Read Like You Talk
Reading Comprehension Lessons
© 2000 MINDPLAY - Tucson,
Arizona
Free Reading Comprehension Lessons from the
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LESSON 13: Pausing and inflecting with punctuation
marks
OBJECTIVE: The learner will learn to pause or inflect at
a punctuation mark.
- Periods
- Commas
- Exclamation points
- Semi-colons
- Question marks
We've learned to pause and sometimes inflect our voices before
conjunctions and prepositions. Now we will see that punctuation marks
also indicate points where we pause or inflect.
1. Periods
We pause at the period at the end of a sentence to give the listener time
to complete one picture before going on to the next sentence and a new
picture.
Have the learner read the sentences below. Be sure he pauses at
the period before reading the second sentence.
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The cat sat on the rug. He
played with a ball of wool.
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Mary met her new classmate. His name is Mark.
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I had ice cream for dessert. Mom bought
my favorite flavor.
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If the learner pauses at the period and can correctly tell you the
pictures he formed, go on to Commas.
If the learner has difficulty pausing or making the correct picture, take
a break and relax. When you return start at a step where the learner felt
comfortable and repeat this step to help re-establish confidence. Praise
the learner for his accomplishments.
2. Commas
Often we use commas to indicate a pause within a sentence. For example, a
writer uses commas after items in a series so the listener has time to
form a picture of each item. The reader knows to pause at each comma so
the listener will not miss an item.
Have the learner read the sentences below, making sure to pause at each
comma.
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The cat played with wool, a toy mouse, and a dog's bone.
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Harry dropped the cup, the dish, and the spoon.
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Each time I answered correctly on the first try, I got
rewarded.
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If the learner pauses and/or inflects at the comma and can correctly tell
you the pictures he formed, go on to the Exclamation
point.
If the learner has difficulty pausing or making the correct picture, take
a break and relax. When you return start at a step where the learner felt
comfortable and repeat this step to help re-establish confidence. Praise
the learner for his accomplishments.
3. Exclamation point
"Great!" is an abbreviation for the sentence, "It is
great!" When we say this sentence we do so with excitement. We
inflect up to stress the word and pause before reading the next
sentence.
Have the learner read the sentences below. Be sure he pauses between
sentences and ends the sentences with an exclamation point by inflecting
up or down as appropriate.
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Wow! I can go.
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Terrific! I can do this.
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| He fell to the ground. Ouch! |
If the learner reads, pauses and inflects appropriately and can correctly
tell you the pictures he formed, go on to
Semi-colons.
If the learner has difficulty pausing, inflecting or making the correct
picture, take a break and relax. When you return start at a step where
the learner felt comfortable and repeat this step to help re-establish
confidence. Praise the learner for his accomplishments.
4. Semi-colons
Another way we attach two sentences together is with a semicolon.
Once again we need to pause to allow the listener time to complete one
picture before going on to the next one.
Have the learner read the sentences below. Be sure he pauses at the
semicolon.
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The circus came to town; the clowns danced down the
street.
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Mike saw his friend James; James stood in
front of the crowd.
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He fell to the ground; he was hurt.
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If the learner pauses at the semicolon and can correctly tell you the
pictures he formed, go on to Question marks.
If the learner has difficulty pausing or making the correct picture, take
a break and relax. When you return start at a step where the learner felt
comfortable and repeat this step to help re-establish confidence. Praise
the learner for his accomplishments.
5. Question marks
Can I go to the dance?
Questions are very interesting. Not only do we pause after a question
when we talk, but we also inflect our voices. We usually inflect up
because we want a YES answer, and we hope this positive tone will
influence the listener.
Have the learner read the sentences below. Be sure he inflects his voice
up on the last word before the question mark.
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Can I have the keys to the car?
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Do you want some ice cream?
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What is the answer?
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If the learner inflects his voice up and can correctly tell you the
pictures he formed, continue to the next type of question.
Do I have to clean my room?
The type of question is a bit different! Does anyone really want to clean
his or her room? Probably not. So, with this sentence we inflect down on
theword room, hoping for a NO answer.
Have the learner read the sentences below. Be sure he inflects his
voice down on the last word before the question mark.
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Why do I have to take out the trash?
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Are you leaving so soon?
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Did you have to do that?
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If the learner has difficulty inflecting, pausing or making the correct
picture, take a break and relax. When you return start at a step where
the learner felt comfortable and repeat this step to help re-establish
his confidence. Praise the learner for his accomplishments.
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Go to Lesson 12
