Bullet points: Sumatran rhino
The Grammar Bit!
Bullet points are a relatively recent form of punctuation. They are used to help the reader locate information quickly and precisely, especially when there is a lot of complicated information to be understood. Most commonly, they break down information into lists of items or key points.
When using bullet points in your writing, try to be consistent by following these rules:
- Finish your introductory statement with a colon.
- A bullet that is a complete sentence should start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.
- Bullets in a list should be consistent in style – single words, or phrases, or sentences, but not a mixture.
With your talk partner, read the information about the Sumatran rhino opposite and see if the rules listed above have been followed.
Scintillating Sentences
In the wild, the magnificent Sumatran rhinos face a number of threats:
- They are poached for their horns as some people in Asia (wrongly) believe that the horns have medicinal qualities.
- Their forest habitat is being destroyed as farmers move in, cut down existing trees and grow crops such as rice and coffee.
- Sadly, effective breeding in the wild does not take place because Sumatran rhino populations are so small and isolated from each other.
Did you know?
The Sumatran rhino’s nasal (nose) horn isn’t used for fighting; instead, it uses it to pull down vegetation that it wants to eat. It also uses it to scrape mud from the sides of wallows.