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Be careful to leave out everything that has no bearing on your subject.

Tell your story to the class. Stand straight and speak distinctly.

Written Composition

Write the story told in class yesterday. Try to make it interesting enough for another pupil to read. When your story is finished, read it carefully for mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Be careful that each sentence has a subject and a predicate and that it makes complete sense.

After the stories are corrected, pupils may exchange papers with one another for the pleasure of reading what others have written. A committee of pupils may select several of the best stories to be read to the whole class.

Poetry Day

Each pupil may be prepared to recite or to read a poem that he likes. Before speaking or reading your poem in class, you should practice it aloud, so that vou can make the class enjoy hearing it.

III.

CAPITALS AND PUNCTUATION - REVIEW

The Use of Capitals

A. Every sentence begins with a capital letter. B. Every direct quotation begins with a capital letter. Thus:

Mother said, "You must be home by five o'clock."

C. Every line of poetry begins with a capital letter. Thus:

A fair little girl sat under a tree

Sewing as long as her eyes could see;

Then smoothed her work and folded it right
And said, "Dear work, good-night, good-night!"

D. The pronoun I and the exclamation O are always capital letters.

E. The first word and every important word of the title of a book, a poem, or a picture begin with capital letters. Thus:

The Wreck of the Hesperus

The End of Day

F. Every name of a particular person, place, day,

or month begins with a capital letter. Thus:

Her name is Mary.

We shall go on Saturday.

They live in Galveston.

We leave town in June.

G. All names of God begin with capital letters. Thus: God, Lord, Jehovah, Creator

H. Both parts of the name of a street, a river, a mountain range, or a county begin with capital letters. Thus:

Her home is on Washington Street.
The Rocky Mountains are high.
The Ohio River is navigable.

They live in Orange County.

I. The first word and the principal word in the greeting of a letter and the first word of the complimentary close begin with capital letters. Thus:

My dear Cousin

Your sincere friend

J. Titles and initials begin with capital letters. Thus:

Mr. Smith

The President of the United States

H. S. Newcomb

Punctuation

A. Close of Sentences 1. A sentence that makes a statement closes with a period. Thus:

They are leaving to-day.

2. A sentence that asks a question closes with a question mark. Thus:

When are you going?

3. A sentence that expresses strong feeling closes with an exclamation point. Thus:

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B. Quotations

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A direct quotation is inclosed in quotation marks and is usually set off from the rest

of the sentence by a comma. Thus:

"I am ready to go," said Joe.

Alice asked, "Won't you wait a minute?”

"Oh, mother," cried little Julia, "I hurt my toe!"

C. Apostrophe

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1. An apostrophe and s are added

to a noun to show possession. Thus:

John's cap My father's horse The children's dog

When the noun stands for more than one and ends in s the apostrophe follows the s to show possession. Thus:

The girls' club works hard. He sells ladies' dresses.

2. The apostrophe is used to show the omission of letters. Thus:

Don't slam the door.
I'm afraid to go.

Isn't that Mary?

You've helped me.

D. Comma 1. The comma is used to set off words of address.

Thus:

Mother, please button my dress.

Do you know, Fanny, that this is my birthday?
Are you going to the party, Fred?

2. The comma is used to set off yes and no from the rest of the sentence.

Thus:

Yes, I heard you.

No, I cannot go to-day.

3. The comma is used after each member of a series except the last. Thus:

Flour, sugar, butter, and eggs are used in making a cake.

We swam, fished, played ball, and paddled at camp last summer.

Up the hill, across the river, and through the woods we hurried.

4. The comma is used to separate the name of a city from that of a state. Thus:

Charleston, West Virginia

5. The comma is used to separate the day of the month from the year. Thus:

June 21, 1922

6. The comma is used to separate parts of a sentence. Thus:

When I was seven years old, my friends filled my pockets with coppers one day.

Other uses of the comma will be given later.

Exercise

Explain the use of each capital letter and of each punctuation mark in the following sentences:

1. The twig asked, "What is the matter, little leaf?” 2. A swan, a pike, and a crab were once harnessed

to a cart.

3. The younger son said, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me."

4. The tree said, "The leaves are getting ready to fly away and have put on those beautiful colors for joy!"

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