Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies: A2 Lesson 3: Understanding Basic Punctuation (Commas in lists, Exclamation marks)

Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies

A2 Lesson 3: Understanding Basic Punctuation

Listen to the examples here.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize commas in lists and exclamation marks, and understand how they change the way you read a sentence (your fluency).

Before You Read 🧠

Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)

Let's learn these three important ideas for today's lesson.

Punctuation

| សញ្ញាវណ្ណយុត្តិ

Marks used in writing to separate sentences and to clarify meaning.

Comma (,)

| ក្បៀស

A mark used to separate items in a list or to show a short pause.

Exclamation Mark (!)

| សញ្ញាឧទាន

A mark used at the end of a sentence to show strong feeling.

The Comma (,) - The "Pause" Mark

Punctuation tells you how to read. The comma (,) is like a small "pause" sign for your brain. Its most common job is to separate items in a list.

Example: Reading a List

"At the market, I need to buy rice, pork, and vegetables."

How to read: You should pause for a very short time after "rice" and after "pork". This makes the list easy to understand.

(Without commas, it sounds like "riceporkandvegetables", which is confusing!)

The Exclamation Mark (!) - The "Feeling" Mark

This mark shows strong feelings like excitement, surprise, anger, or a loud command. It tells you to read the sentence with energy, not a flat voice.

Example: Showing Emotion

"That's a good idea."
(This is a normal, calm statement.)

"That's a great idea!"
(This shows you are excited and happy about the idea.)

Example: Giving a Command

"Be careful."
(This is a calm warning.)

"Be careful!"
(This is an urgent, loud warning. There is danger *now*!)

Practice What You Learned 🎯

Quiz: Check Your Understanding

Read the sentence or situation, then choose the best answer. Click "Check Answers" when done.

1. "Wow! That's amazing!"

What feeling does the exclamation mark (!) show?

• A) Sadness or boredom
• B) Excitement or surprise

2. I need to buy milk [?] bread [?] and sugar.

What punctuation mark [?] should go in the two empty spaces?

• A) ! (Exclamation Mark)
• B) , (Comma)

3. How should you read this command: "Stop!"

• A) Quietly and slowly, like a normal sentence.
• B) Loudly and with strong energy, like a warning.

Key Vocabulary Reference (Click 🔊)

• Punctuation | សញ្ញាវណ្ណយុត្តិ
  Marks used in writing (like . , ! ?) to separate sentences and make meaning clear.
• Comma (,) | ក្បៀស
  A mark used to separate items in a list (e.g., rice, fish, soup) or to show a short pause.
• Exclamation Mark (!) | សញ្ញាឧទាន
  A mark used at the end of a sentence to show strong feeling (e.g., Wow! Help!).

Your Reading Mission ⭐

Practice Your Fluency

1. Find a simple story in an English book, website, or app.
2. Read one paragraph aloud.
3. When you see a comma (,), make a short, quick pause (like taking a small breath).
4. When you see an exclamation mark (!), read the sentence with more energy or emotion.