Difference in meaning created by punctuation

Question

Hope sombody can help us with sons home work (below) he does understand some of the differences just not sure where to start when writing it down!!

If anybody can explain, so you know he is 9 so keep as simple as possible many thanks.

Explain the differences in meaning created by punctuation in thease examples.

1a. The sphinx which is in egypt, is an ancient monument.

1b. The sphinx, which is in egypt, is an ancient monument.

2a. Boys who are dirty,must wash.

2b. Boys, who are dirty,must wash.

3a. "Son, I said go home."

3b. "Son," I said, "go home."

4a. "I'll tell him you said hello miss." he said.

4b. "I'll tell him," you said. "Hello miss." he said.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

This seems to me like hard homework for someone who is 9.

You are native speakers of English, aren't you?

Hope sombody can help us with sons home work (below) he does understand some of the differences just not sure where to start when writing it down!!

If anybody can explain, so you know he is 9 so keep as simple as possible many thanks.

Explain the differences in meaning created by punctuation in thease examples.

There are errors in some of these sentences as written. Did you make a mistake as you typed them into this post, or is the error in the original version?

eg The red comma should not be there. Egypt should start with a capital.

1a. The sphinx which is in Egypt, is an ancient monument. This means there are several sphinxes. The one that is in Egypt is an ancient monument.

1b. The sphinx, which is in egypt, is an ancient monument. This means there is one sphinx. It happens to be in Egypt, but that's not an essential fact to understand what I am saying.

The above commens all apply to the following example, too.

2a. Boys who are dirty,must wash.

2b. Boys, who are dirty,must wash.

3a. "Son, I said go home." These are all words that someone said. We don't know who said them.

3b. "Son," I said, "go home." I said this. The words that came out of my mouth were "Son, go home".

4a. "I'll tell him you said hello miss." he said.

One person spoke.

The words that came out of his mouth were "I'll tell him you said hello miss."

4b. "I'll tell him," you said. "Hello miss." he said.

Two people spoke.

The words that came out of your mouth were "I'll tell him".

The words that came out of his mouth were 'Hello miss".

(There are also a few punctuation concerns here, but I don't want to get too complicated.)

Please write again if you need any more help.

best wishes, Clive

Avangi · Answer

Anonymous1a. The sphinx which is in Egypt, is an ancient monument.
There are several Sphinx's located all over the world. Maybe some are old and some are new. But the one in Egypt is an ancient monument.

1b. The sphinx, which is in Egypt, is an ancient monument.

There's only one Sphinx.

2a. Boys who are dirty,must wash.

Only the boys who are dirty must wash.

2b. Boys, who are dirty,must wash.
All boys are dirty, and all boys must wash.

3a. "Son, I said go home."
This is a quotation of what the father said, repeating the fact that he already said it.
(Son, I said go home.)

3b. "Son," I said, "go home."
The father is telling someone else what he said to his son. (Son, go home.)

4a. "I'll tell him you said hello miss." he said.

This guy said to someone: (I'll tell him you said hello miss)

4b. "I'll tell him," you said. "Hello miss." he said.

You said: (I'll tell him) He said: (Hello miss)

Yoong Liat · Answer

Hi

I wonder whether there are punctuation errors as stated below:

4a. "I'll tell him you said hello miss." he said. (Should a comma be used instead of a period after miss ?)
~~This guy said to someone: (I'll tell him you said hello miss)~~
4b. "I'll tell him," you said. "Hello miss." he said. (Should a comma be used instead of a period after miss ?
~~You said: (I'll tell him) He said: (Hello miss)~~

Difference in meaning created by punctuation

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