Varying Sentences and Punctuation

Throughout the Exam, you should consciously try to use a variety of sentences. Short, emphatic sentences should be mixed with longer, more complex ones.

By leaving the subject to the end you can also use suspenseful sentences.

For example: try turning this sentence around to make it more effective:

'Some of the things that make fox hunting barbaric include the exhausting and agonising chase for the excitement and bloodlust of the riders, and the terrifying time it can take for the dogs to rip the corner apart, limb from limb.'

Make sure you use questions (?), commands, exclamations (!) and short, blunt statements of fact

...use a colon before a list...

These are some reason why chocolate is better than fruit:

1. Fruit is good for you, therefore tastes horrible.

2. Chocolate can contain fruit, which means it can harness the benefits of fruit in addition to it's own goodness.

3. Chocolate comes in shiny wrappers which advertise competitions in which you can meet S-Club 7!

...use speech or quotation marks...

"WAKE UP"

...use semi-colons to hinge two or three different balanced parts of a sentence...

• Some people think hunting is cruel; other people think it is fun.
• In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in peace, goodwill.

...use question and exclamation marks to liven things up...

? !

Punctuation

• It is important that you use a wide range of punctuation correctly, as well as the comma and full-stop you must ensure that you use.
• Students rarely use semi-colons; examiners like to see them used.