The Reading / Listening - Full Stop - Level 0

A language expert says using a full stop can look rude. The expert said younger people who use messaging apps will send a new message instead of using a full stop. She said: "If you're a young person...the default way to break up your thoughts is to send each thought as a new message."

The full stop is 2,300 years old. Teachers use red ink if a student forgets to use it. Technology is changing how we write. People now write 'LOL' instead of 'laugh out loud,' or the abbreviation 'fyi' rather than 'for your information'. This can save time. The expert said a full stop can make the writer look a little angry.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Full Stop - Level 1,  Full Stop - Level 2   or  Full Stop - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49182824
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9630409/whatsapp-full-stops-rude-text-meaning/
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7309543/Internet-linguist-reveals-using-stops-text-messages-make-look-passive-aggressive.html


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. a language
  2. using a full stop can
  3. people who use messaging
  4. send a new message
  5. If you're a young
  6. the default
  7. break up
  8. send each thought
  1. your thoughts
  2. apps
  3. look rude
  4. as a new message
  5. way
  6. instead
  7. person
  8. expert

Paragraph 2

  1. The full stop is
  2. Teachers use red
  3. if a student forgets
  4. Technology is changing
  5. People now write 'LOL' instead of
  6. the abbreviation 'fyi' rather than
  7. This can save
  8. a little
  1. to use it
  2. 'laugh out loud'
  3. 'for your information'
  4. angry
  5. time
  6. 2,300 years old
  7. how we write
  8. ink

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) ___________________ using a full stop can look rude. The expert said younger people (2) ___________________ apps will send a new message (3) ___________________ a full stop. She said: "If you're a young person... (4) ___________________ to break up (5) ___________________ to send each thought as (6) ___________________."

The full (7) ___________________ years old. Teachers use red ink if (8) ___________________ to use it. Technology is changing (9) ___________________. People now write 'LOL' instead of (10) ___________________' or the abbreviation 'fyi' rather than 'for your information'. This (11) ___________________. The expert said a full stop can make the writer (12) ___________________ angry.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Alanguageexpertsaysusingafullstopcanlookrude.Theexpertsaidyou
ngerpeoplewhousemessagingappswillsendanewmessageinsteadof
usingafullstop.Shesaid:"Ifyou'reayoungperson...thedefaultwayto
breakupyourthoughtsistosendeachthoughtasanewmessage."Theful
lstopis2,300yearsold.Teachersuseredinkifastudentforgetstouseit.T
echnologyischanginghowwewrite.Peoplenowwrite'LOL'insteadof'la
ughoutloud,'ortheabbreviation'fyi'ratherthan'foryourinformation'.T
hiscansavetime.Theexpertsaidafullstopcanmakethewriterlook
alittleangry.

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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