The Reading / Listening - Full Stop - Level 4

The full stop in British English is a period in American English. This punctuation mark is used to end sentences. Its use is changing today. A report says it is "intimidating" to young people. They view it as a sign of anger, especially on social media. Many youngsters largely do not punctuate, except for lots of exclamation marks!!!!! A linguist said usage of full stops is being fundamentally 'revised'. He said people do not use them "unless they want to make a point".

A linguist said: "If you send a text message without a full stop, it's already obvious that you've concluded the message." A journalist wrote that a full stop is "simply not necessary" in text messages. She said: "It's clear when you've finished your thought, so what function does the period fulfill?...Using a period in messaging...can come across as if you're quite cross or annoyed." She added that full stops are being used to emphasise single words.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Full Stop - Level 5 or  Full Stop - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8657089/Full-stop-intimidating-young-people-interpret-sign-anger-linguists-say.html
  • https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/young-people-are-intimidated-full-stops-text-messages-heres-psychology-explained-2951084
  • https://nypost.com/2020/08/24/young-people-dont-trust-anyone-who-use-this-punctuation-mark/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. The full stop
  2. punctuation
  3. it is intimidating
  4. They view it as a sign
  5. except for lots of exclamation
  6. being fundamentally
  7. people do not
  8. they want to make
  1. a point
  2. in British English
  3. revised
  4. to young people
  5. use them
  6. of anger
  7. marks
  8. mark

Paragraph 2

  1. send a text message
  2. you've concluded the
  3. A journalist wrote
  4. simply not
  5. It's clear when you've
  6. Using a period
  7. if you're quite cross
  8. used to emphasise single
  1. or annoyed
  2. that
  3. finished your thought
  4. words
  5. without a full stop
  6. necessary
  7. in messaging
  8. message

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The full stop in British English is (1) ___________________ American English. This punctuation (2) ___________________ to end sentences. Its use is changing today. A report says it is "intimidating" to young people. They view it as a (3) ___________________, especially on social media. Many youngsters largely (4) ___________________, except for lots of exclamation marks!!!!! A (5) ___________________ of full stops is being fundamentally 'revised'. He said people do not use them "unless they want to (6) ___________________".

A linguist said: "If you send (7) ___________________ without a full stop, it's (8) ___________________ you've concluded the message." A journalist wrote that a full stop is "(9) ___________________" in text messages. She said: "It's clear when you've (10) ___________________, so what function does the period fulfill?...Using a period in messaging...can come across as if you're quite (11) ___________________." She added that full stops are being used (12) ___________________ words.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThefullstopinBritishEnglishisaperiodinAmericanEnglish.Thispunctua
tionmarkisusedtoendsentences.Itsuseischangingtoday.Areportsay
sitis"intimidating"toyoungpeople.Theyviewitasasignofanger,especi
allyonsocialmedia.Manyyoungsterslargelydonotpunctuate,exceptfo
rlotsofexclamationmarks!!!!!Alinguistsaidusageoffullstopsisbeingfu
ndamentally'revised'.Hesaidpeopledonotusethem"unlesstheywantt
omakeapoint".Alinguistsaid:"Ifyousendatextmessagewithoutafullst
op,it'salreadyobviousthatyou'veconcludedthemessage."Ajournalist
wrotethatafullstopis"simplynotnecessary"intextmessages.Shesaid:
"It'sclearwhenyou'vefinishedyourthought,sowhatfunctiondoesthep
eriodfulfill?...Usingaperiodinmessaging...cancomeacrossasifyou're
quitecrossorannoyed."Sheaddedthatfullstopsarebeingusedtoemph
asisesinglewords.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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