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ACT English 4.1 Punctuation 319 Views


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Description:

ACT English: Punctuation Drill 4, Problem 1. How should this sentence be changed, if at all?

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:04

Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by the word "hooray." It was really excited

00:08

about bringing it to you--but then...it's excited about everything.

00:11

How should you change the below sentence to make it correct, if at all?

00:15

Hooray, we are already there.

00:22

Whenever somebody says "hooray" they're usually excited about something.

00:26

They might be being sarcastic.

00:27

Which...we wouldn't know anything about.

00:29

There's nothing in the sentence to make us think the speaker is being sarcastic, though,

00:33

so we'll assume he or she is genuinely excited.

00:37

We can get rid of (A), because a period just doesn't give us enough... oomph.

00:40

(B) seems suspicious as well, since there's no reason to make the sentence a question.

00:46

Both (C) and (D) end with exclamation marks, so they have the oomph we were looking for earlier.

00:51

However, we also know that "hooray" is an interjection, a word that expresses a certain

00:57

sentiment like, in this case, excitement.

01:00

Whenever we have an interjection in a sentence, we have to set it apart somehow.

01:03

It's just too much for the rest of the sentence to handle without some space.

01:08

Knowing all this, we can dub (D) the correct answer, since it separates the interjection,

01:11

"hooray" with a comma.

01:13

Quick word to the wise: It's important to warm up prior to hooraying. We suggest hip-hipping

01:18

beforehand to avoid pulled muscles.

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