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Numbered lists

Numbered lists are similar to bullet point lists, except we use a number followed by a period, instead of a bullet point:

There are several contenders for the title of largest carnivorous dinosaur. These are, in decreasing size order:

  1. Giganotosaurus,

  2. Tyrannosaurus Rex, and

  3. Spinosaurus.

You should use a numbered list when the order of the items is significant. In this example, the list is written in decreasing order of dinosaur size, so as you go down the list, the dinosaur’s size gets smaller. Numbered lists are also good for showing things that happen in sequence, such as instructions for doing something.

Handy Hint - Rhetorical questions

A rhetorical question is a question which is asked without any expectation of getting a direct answer to the question. For instance, say you’ve had a really bad day, and you get home and find that you’ve lost your wallet. You might say something like this:

"Why, oh why, does this have to happen to me?"

In this situation most people would think nothing of saying this even if there was no-one else to hear them. You don’t really want an answer, asking this rhetorical question is a way of expressing how you’re feeling or thinking.

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