Editing for Sentence Completeness (3)

Study the lesson on the left, and then apply it, adding periods, commas, or nothing (x) in the blanks. Click "Check" often as you work to see whether each decision is correct.

Reading

Learning where sentences end requires slow and careful reading. Read the following text slowly (aloud if you can manage it), stopping wherever you might reasonably pause for breath if you needed to.

1. Stop there and consider what you have read.

2. Ask yourself whether what you have just read could be understood by itself. Now, we know that pronouns will not be clear without some context, but that is just a question of the meaning of words. Assuming that you know what all the words mean, could you read just that bit and feel it was complete?

3. If so, this may be the end of the sentence. But any "complete thought" can still be enlarged, so you don't yet KNOW that you have reached the end of the sentence. Therefore, read on to the next stopping point.

4. If that next word group does not feel complete all by itself, ask yourself whether it should be attached to the preceding word group or to the following one.

5. If it belongs with the following word group, you have entered a new sentence, so go back to where you stopped the first time and put in a period. Then proceed as before.

Now insert periods, commas, or nothing (x) in the blanks. Click "Check" often as you work to see whether each decision is correct.

LAUGHTER AT INDIVIDUALS HAS BEEN SEEN AS CRUEL SINCE ANCIENT TIMES BUT LAUGHTER AT GROUPS OF PEOPLE CAN ALSO BE CRUEL IF WHAT IS LAUGHED AT IS SOMETHING THEY CANNOT CONTROL WHEN A COMEDIAN MAKES A JOKE AT THE EXPENSE OF ANY SOCIAL RELIGIOUS SEXUAL OR ETHNIC GROUP ALL MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP ARE IMPOLITELY USHERED OUT THE DOOR AS UNINVITED AND UNWANTED GUESTS ANY JOKE THAT COMES WITH A PRICE TAG LIKE THAT ISN'T WORTH MAKING.