Punctuation Review

Punctuation Review Rules of Grammar

Rules for Periods • Use a period at the end of a complete sentence. • Use periods (decimal points) with money and percentages. • $2.13 3.25% • Use periods after initials • George W. Bush David A. Paap

Rules for Periods • Use periods in some abbreviations: • Months: Jan. Feb. • Days: Mon. Tues. • Titles: Gov. Sen. Dr. Mr. M.D. • Addresses: Ave. St. Rd. • Measurements: lb. oz. hr. min. • Countries: U.S. U.K. • When all the letters are capital letters, periods are usually not used: CIA YMCA

Rules for Periods • Don’t use a period at the end of a sentence that already ends with an abbreviation. • Bob woke up at 7 A.M. (Using question marks and exclamation are okay after an abbreviation) • Bob woke up at 7 A.M.! • Bob woke up at 7 A.M.?

Rules for Question Marks • Use a question mark after a question. • This is not difficult, is it? • Use a question mark to indicate uncertainty or doubt. • The author of this book lived from 1810(?) to 1895. • (This shows that you are not positive the exact date.)

Rules for Exclamation Points • Use an exclamation point after exclamations to show: • Delight: Wow! Nice catch! • Urgency: Please help me! • Anger: Drop dead! • Surprise: I can’t believe it’s you! • Distress: Oh, no! This can’t be right! • Excitement: I got an A! • Intensity: I love you! • Loud noises: Crash! Bang! • Strong Commands: Stop! Don’t move!

Rules for Exclamation Points • Is it a question or an exclamation? Sometimes a sentence can go either way. • How could you do that? • How could you do that! • It depends on what you are trying to convey to the reader.

Rules for Exclamation Points Some people use exclamation points all the time! It makes their writing look hyper active! It’s even worse to use lots of exclamations!! - oh, no, not the double exclamations!! Never use double exclamation points in formal writing. In fact, don’t use many exclamation points at all.

Rules for Commas • Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction that introduces an independent clause (that’s the clause that can stand alone). • Coordinating conjunctions are: • and, but, for, or, so, yet, nor For example, combining two independent clauses with a conjunction usually needs a comma.

Rules for Commas • Independent clause combinations: • I hurried to the store. I bought a bag of Doritos. • I hurried to the store, and I bought a bag of Doritos. Notice that there are two independent clauses being connected. A dependent and an independent clause does not use a comma. • I hurried and bought a bag of Doritos. • I hurried (independent clause) bought a bag of Doritos (dependent clause).

Rules for Commas • When you have two short independent clauses and you are using a conjunction, you may use a comma or not. • Kate slept late, but Jen got up early. • Kate slept late but Jen got up early.

Rules for Commas • Use a comma after conjunctive adverbs (those are adverbs working as conjunctions – they link two sentences and show how the two are related). • Conjunctive adverbs include: however, furthermore, indeed, meanwhile, nevertheless, therefore, unfortunately

Rules for Commas • Conjunctive adverb example: • I thought I made a C+ on the test, however, I made a B-. • I didn’t study very much, nevertheless, I made a good grade. • I might not be so lucky next time; therefore, I am going to study right now!

Rules for Commas • Use a comma after most introductory phrases and clauses. • Since I forgot my combination, I could not open my locker. Since I forgotis an introductory clause andI could not open my lockeris an independent clause.

Rules for Commas • Introductory clause examples: • In spite of the fact that all the evidence supported his guilt, he plead innocent. • Being one who believes in punctuality, I am never late to an appointment. • Short introductory clauses don’t necessarily have to have a comma. • In May, I will be graduating. • In May I will be graduating. Both sentences are grammatically correct.

Rules for Commas • Be careful when using introductory clauses and phrases. Don’t confuse the reader by forgetting an important comma. • After eating my cat hiccups. How does your cat taste? • After eating, my cat hiccups. • After eating is the introductory clause and my cat hiccups is the independent clause.

Rules for Commas • Use commas when adjectives come after the noun. • My car, waxed and polished, will surely impress my girlfriend. • The football players, tired and dirty, celebrated their victory. • Mr. Smith’s cat, hungry and scared, meowed from the top of the tree.

Rules for Commas • Use commas in a list. • He studied French, Spanish, and Russian. • Please buy milk, bread, peanut butter, and eggs from the store. • When I go on vacation, I like playing golf, skiing, and snorkeling. • He had to hike down the hill, fetch the pail of water, and then hike back home.

Rules for Commas • Use a comma with cities and states. Always separate the city from the state and the state from everything else. • My wife is in St. Cloud, Minnesota, visiting her grandmother. • We went to Omaha, Nebraska, for Thanksgiving.

Rules for Commas • Use commas with addresses. Notice there is no comma between the state and the zip code. • She lives at 2055 E. Caballero, San Diego, California 90214.

Rules for Commas • Use commas in numbers over 999. • 2,140 • 1,214,000 • 1,214,435,667,210

Rules for Commas • Use commas with direct quotations (what someone says). • “I saw Foo Fighters,” yelled John, “last night at the amphitheater!” • “I’m not afraid of the dark,” whispered Bobby, “I’m almost eight years old.” • Jane cried, “I lost my homework for Geometry!”

Rules for Commas • Do not use commas with indirect quotations (stating what someone said, not necessarily using his/her exact words). • Sarah said that she wanted to go to the movies tonight. • Bobby whispered that he wasn’t afraid of the dark any more because he is eight years old.

Rules for Commas • Use commas when speaking directly to someone (this is called a direct address). • Keith, it is time to go. • I’ve told you three times, boys and girls, to do your homework. • If you don’t believe me, Janet, go ask Mrs. Turner.

Rules for Commas • Use commas with dates. Note: Separate the day from the year and the year from the rest of the sentence. • Madalyn was born on November 1st, 2005, at 8:48 A.M. • On March 22nd, 2008, the new tax laws will go into effect. • We will move on January 14th, 2006, to our new house.

Rules for Commas • Use a comma before and/or after an interjection. Interjections are the only words that add emotion to the writing and can be eliminated completely without changing the meaning of the sentence. • Wow, what a beautiful sunset. • No, I don’t really want to see that movie. • I told Ryan that, yes, I would go to the dance with him. • I don’t like salad, heck, I don’t like any vegetables.

Rules for Commas • Use commas between consecutive adjectives (two or more in a row) describing the same noun. • It was a cold, dark, dreary night. • Use a comma whenever the word and would sound right between the adjectives. • It was a cold September night. • Cold and September describe the same noun, but it wouldn’t sound right to say, “cold and September night.”

Rules for Commas • Another trick for determining if your adjectives needs a comma or not is to reverse the order of the adjectives. If it sounds right, use a comma. • It was a cold, dark, dreary night. • It was a dark, dreary, cold night. • I bought blue tennis shoes. (This sounds right.) • I bought tennis, blue shoes. (This doesn’t sound right.) NOTE: DON’T PUT COMMAS BEFORE NOUNS!

Rules for Commas • Use commas before and after parenthetical expressions. Parenthetical expressions are words inserted into a sentence giving information or thoughts that are not absolutely essential. • I reminded my mom, in case she forgot, that I wanted an Xbox 360 for my birthday. • They usually cost, if you get a good deal, about $150. • Since she is the best mom in the world, at least that’s what I tell her to get what I want, I know she’ll buy me one.

Rules for Commas • Use commas after greetings and before closing in friendly letters. Greetings • Dear Shannon, • Hello Sweetheart, Closings • Sincerely, • Love,

Rules for Commas • Use a comma to show that two parts of a sentence are being contrasted. • I’m going out with Ken, not Ron. • It’s a book, not a movie. • I really wanted the Xbox, not the Playstation.

Rules for Commas • Use commas with titles when they come after (but not before) the person’s name. • Steven Miller, Ph.D., is the pediatric doctor on call tonight. • Dr. Miller is the pediatric doctor on call tonight.

Rules for Commas • Use commas before and after appositives (an appositive explains who or what the noun is). • Our Principal, Mrs. Griffin, gave a speech at the assembly. • Katie Stevens, the best ballerina in the performance, shone as the star of the evening.

Rules for Commas • Use commas to indicate omitted words. • I ordered pizza, Amanda lasagna. • Tonight I will work on English, tomorrow Math.

Rules for Colons • Use a colon when you want to say “here comes an example” or “here’s what I’m talking about.” • There’s only one sport for me: alligator wrestling. • This sentence is grammatically correct: I wonder if wolves actually wolf down their pizzas the way I wolf down mine. Colons are used to give examples that directly relate to the sentence.

Rules for Colons • Use a colon before some lists. • A colon is needed before these phrases: these are, there are, the following, as follows, such as, or these things. • My favorite sports are the following: baseball, basketball, soccer, football, and every other game that’s played with a ball.

Rules for Colons • Don’t use a colon if a list comes right after a verb. • The ingredients are: flour, eggs, sugar, and milk.(THIS SENTENCE IS WRONG.) • The ingredients are flour, eggs, sugar, and milk. (THIS SENTENCE IS CORRECT.) • These are the ingredients: flour, eggs, sugar, and milk. (THIS SENTENCE IS CORRECT.)

Rules for Colons • Don’t use a colon after a preposition. • I want to travel to: New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Montreal. (Incorrect) • I want to travel to New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Montreal. (Correct) • I want to travel to the following cities: New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Montreal. (Correct)

Rules for Colons • Use a colon before subtitles of books, articles, chapters, etc. • The title of the book is Bill Gates: Man of the Year. • Use a colon with expressions of time. • It’s 12:15 P.M. • His record for the mile is 4:06:27.

Rules for Colons • Use a colon in the greeting part of a formal letter or business letter. • To Whom It May Concern: • Dear Senator McCain: • Use a colon in literary references between volume and page or between chapter and verse. • John 3:16 [the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16] • Encyclopedia Brittanica IV:425 [volume 4, page 425]

Rules for Colons • Use a colon with ratios. • The bill passed with a 3:1 vote. • Use colons to indicate dialogue when you’re writing a play or script. Henry: I can’t believe it’s not butter. Janet: It has less fat than sour cream. Henry: But it taste so good.

Rules for Colons • Use a colon before a long, formal quotation. Governor Smith stated to the press: “I think that children should study grammar for at least six hours a day. Learning to speak and write correctly is far more important than anything else – including eating. In fact, I believe that eating is a complete waste of valuable time.” Then he said, “April Fools!”

Rules for Colons • Use a colon after words such as caution, wanted, or note. • Caution: wet floor. • Wanted: interior designer specializing in abstract art. • Note: Colons have specific uses.

Rules for Colons • Capitalize the first word after a colon if it begins a complete sentence – and if you want to. Either way is okay as long as it is a complete sentence. • Caution: There are workers present. • Caution: there are workers present.

Rules for Semicolons • A semicolon is stronger than a comma but slightly weaker than a period. • Use a semicolon between two sentences that are very closely related. • My family is Jewish. We celebrate Chanukah but not Christmas. • My family is Jewish; we celebrate Chanukah but not Christmas. (Being Jewish and celebrating Chanukah are very closely related, and that relationship is emphasized by putting them in the same sentence.)

Rules for Semicolons • Only use a semicolon between two complete sentences that are closely related. • My family is Jewish; not Christian. (This sentence is incorrect because not Christian is a fragment, not a complete sentence.) • My family is Jewish, not Christian.

Rules for Semicolons • Use a semicolon before however and similar words (these words are called conjunctive adverbs) that show a relationship between two complete sentences. • I bet you thought you wouldn’t have to learn another semicolon rule; however, you were wrong. • I bet you thought you wouldn’t have to learn another semicolon rule. However, you were wrong.

Rules for Semicolons • Use semicolons between clauses or phrases that contain a lot of commas. • Wesley likes books about baseball, biplanes, and bagels, Brian likes books about antique cars, blimps, and rare fish, and Tori likes books about racehorses, dolls, and military jets. This sentence is very confusing and sounds choppy.

Rules for Semicolons • Wesley likes books about baseball, biplanes, and bagels; Brian likes books about antique cars, blimps, and rare fish; and Tori likes books about racehorses, dolls, and military jets. The semicolons in this sentence helps the reader to understand what ideas go together.

Rules for Semicolons • Use semicolons in lists that contain commas as part of the listed material. • I want to visit Atlanta, Georgia; San Diego, California; Washington, D.C.; and Denver, Colorado.

Punctuation Review