Notes on Punctuation
By Lewis Thomas
Pre-Reading Activities:
Terms to Know: (optional yet helpful activity – no marks)
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classification
parentheses
immobilized
deploying
implication
banality
notions
parsimonious
ambiguity
rigorous
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Prior Knowledge: (2 marks each)
1. In the “Short Stories” unit there is a link to the Purdue Owl Online Writing Lab. Go to the link to
view the lessons on semi-colons and colons. Explain the difference between these two punctuation
marks. Use examples to show your understanding.
2. In the song “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” by Coldplay, Chris Martin includes the phrase “I
would rather be a comma than a full stop”. What does he mean by this? If you could be a
punctuation mark what would it be? Explain why.
Comprehension Questions: (3 marks each)
*review each question before reading the essay
1. What is your favorite comment in Lewis Thomas’s essay? Explain why.
2. Explain whether you agree or disagree with the following quotes from “Notes on Punctuation”:
a. a. a.
“The commas are the most useful and usable of all stops”
b. b. b.
“Exclamation points are the most irritating of all”
3. In Thomas’s opinion, which three punctuation marks present problems for writers? Explain your
answer with supportive examples and explanations.
4. What is Thomas’s suggestion for punctuating poetry?
5. In your opinion, is the purpose of this essay to explain, entertain, or persuade? Explain your view.
Creative Response: (5 marks)
Thomas has personified punctuation marks by giving them human qualities. Using
the punctuation marks mentioned in Thomas’s essay, draw/create images of each
punctuation mark in an action or human-like character. You may use Thomas’s
ideas, or you may have different opinions on how to personify each punctuation
mark.