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That's not how life works There is many tv programs for learners of foreign languages here in Japan. I learned a sentence that is "That's not how life works". I thought I had no opportunites to use this sentence when I watched the show. But this morning the chance came. :) My daughter said "Mom, there is a piece of papaya in my granola. I said I don't want it!!" in Japanese. So I said "That's not how life works." in English. She didn't understand English but what I meant. ___ In Japanese... 日本には、外国語学習者向けのテレビ番組がたくさんあります。 私は1つの言い回しを習いました。 習った時は、それを使う機会はないなと思いました。 でも、今朝、そのチャンスがやって来ました。 私の娘が「ママ、グラノーラにパパイヤが入ってる。入れないでって言ったでしょ!」と言ったので、私は英語で "That's not how life works." と言いました。 娘は英語は分からないけど、私が何を言いたいかは分かったみたいです(笑)
Oct 1, 2014 5:49 AM
Corrections · 3
1

That's not how life works

There are many tv programs for learners of foreign languages here in Japan.
I learned the sentence, that is "That's not how life works".

I thought I would have no opportunites to use this sentence when I watched the show.

But this morning the chance came.
:)

My daughter said in Japanese, "Mom, there is a piece of papaya in my granola. I said I don't want it!!"

So I said, "That's not how life works," in English.
She didn't understand English but knew what I meant.

 

You add a comma after the last word before a quote if the quote is in another sentence.

 

When a sentence inside of quotation marks ends with a period, but you still have more to say in the sentence outside of the quotation marks, the period in the quoted sentence changes to a comma. 

 

Example:

My friend told me today, "I'm a good cook." while we were walking home.

My friend told me today, "I'm a good cook," while we were walking home.


But if the sentence ended after the quote, it would be:


My friend told me today, "I'm a good cook."


If the punctuation in a quoted sentence is not a period, then it can be left alone. If a quote ends the sentence, the U.S. way is that the puncuation for the sentence outside of the quote is put inside the quote.


U.S. way:


My friend told me today, "I'm a good cook."


British way:


My friend told me today, "I'm a good cook".



Quotes are tricky. Great job!

October 1, 2014
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