@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Word.

@Robusto yes! I was trying to think of that one.

@MattЭллен:Are you done with your cooking?

I have eaten, even!

You're like a swift bird.

:D

I have trouble typing with these wings, though

keyboards aren't designed for feathers

I guess you know Swift

The bird? Yes. The writer, no.

Yeah.

I've heard of Jonathan Swift. I've not read his work

I'm talking about swift bird(the fastest bird in the world).

ah!

I know of them

they sleep on the wing

Yup

I just need your precious advice.

OK

Its govt job.

I've SBI exam for the post of PO.

People are dying for it.

what is a PO?

So they've one section known as Comprehension test in English.

It stands Probationary officer.

I see

So they give 30 mins to write on arbitrary topics.

So I need to perform very well to grab the job.

OK

So what can I do?

Do you have an idea for something you will write about?

Yes they give topic like Poverty in India.

@Sudhir so you don't know the topic before hand?

any social related topic

No.

ah

So you can help me.

Ignore the content itself, my question is about how to correctly place commas, and continue a split quoted 'verbal' expression like that

@skopp There is something off about word order here.

You need two sentences.

@Sudhir The first thing you can do is practice writing. The other thing you can do is read a lot about societal topics

Writing essays,concise summary.

Or a semicolon.

Like you have done in your schools.

And what's up with the change in tense between says and thought?

just spend a lot of time reading and writing. Once you have a lot to say, you'll be able to talk about whet they have on your exam

@Cerberus let me remix it quickly: "There IS soap," she yelled ___??? "open your bloody eyes!"

the _____ part is one of the places I'm stuck at

@MattЭллен: I think i should write on paper rather on web.

@Sudhir yes. that would be better. get as close to your exam conditions as possible

> "There IS soap," she yelled. "Open your bloody eyes!"

by doing so I'd spell out correctly.

This is the simplest solution ^.

Can we go step by step, starting with the "There is soap..." part? I have a question or a few for several things. I crammed the issues into one example phrase

Wikipedia is a good source.

@Sudhir The only advice I can give for essays in exams is to try to plan it a little. It should have a basic structure: introduction, argument, conclusion. Think what you will put in each part.

Sure, what is your question?

Youtube as well good and full of knowledge

make it easy for the examiner to follow your thinking

@Cerberus how else can one, on 'paper', emphasize the IS - part from italics. Or are caps suitable there?

@MattЭллен:Okay.

@Sudhir it is full of interesting information, yes

@Sudhir but don't plan too much: you only have 30 minutes

@skopp Underlining is the usual substitute for italics in manuscript.

@MattЭллен:Frankly speaking grammar bites me a lot.

On 'paper' as in a typed doc, as well as a literal page, written. Assume I write like a cockroach and all my writing seems italic

:D

@Sudhir the only fix for that is practice

So in a printed document, use italics; in handwriting, underline it.

@Cerberus what about asterisk<emphasized word>asterisk? for parchment

As I need to 1 min to construct sentence .

I think that is mainly used on the Internet.

I do it subconsciously sometimes, because, in many text editors, that is the way to italicise text.

Like you do construct sentence without much hassle.

Underlining just doesn't make me feel like it's emphasized. I don't recall seeing it outside English class - in red pen. On my marked papers

And what if there isn't a ruler around

Well, it is the conventional way.

Nobody says the line needs to be straight.

Really? Okay.

I may do more research on it

Maybe ask that hot chick on Youtube

@Sudhir I've had over 30 years of practice ;)

I guess you could use capitals...but it will sound like you're yelling if used with longer words, and I think it just looks odd in manuscript.

Back to the issue at hand

Sassy Bob?

I know.

@Cerberus No... Hot for Words

I actually have to go out right now, @Sudhir.

Marina whatsaname

Hmm never heard of that.

I just wondering if I were you in the exam.

Okay take your time in doing your work.

@MattЭллен:thanks.

no problem

BBL

@Cerberus she knows her ish

hotforwords.com

anyway

Is it okay to start a document with a quoted phrase?

It is OK, but of course it depends on what kind of document etc.

owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/609/01

and what if the beginning of it isn't the real beginning of what was said? Would one do this: "(W)hat are you doing?

^ about emphasis.

@Cerberus re: "you cause them to be fired from their jobs": it's not clear, from what I've seen, whether or not the fired developer's boss was justified in firing that developer. They haven't explained their reasons. However, I'm not sure that blame can be laid at the feet of the woman who complained; if you say something, and someone else overreacts and fires someone, are you responsible?

@Cerberus thx, will read it now

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 omg this is even in the english room???

@skopp We talk about everything here.

No I dont mean like that

And this is probably everywhere. where else have you seen it?

@skopp Normally, you would just change it into a capital. However, if you feel it is important that the reader know this is not the beginning of the sentence, use square brackets around the capital: "[W]hat are you doing?". Alternatively, you can use three dots: "...what are you doing?".

I mean, that story made, like, World News. Was it #1 on twitter too?

@skopp I don't twit, so I don't know.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 in programming places

I'm sorry, it is my fault. I quoted it here.

@skopp most E&U chat room regulars are programmers. Even Cerberus has dabbled.

@Cerberus I knew it was supposed to be square. The round ones just felt wrong

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I guess she is not mainly responsible for his being fired.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I think I have found a new fav room. I am both

@Cerberus, I'm gonna stop faffing about now and get to the real questions

pfaff

phaph?

hmm