Augustine Punctuation Worksheet (Age 13) — Ally McBeal Cadence

Learning objectives (ACARA v9 style, legalese-ish): Students will demonstrate knowledge of punctuation to clarify meaning (English: Language), interpret historical legal texts and scribal practice (Humanities/History), and consider how textual changes affect legal and moral argument (Civics & Legal Studies).

Okay so here’s the thing (dramatic pause) — medieval scribes loved to play with punctuation the way lawyers play with pauses in court. Your mission: add punctuation to each unpunctuated sentence below and then explain in one or two lines how the meaning changes. Think like a careful reader and a tiny scholar-lawyer. Ready? Go!

1. because concerning the city of both the earthly and the heavenly and their proper bounds i now see that i must argue before other things are explained how far the work of finishing this undertaking may extend
2. the arguments of mortals by which they tried to make happiness for themselves in the misery of this life seem to me worthy of discussion and correction
3. they sought from vain possessions a hope that our hope might differ from what god has given us
4. and the very thing that is true happiness which he will give not only by divine authority but also when reason admissible for unbelievers is applied should be made clear
5. for scribes inserted punctuation and correctors changed marks where they thought confusion would arise in the minds of readers
6. when correct punctuation is not observed the true order of the sentence is changed and the sense perishes with the letter
7. the fourteenth century copyist followed the exemplar yet at one point he omitted the raised point after gave
8. this omission was replaced by a suspended stroke which the scribe or a corrector inserted later
9. nevertheless the scribe added punctuation in difficult places to help the reader construe the passage more easily pointing the sensus literalis
10. even though he wanted the literal sense he did not insert marks earlier in the passage which shows medieval views about the function of punctuation

How to do it (example — watch and learn, Ally-style)

Sentence 6 (original unpunctuated): when correct punctuation is not observed the true order of the sentence is changed and the sense perishes with the letter

Suggested punctuated version: When correct punctuation is not observed, the true order of the sentence is changed, and the sense perishes with the letter.

Why this changes meaning (brief): The comma after 'observed' marks the conditional clause and creates a clear pause before the consequence — we understand the first idea as a cause and the rest as effects. Adding the second comma separates the two consequences ('order is changed' and 'sense perishes'), so the reader sees them as two distinct results rather than an unclear run-on. (Oh my gosh, a comma saved the sense!)

Your tasks

• Add punctuation (capital letters, commas, colons, semicolons, full stops, dashes, parentheses, virgula-style slashes if you want theatrical medieval flair) to each sentence.
• Rewrite each sentence neatly with punctuation.
• Below each rewritten sentence, write 1–2 sentences explaining how the punctuation you added changes or clarifies meaning. Be specific: did it separate ideas, show cause and effect, mark a list, or change who does what?

Teacher notes & quick hints

• 1 — Look for where to stop the main clause and where to set off descriptive detail about 'earthly and heavenly' (colon or commas help).
• 2 — Consider commas to separate the agent ('the arguments of mortals') from the purpose clause ('by which they tried...').
• 3 — Decide if a comma before 'a hope that' makes the phrase a parenthesis or keeps it tightly linked.
• 4 — Use commas or dashes to separate the phrase 'not only by divine authority' and to mark the conditional 'when reason… is applied'.
• 5 — A colon after 'for' might feel dramatic; commas work to show cause.
• 6 — (Example given) — commas show cause and two distinct effects.
• 7 — Punctuate to show the copyist followed the exemplar, except at the single exception — a pause (comma) or dash helps show that contrast.
• 8 — Try commas or parentheses around 'which the scribe or a corrector inserted later' to mark it as additional information.
• 9 — Think about where the reader needs breathing room to follow the idea 'pointing the sensus literalis'.
• 10 — Use commas to show the concessive clause 'even though he wanted...' and the result clause after it.

Marking rubric (short)

• Correct punctuation that clarifies meaning: 3 points
• Reasonable punctuation with good explanation: 2 points
• Punctuation with unclear or incorrect explanation: 1 point
• No attempt or incorrect punctuation without explanation: 0 points

(Final flourish) Okay, now punctuate like a medieval scribe who also happens to be a paralegal on a very dramatic TV show — precise, a little theatrical, and always asking: what does this pause do to the argument? Good luck and smile — punctuation is secretly thrilling.