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Tanit Posted 20 years ago
I always feel helpless when I have to prepare a powerpoint presentation in English. I really don't know which rules (if any) apply!
1. Do I have to capitalise the first letter in each line?
2. How do I end each line?
For instance:
[ ... ] zones on which building is forbidden:
- (W\w)etlands (";" or "." or nothing)
- (C\c)oastal areas (";" or "." or nothing)
- (N\n)atural reserves (.)
I suppose my problem comes from the inference of my first language, so I'd be really grateful if a native speaker could help me!
Thanks.
T.
Grammar
Punctuation in academic presentations (bullet point lists)
I always feel helpless when I have to prepare a powerpoint presentation in English. I really don't know which rules (if any) apply!
1. Do I have to capitalise the first letter in each line?
2. How do I end each line?
For instance:
[ ... ] zones on which building is forbidden:
- (W\w)etlands (";" or "." or nothing)
- (C\c)oastal areas (";" or "." or nothing)
- (N\n)atural reserves (.)
I suppose my problem comes from the inference of my first language, so I'd be really grateful if a native speaker could help me!
Thanks.
T.
Top answer
My recommendation is to use capital letters to start, with no end punctuation. ) The only real rule is to be consistent, not only within one slide, from also from slides to slide. I do PowerPoint presentations frequently and I am **** about consistency.
- My recommendation is to use capital letters to start, with no end punctuation.
- ) The only real rule is to be consistent, not only within one slide, from also from slides to slide.
- I do PowerPoint presentations frequently and I am **** about consistency.
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7 Answers
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My recommendation is to use capital letters to start, with no end punctuation.
- Wetlands
- Coastal areas
- Natural reserves
(Are you sure the last one isn't nature reserves?)
The only real rule is to be consistent, not only within one slide, from also from slides to slide. I do PowerPoint presentations frequently and I am **** about consistency.
00
Thanks for tour kindness, Barbara.
May I go on with questions?
1. What if the list were part of an essay instead of a presentation? Would you use punctuation marks in this case? If the answer is yes, which type?
2. I googled "nature reserves" and "natural reserves" (language=english) : 2690000 vs 259000.
Ratio > 10:1 show me "nature reserves" is much more com
May I go on with questions?
1. What if the list were part of an essay instead of a presentation? Would you use punctuation marks in this case? If the answer is yes, which type?
2. I googled "nature reserves" and "natural reserves" (language=english) : 2690000 vs 259000.
Ratio > 10:1 show me "nature reserves" is much more com
00
In an essay, with only three items on the list, and all of them being quite short, I would just write them in the sentence. If the preceding part of the sentence is quite long, then use a colon. blah blah blah resulted in three areas being declared off-limits for development: x, y, and z.
With more than three or four, or if each item is quite lengthy, then use the same format as for Powe
With more than three or four, or if each item is quite lengthy, then use the same format as for Powe
00
Really helpful, thank you very much!
Hope someone else will have their say about "natural\nature" reserve.
Meanwhile, I'll change it.
Hope someone else will have their say about "natural\nature" reserve.
Meanwhile, I'll change it.
00
You're very welcome. I have found that I am not particularly skilled in helping foreign students learn English, because so many of the questions are about "why" and I don't know why - just what is. And some of these grammar terms seem esoteric to me. But I am a technical writer for a living, so your types of questions (which are really a matter of style more than grammar) I can act
00
I see.
Maybe moderators could add a section to the forum, something like "a matter of style"
, couldn't they?
Maybe moderators could add a section to the forum, something like "a matter of style"
, couldn't they?00
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