D-13EnglishFri 28 Aug

Punctuation that changes meaning

Comma, colon, possessive — small marks, big marks.

In the 11+, a comma, apostrophe or colon is not decoration. Move one mark and the meaning of the sentence changes. Read the sentence out loud both ways before you pick.

Picture it: the same words, two meanings

No comma

Let’s eat Grandma.

Sounds as if Grandma is on the menu.

Comma

Let’s eat, Grandma.

You are talking to Grandma — time for dinner.

The comma shows who is being spoken to. Without it, Grandma becomes the object of eat.

Remember — the marks that matter

Comma ,

Lists, extra info, or speaking to someone.

Apostrophe ’

Missing letters (it’s) or belonging (the girl’s bag).

Colon :

Introduces a list, reason, or example.

Exam trap

Mixing up its (belonging to it) and it’s (it is). If you can swap in “it is”, you need the apostrophe.

✗ The cat chased it’s tail.

“It is tail” does not make sense

✓ The cat chased its tail.

Belonging — no apostrophe

Question patterns you might see

Same test: does this mark change who, what, or how many?

1 · Simple — Speaking to someone
“Which sentence is correctly punctuated? Stop Sam. / Stop, Sam.”
1. 1Read it as an order to halt Sam (no comma needed if Sam is the object).
2. 2Read it as calling Sam’s name (comma before the name).
3. 3Match the meaning the question wants — usually the vocative comma: Stop, Sam.
Stop, Sam. = you are talking to Sam
2 · Simple — Plural vs possessive
Plural
The dogs barked.
More than one dog.
Possessive
The dog’s bark was loud.
The bark belonging to one dog.
Several dogs: dogs. One dog owning something: dog’s. More than one dog owning something: dogs’ (apostrophe after the s).
dogs
many dogs
dog’s
one owner
dogs’
many owners
3 · Medium — Extra information between commas
“My brother, who lives in Kent, sat the 11+.”
The pair of commas wrap extra information. One comma only would be wrong.
4 · Medium — Colon before a list
“Bring three things: a pencil, a rubber and a ruler.” The colon sits after a complete clause, then the list.
Bring three things:pencilrubberruler
5 · Trickier — Restrictive vs extra
No commas — which children?
The children who finished early read quietly.
Only those who finished early. The clause identifies them.
Commas — extra fact
The children, who finished early, read quietly.
All the children finished early. The clause is extra.
6 · Trickiest — It’s / its / they’re / their / there
1. 1it’s = it is. their = belonging to them. they’re = they are. there = a place.
2. 2Swap the long form in. If the sentence breaks, you have the wrong one.
3. 3“The school lost it’s chance” fails the swap → use its.
they’re tired
they are tired ✓
their bags
bags belonging to them
wait there
a place
If “it is” / “they are” doesn’t fit, drop the apostrophe

Coach tip: read the sentence in your head as a tiny play. Who is speaking, who owns the thing, and what is extra information?

Tomorrow (D-12): speed, distance and time.

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