English / Year 8 / Language / Language for expressing and developing ideas

Curriculum content descriptions

understand and use punctuation conventions including semicolons and dashes to extend ideas and support meaning (AC9E8LA09)

Elaborations
  • creating dialogue in drama showing interruptions, asides and pauses for effect
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Punctuation,  Dashes,  Semicolons

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Punctuation – What’s the point

This practice guide offers an overview of essential punctuation for writing across primary and secondary school. While an effective combination of sentence types adds depth and variety to a piece of writing, correct punctuation is equally vital for clarity and coherence. This guide aims to provide clear examples to support ...

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ACK! Punctuation!!

What are the different types of punctuation? What different meanings do punctuation marks have? How does understanding punctuation help us to read with expression? This lesson plan explores how to use drama as a vehicle for understanding aspects of punctuation including full stops, question marks and exclamation marks.

Interactive

When do I use a semicolon?

This resource focuses on how to use semicolons correctly, with information, links and activities. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

Interactive

When do I use a colon?

This resource focuses on how to use colons correctly, with information, links and activities. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

Interactive

Syllabus bites: types of sentences

A web page resource with information, teacher guides and activities on types of sentences to support the Australian Curriculum in English K–10. It has detailed activities, links to resources and quizzes.

Video

How to use an apostrophe

This short video for students is a refresher on when to use apostrophes in writing.

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Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

This resource is a revision for students of some of the rules for punctuation and spelling, with examples. It covers sentences, paragraphing, apostrophes, punctuating dialogue, ellipses, brackets, titles, acronyms, ampersands, commonly confused words and IM and Text Speak.

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Writing Dialogue

This is an explanation for students of how to format dialogue correctly when using it in their writing, with examples, practice activities and a short test.

Interactive

How to use indirect speech

This resource focuses on how to use indirect speech correctly, with information, links and activities. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

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Writing a discussion

The resource contains information, activities and tasks on how to write a discussion. It includes writing and publishing templates for students for a variety of purposes and contexts. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

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Putting the comma in its place

This resource focuses on how to use commas correctly, with information, links and activities. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

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Syllabus bites: Exploring Asia-related texts

This resource has information, links and study guides on Asia-related texts to support the Australian Curriculum in English for Year 7, 8, 9, 10.

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Syllabus bites: Visual literacy

A resource with information, study guides and resources on visual literacy to support the English K-10 Australian Curriculum in English. It provides a series of activities, guidelines and tasks about visual texts from a variety of sources. Contains writing scaffolds, templates and proformas for responding and composing ...

Interactive

Putting speech marks in their place

This resource focuses on how to use speech marks correctly, with information, links and activities. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

Interactive

Writing an exposition

The resource contains information, activities and tasks on how to write an exposition or argument. It includes writing and publishing templates for students for a variety of purposes and contexts. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

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Tales of Terror

This text for students contains short answer questions on four short stories - 'The Landlady', 'Lamb to the Slaughter', 'The Monkey's Paw' and 'Cold Reading'. It describes how to write short answers, as well as how to use textual evidence.