simple Punctuation

Punctuation means making points. It means putting the right kind of points in the right place so as to mark the exact length and meaning of sentences. Proper punctuation is essential in written English to enable the reader to understand what it is you are trying to say. Spacing with punctuation is also important to make your writing readable. Here are some English punctuation rules.

Common Punctuation Marks


. full stop (period USA)
! exclamation mark
? question mark , comma
: colon
; semi colon

' apostrophe
" " quotation marks
- hyphen



Apostrophes [']
Apostrophes next to the letter ('s) indicate possession or belonging. No space is needed before or after the apostrophe.
For example:-

This is Lynne's web site.

They are also used to show missing letters in shortened words, especially in informal writing. No space is needed before or after the apostrophe.
For example:-

It's a nice day today, isn't it? I've got an idea. Let's go out.

Regular Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and Superlatives are special forms of adjectives. They are used to compare two or more things. Generally, comparatives are formed using -er and superlatives are formed using -est. This page will explain the rules for forming regular comparatives and superlatives, and also show some basic ways of using them.


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1. Forming regular comparatives and superlatives
How these forms are created depends on how many syllables there are in the adjective. Syllables are like “sound beats”. For instance, “sing” contains one syllable, but “singing” contains two — sing and ing. Here are the rules:

Adjective form Comparative Superlative
Only one syllable, ending in E. Examples: wide, fine, cute Add -r: wider, finer, cuter Add -st: widest, finest, cutest
Only one syllable, with one vowel and one consonant at the end. Examples: hot, big, fat Double the consonant, and add -er: hotter, bigger, fatter Double the consonant, and add -est: hottest, biggest, fattest
Only one syllable, with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end. Examples: light, neat, fast Add -er: lighter, neater, faster Add -est: lightest, neatest, fastest
Two syllables, ending in Y. Examples: happy, silly, lonely Change y to i, then add -er: happier, sillier, lonelier Change y to i, then add -est: happiest, silliest, loneliest
Two syllables or more, not ending in Y. Examples: modern, interesting, beautiful Use “more” before the adjective: more modern, more interesting, more beautiful Use “most” before the adjective: most modern, most interesting, most beautiful

2. How to use comparatives and superlatives
Comparatives Comparatives are used to compare two things. You can use sentences with “than”, or you can use a conjunction like “but”.

Jiro is taller than Yukio.
Yukio is tall, but Jiro is taller.

Superlatives Superlatives are used to compare more than two things. Superlative sentences usually use “the”, because there is only one superlative.

Masami is the tallest in the class.
Yukio is tall, and Jiro is taller, but Masami is the tallest.

English Grammar Adjetives

Adjectives describe or give information about nouns or pronouns.

For example:-

The grey dog barked. (The adjective grey describes the noun "dog".)

The good news is that the form of an adjective does not change. It does not matter if the noun being modified is male or female, singular or plural, subject or object.

Some adjectives give us factual information about the noun - age, size colour etc (fact adjectives - can't be argued with). Some adjectives show what somebody thinks about something or somebody - nice, horrid, beautiful etc (opinion adjectives - not everyone may agree).

If you are asked questions with which, whose, what kind, or how many, you need an adjective to be able to answer.

There are different types of adjectives in the English language:

Numeric: six, one hundred and one
Quantitative: more, all, some, half, more than enough
Qualitative: colour, size, smell etc.
Possessive: my, his, their, your
Interrogative: which, whose, what
Demonstrative: this, that, those, these

Holiday Traditions of Mexico

"La Posadas," the remarkable buildup to Christmas Eve, is perhaps the most delightful and unique Mexican tradition. Beginning December 16th, it commemorates the events in the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

After dark, each night of the "Posada," a procession begins led by two children. The children carry a small pine-decorated platform bearing replicas of Joseph and Mary riding a burro. Other members of the company, all with lighted long slender candles, sing the "Litany of the Virgin" as they approach the door of the house assigned to the first "Posada." Together they chant an old traditional song and awaken the mast of the house to ask lodging for Mary. Those within the house threaten the company with beatings unless they move on. Again, the company pleads for admittance. When the owner of the house finally learns who his guests are, he jubilantly throws open the doors and bids them welcome. All kneel around the manger scene or "Nacimiento" and offer songs of welcome, Ave Marias and a prayer.

Now it's time of the "Pinata," refreshments and dancing. The "Pinata" is a pottery (or paper) container, brightly decorated and filled with candy and toys. It is hung from he ceiling or a tree. One by one, the children are blindfolded, turned around and instructed to strike the Pinata with a stick. Usually several attempts are made before the container is broken. Of course, when that happens, there is an explosion of goodies and a scattering of children.

On Christmas Eve another verse is added to the Ave Marias, telling the Virgin Mary that the desired night has come. Small children dressed as shepherds stand on either side of the nativity scene while members of the company kneel and sing a litany, after which the Christ Child is lulled to sleep with the cradle song, "El Rorro" (Babe in Arms).

At midnight the birth of Christ is announced with fireworks, ringing bells and blowing whistles. Devout worshipers surge into churches to attend the famous "Misa de Gallo" or "Mass of the Rooster." Following Mass, families return home for a tremendous dinner of traditional Mexican foods. The dishes vary with the different regions. However, somewhat common are the ,"tamales," rice, rellenos, "atole" (a sweet traditional drink) and "menudo," which is said to be more sobering than strong coffee.

Christmas Day has no special celebration though many have adopted the American style Christmas with a Christmas tree and Santa Claus.

Quebec Winter Carnival

The Quebec Winter Carnival (or Carnaval de Quebec) is an annual winter carnival that takes place in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The festival typically starts on the first Friday of January (or Jan. 6th) and continues for 17 days, coinciding with Mardi Gras celebrations in other regions of the world. With close to one million participants, it has grown to become the largest winter celebration in the world, attracting both Anglophone and Francophone tourists like.

GLOSSARY

TYPICALLY: TÌPICA

LARGEST:MAS LARGO

FIRST:PRIMERO

Easter in Guatemala

Easter is the most important celebration in Guatemala, a country with strong Christian traditions. The entire country waits anxiously for this time of year to show it’s devotion and to participate in the Easter events. The celebrations are a fusion of Mayan and Spanish traditions that remark the sorrow of the Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
During Easter, Guatemala is filled with smells of all kind. The gastronomy prepared just for the holy week include Spanish fish dishes, vegetables with vinegar, desserts made with bread and honey and fresh beverages of hibiscus or rice. All the Guatemalan food prepared in Easter has a meaning, from the sorrow and mourning of Christ death to the joy of resurrection.
Even the trees and flowers seem glad to be in Easter. The warm weather of the season makes the flowers bloom, the whole country is full of colors everywhere. The most important traditions during the Easter’s 40 days are the floats, a tradition brought to Guatemala from Andalucia, Spain.
The processions are held throughout the country and thousands of people participates in them, which makes it the biggest Easter celebration of the world. The devotion of the Guatemalan people is also represented inside the churches, where the “huertos” are made for Jesus. These are sawdust carpets decorated with flowers and fruits.

GLOSSARY
STRONG: FUERTE
ENTIRE: ENTERO
ANXIOUSLY: ANSIOSA
EVERYWHERE: DONDEQUIERA, EN TODAS PARTES.

Akemashite, Omedeto Gozaimasu!

Preparing for the New Year Beginning mid-December, greeting cards, nengajo, are collected at the post office but they will not be delivered until New Year's Day when an army of specially hired students will help with the huge task.
Following Shinto tradition, homes are thoroughly cleaned before the New Year. Special food, osechi ryori, is prepared in the days before January 1 so everyone can enjoy New Year's Day together. At night on New Year's eve, many people go to a Buddhist temple to take part in the tolling of the temple bell 108 times. This is a sacred number for Buddhists and it is part of a ceremony that allows the year to begin free of evil.
On New Year's Day Most Japanese families go to a shrine or temple on January 1, to pray for good health and prosperity in the coming year. It is customary to pay a courtesy call to customers, superiors, and others with whom you have a special relationship, bringing them New Year's greetings. On this day, people say, "Akemashite, Omedeto Gozaimasu!" meaning "Happy New Year!" In the evening, traditional pastimes are playing New Year's card games such as karuta and hyakunin isshu.

GLOSSARY
Preparing :Preparando
Delivered: Entregado
Following:Despues
Thoroughly: A fondo
Sacred: Sagrado