punctuation basics. most common types of punctuation sentence enders: period, exclamation point,...
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Punctuation basics
Most common types of punctuation
Sentence enders: period, exclamation point, question mark
Comma
Semicolon
Colon
Apostrophe
Quotation marks
Sentence breakers: dash, parentheses, ellipsis
Sentence enders
Period
Exclamation point
Question mark
Semicolon
To separate two independent clauses in a compound sentence. David and Mike are brothers; however, they are
very different.
To separate items in a list IF the listed items already contain commas. I have four cats: Brin, who is the largest; Zelazny,
who is Brin’s brother; LeGuin, who is small and black; and Butterscotch, who is the youngest.
Colon
To introduce a list. Here is what I need to order: dry-erase markers,
rubber bands, pens, pencils and printer paper.
To indicate time. 3:45 PM
To start a business letter. Dear Mr. Hirsi:
To introduce a long quote. In a famous speech, Abraham Lincoln said: “…
Apostrophe
ContractionsIt’s probably going to rain tonight.
PossessionAziza is Adam’s daughter.
NOT used to indicate plurals!!
Quotation marks
Donna said, “I’m going down to the Outer Banks tomorrow to visit my brother. I’ll be there for a week.”
What does “serendipity” mean?
Dash
Oscar came home from work--he was a blacksmith--and turned on the air conditioner.
"Is everyone--," began Olivia, choking with emotion.
Parentheses
The Gettysburg Address (a speech made after the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg) is one of the best-known speeches in American history.
Ellipsis
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation ... dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Comma
Where it came from
General use
Comma – most common uses
Separate items in a list I need milk, bread, cheese and eggs
from the store.
Separate APPOSITIVE words, phrases or clauses from the rest of the sentence Well, Mary, I see what you mean, but
the rest of the family won’t be happy about it.
Comma – most common uses
After an initial dependent clauseAfter I finish this project, I’ll take a
vacation day.
To set off a NONRESTRICTIVE adjective clause. (This is another type of APPOSITIVE.) Our youngest cat is Butterscotch,
who is very small.
Restrictive clauses
The information in a RESTRICTIVE adjective clause is necessary in order to clearly specify the noun phrase it modifies. No commas are used to set it off.The woman who is sitting in
the corner reading is Mrs. Wheeler.
Nonrestrictive clauses
The information in a NONRESTRICTIVE adjective clause is additional information modifying a noun phrase that is already specific. Commas are used to set it off. I had lunch on Wednesday with
my mother-in-law, who lives in South Africa.