PUNCTUATION MARKS Punctuation is the system of signs or symbols given to a reader to show how a sentence is constructed and how it should be read. Punctuation is used to create sense, clarity and stress in sentences. You use punctuation marks to structure and organise your writing. We use a variety of punctuation marks,
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All three – Assonance, Alliteration and Consonance, create sound effects. Alliteration The repetition of an initial consonant sound, as in “a peck of pickled peppers.” Although alliteration is often associated with literary language, it also appears in many common idioms and advertising slogans. Assonance The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighbouring words. As in
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There are many words in English that have very similar definitions, so similar that it’s difficult to tell some of these words apart at times. Jealousy and envy are two such words. People treat these words as synonyms constantly, but do they really have the same meanings? If you look at the words closely, there
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As a general rule, if you are not certain whether a group of words is a clause or phrase, break down the words into the parts of speech to help you decide. If there is a subject and a verb with a predicate, it is a clause. If there is a noun but no verb
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People often confuse the usage of these two words ‘Desert’ and ‘Dessert’. Desert has more than one meaning and two different pronunciations. But you should be able to keep these words straight if you tell yourself that the two s‘s in Dessert stand for “sweet stuff.” A desert (stress on the first syllable)is a dry,
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Skill Focus: DEBATE Debates are an important form of English classroom activity because they give you the opportunity to make use of many different language skills in speaking. In debates, you can demonstrate your reasoning powers and your ability to answer argument with argument. The whole exercise can be highly enjoyable for all concerned, whether as
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These two words are often confused. One way to resolve the confusion on using who vs. whom is to remember that who is always used for the subject and whom is used for the object. In particular, there are two scenarios that lead to a confusion between who and whom: When introducing a question, and
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The Nigeria Spelling Bee is a multilingual spelling bee competition where spellers are drawn from every state in Nigeria to spell words from the English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages. The Competition shall start from the State level. The indigenous languages words will not be used for elimination at the state level. (No speller will
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There’s a difference between pretty and beautiful. When someone is pretty, the person has a good appearance, but when someone is beautiful, the person shines on the inside and out. The words “beautiful”, “pretty” and “handsome” all describe something which looks good. Dictionary Definition Cute: Attractive in a pretty or endearing way. Sexy: Sexually attractive or exciting.
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Spoken English: The /i/ and /i:/ sounds Adverbs Spoken English: The /i/ and /i:/ sounds We are going to revise the two sounds above. Listen to these two lists of words and repeat: /i:/ /i/ Eat It Feel Fill Heap Hip Sheep Ship Leaves Lives Seat Sit Beat Bit He’s