Introduction to Transcription

"People who say punctuation doesn't matter are unwittingly saying that clear expression doesn't matter; that the million beautiful nuances of English don't matter; that good writing doesn't matter."
When it comes to punctuation, it's clear where Harry Mount, a writer and journalist, stands on the subject.
• QUIZ: How good is your spelling?
• QUIZ: How good is your memory?
Having recently launched an online course on the subject with the Idler Academy in London, Mount says punctuation is essential for clarity in writing.
"Punctuation, more than anything else, turns the written word into the spoken word inside your head," he says.
"Know your punctuation, and you can magically signal to the reader of your writing when to speed up; when to slow down; when to make the prose flow; when to give it a stop-start, staccato rhythm; when to pause; when to trail off into ellipsis…"
While Mount may have a solid grasp on punctuation, there are many others who do not. In fact, figures released in late 2013 revealed that 26 per cent of pupils failed the spelling, punctuation and grammar test introduced by the Coalition.
However, today, the literacy head at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School criticised the current "culture of grammar elitism", saying that many pupils were too embarassed to admit they needed help, meaning that mistakes went uncorrected.
She said schools should introduce a “grammar amnesty”, where it would be acceptable for pupils to admit language slips without feeling ashamed.
But how well do you know your punctuation?