LESSON II.

PUNCTUATION MARKS
Punctuation marks are symbols that are used to aid the clarity and comprehension of written
language.
Punctuation is how you tell the reader to take a breath.
Not far from the truth. Correct punctuation helps your reader comprehend your message. It also
gives you some control of the pace of the narrative to further convey your feelings. And it you
didn’t tell some readers when to breathe, they just might explode.

1. USES OF PERIOD (.)

The period is used to end a sentence, to each an abbreviation and punctuate the elements in an
outline.
 End of a sentence
The period is used to indicate the end of a sentence not otherwise ended by a question mark,
exclamation point or the period following an abbreviation. It also be used to indicate the end of
an incomplete thought injected into a narrative.
As the car turned to corner, she let out a scream. A high pitched, piercing shriek. Then she
fainted.

 Abbreviations
The period is used to indicate an abbreviation, although it is optional for some.

 Outlines
In outlines, the period is used optionally after letters or numbers designating sections and sub-
sections.

 Numericals
Period is used in a numerical form such as representing a decimal point within a sentence.

2. THE QUESTION MARK ( ? )

The question mark is used to indicate an interrogative and to mark textual data as questionable.

 To mark the end of an interrogative

The question mark is used to mark the end of any sentence that asks a question (no kidding?),
including in a quotation,
“Is it time to leave? She asked.
Or a declarative sentence from as a question.
It’s time to leave?
In imperative sentence which makes a request will take either question mark or a period.
Will you please leave?
Will you please leave.

 Within a sentence
The question mark is used optionally within a sentence to add emphasis to a multiple query
Do you want to do this in three easy lessons, one hard one or not at all?
Do you want to this in three easy lessons? One hard one? Or not all?

The question mark may be used in parenthesis within a sentence to show that there is some
question about the information which precedes it.
I expect to arrive at noon (?) on Tuesday.

3. THE EXCLAMATION POINT ( ! )

 The exclamation point is used to mark the end of an exclamatory sentence.

Watch out for that tree! (George! George of the jungle.)
Will you please leave!

 The exclamation point is used after an interjection or after my word used as an

interjection.
Hey! Excellent Help! Beautiful!

 The exclamation point add emphasis to imply a sense of urgency and to capture the
reader’s attention.
Look! Good grief! Get out here!

4. THE INTERROBANG ( ?! )
The interrobang is a combination of question mark and exclamation point to emphasize those
statement which engender both wonderment and a strong emotional response: not quite a
question, but certainly questionable.

She did what?!

A recent study financed by the government reached the conclusion that people don’t
like to go to the, dentist because they fear pain?!

5. THE USES OF COMMA ( , )

A comma is customarily indicate a brief of pause.

A.The comma is used to separate elements within a sentence, follow the opening of
aninformal letter, follow the closing of any letter, separate the elements in a date, separate
the elements in an address, separate a person’s name from his or her title and to section off
large numbers.

 Separating elements within a sentence

Here’s one you are going to have to think about. Like mother said, it’s for your own good. There
are a number of rules which recount in great detail precisely how and when to use a comma.
Most of them be condensed into three simple rules.

Rule #1: Use a comma only when it is necessary to assure that the message will not
be misunderstood.
Rule #2: Don’t use a comma it is not necessary and especially if might obscure the
meaning of sentence.
Rule #3: Never forget Rule #2.

 The comma should be used to set off any phrase or clause which might otherwise be
misread. Here’s the part where you have to concentrate. Avoid the temptation to drop in a
bunch of commas just to break up a long sentence. Take a look at the sentence and try to
recognize how it might be misread. Look for words and phrases which are incidental to
the flow of the main body of the sentence and need to be set off by commas. Look at long
sentences which have independent clauses which need separation. Find the natural breaks
in the flow of sentence; the places where a reader might pause to grasp a concept before
moving on. Following are some tips to help you along.

 Separate dependent clauses and phrases which are incidental to the main body of
sentence.
It’s difficult to discuss politics, even local politics, without getting emotional.
After the party, an elegant affair, they went to the theatre.

 Separate independent clauses in a compound sentence, particularly if they are long and
divergent.

The meeting lasted most of the afternoon, and they had to face the long drive home.
He learned his craft in the small theatres scattered throughout the country, but now
he was playing Broadway.

 Use a comma to separate a word which interrupts the flow of a sentence such as mind
interjection or a connective which modifies a clause even it is at the beginning of a
sentence. See conjunctions for a list of the modifiers.

The team fought hard to keep up to pace and, consequently, they won.
Furthermore, the movie was lousy.
I can’t believe you mean that, Susan.
 Do not interrupt the flow of thought or split a clause by placing a comma between the
subject and its verb or between the verb and its object. The team fought hard, to keep
up the pace and … wrong!

Do not use a comma to replace a conjunction. The team fought hard to keep up the
pace, consequently they won. Wrong!
Do not use a comma to replace a conjunction. The team fought hard to keep up the
pace, consequently they won. Wrong!

Do use a comma to follow the connective when a semicolon is used as the conjunction.
The team fought hard to keep up the pace; consequently, they won.

 Do use your own good judgement! Read the sentence over after it has been punctuated.
Don’t hesitate to take out any commas the interrupt the flow unnecessarily and don’t
hesitate to add a comma if the sentence sounds like runaway train.

 Elements in a series
For the sake of clarity, words and clauses in a series need to be separated.
The dress comes in four colours; aqua, pink, orange or black.
He set out to streamline the office, trim the budget, and increase the output.
She competes in the 50 yard dash, hurdles and cross country run.

 The final comma before the conjunction is optional. Use if you need to for clarity or just
because you like it. Other than for clarity; whichever form you adopt should be consistent
throughout your documents.

 Independent modifiers
Independent modifiers are those modifiers which are not dependent on or directly associated
with any other modifiers; two or more which modify the same member should be separated by a
comma.

The long, black station wagon drove down the dusty, winding, dirt road.

B. Comma in Quotations
Use a comma to separate a direct quotation from its source unless it is superseded by other
punctuation.
She said, “I want to see the play.”
“I want to see the play,” she said.
“May I go to the play?” she asked. Comma superseded by the question mark.
C. Opening and closing of a letter
Traditionally, the opening of an informal letter is followed by a comma,
Dear John, Dear Susan,
and the closing of any letter is followed by a comma
Do not use a comma to replace a conjunction. The team fought hard to keep up the
pace, consequently they won. Wrong!

Do use a comma to follow the connective when a semicolon is used as the conjunction.
The team fought hard to keep up the pace; consequently, they won.

 Do use your own good judgement! Read the sentence over after it has been punctuated.
Don’t hesitate to take out any commas the interrupt the flow unnecessarily and don’t
hesitate to add a comma if the sentence sounds like runaway train.

 Elements in a series
For the sake of clarity, words and clauses in a series need to be separated.
The dress comes in four colours; aqua, pink, orange or black.
He set out to streamline the office, trim the budget, and increase the output.
She competes in the 50 yard dash, hurdles and cross country run.

 The final comma before the conjunction is optional. Use if you need to for clarity or just
because you like it. Other than for clarity; whichever form you adopt should be consistent
throughout your documents.

 Independent modifiers
Independent modifiers are those modifiers which are not dependent on or directly associated
with any other modifiers; two or more which modify the same member should be separated by a
comma.

The long, black station wagon drove down the dusty, winding, dirt road.

B. Comma in Quotations
Use a comma to separate a direct quotation from its source unless it is superseded by other
punctuation.
She said, “I want to see the play.”
“I want to see the play,” she said.
“May I go to the play?” she asked. Comma superseded by the question mark.
C. Opening and closing of a letter
Traditionally, the opening of an informal letter is followed by a comma,
Dear John, Dear Susan,
and the closing of any letter is followed by a comma
As you go through life, remember one thing: The most humiliating criticism is
indifference.

 Traditionally, the colon has followed the salutation in opening of business letter.
Dear Sir: To whom it may concern: Dear Madam:
Dear Sir or Madam, as the case may be: (My personal favorite)
Although some companies cling this form most prefer the personalized greeting followed by a
comma. Now used primarily for occupant mailings, the demise of this very impersonal from has
been hastened by the personalized computer letter.
The colon is used after a division of time, literature, etc. to indicate a subdivision follows.
3:45 P.M 15:45:17
Isaiah 65:17 Psalms 23:1

7. THE SEMICOLON ( ; )
The semicolon is used to join two independent clauses with or without a modifying connective.
Sharon has a managerial position; she enjoys the rights and privileges which go with
the responsibility.
Sharon has a managerial position; there, she enjoys the rights and privileges which
go with the responsibility.

 In place of a comma
There are situations which call for comma where the use of a semicolon is preferred in interest of
clarity. Think of it as two-tier punctuation with the semicolon as the stronger element two.
A sentence containing a combination of incidental words, lists of words, clauses, or phrase which
requires a comma before a conjunction might be dearer if a semicolon were used before the
conjunction.
 We carefully planned the trip, packed the car and were ready to set out for the
campground; but our plans went awry when the car, an old Buick with failing brakes,
refused to start. A comma could be used before but; however, the semicolon is a stronger
indicator in contrast to the commas, and further serves notice to your reader to take a well-earned
breath. If the sentence were, we carefully planned the trip, packed the car and were ready to
set out for the campground, but our plans went awry ended there, the comma is not a bad
choice.
A list of phrases or clauses is best separated by semicolons, particularly if the clauses are
punctuated by commas.
Among the things we packed for the trip was the small, green teen; two sleeping bags; a
selection of fresh and freeze-dried foods; the lantern, with fuel for two nights; an
assortment of pots, pans and eating utensils; and a change of clothes.
As with the comma, I don’t overuse the semicolon and don’t hesitate to use it when it clarifies
your meaning.

8. THE APOSTROPHE ( ‘ )
The apostrophe is used to show possession, to show plurals for symbols and indicate missing
letters in a contraction.
 Showing possession
The apostrophe is used with s to show the possessive form of nouns which do not end in s.
One man’s hat many men’s hats that woman’s hat
Two women’s hats this lawyer’s case
The day’s end the dog’s bone this theory’s premise.
The apostrophe is used alone show the possessive form of nouns which end s.
The pliers’ jaws the scissors’ edge Mr. Jones’ car
Two authors’ books those hens’ eggs
Singular nouns ending in s, such as Jonesmay also take an apostrophe s ending. It’s the writer’s
choice.
The possessive of more than one taken together as a unit is shown by making the last member
possessive.
Joan and Bob’s house is on the outskirts of the city
The restaurant and bar’s Oriental dental décor is striking.
To indicate individual ownership, make each member possessive.
 Joan’s and Bob’s houses are outside the city.

 Plurals for symbols

The plural for individual letters, number and signs are indicated by apostrophe s.
Mind your p’s and q’s.
They are 6’s and 7’s.
Can we use #’s to indicate pounds?

 Contractions
The apostrophe is used to indicate the position of missing elements in contractions.
don’t aren’t won’t haven’t
the summer of ’42 in November ’86

9. ABOUT QUOTATION MARKS ( “ “ )

Quotation marks are used to set off direct quotations; titles of articles poems, works of art and
such; and special words or phrase such as slang, technical terms and nicknames.
 Direct quotations
Only the exact words of the speaker or writer are enclosed in quotation marks.
She said, “I want to go, but only if we leave by dawn.”
“There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.”
Quotation marks are omitted for any quotation or portion thereof which is quoted indirectly
She said that she wants to go, but “only if we leave by dawn.”
She said that she wants to go, but only if we leave by dawn.
Either of the above two examples is correct, only the second part of the sentence may be
enclosed in quotation marks because they quote the speaker’s exact words.

 Punctuation within quotations

A period or comma is always placed before the closing quotation marks.
John said, “the report is due this week.”
“The report is due this week,” said John.
  The speaker is always separated from the quotation by a comma whether at the beginning
of the sentence as in the first example above, or ringed by the quote as in the following
examples.
The report is due next week,” said Joan, “and it must be delivered on time.”
 Note that the quotation starts with a capital letter, but the second part of split quotation
does not, unless it is a new sentence.
“The report is due next week,” said Joan. “It must be delivered on time.”

The question mark or exclamation point is enclosed with the quotation marks when it applies
only to the quote and outside and outside the quotation marks when it applies to the entire
sentence. Punctuation us not required within the quotation marks when punctuation is placed
after the closing quotation mark.
“When do you need to leave?” he asked.
Who said, “I think, therefore I am”?
Any other punctuation in the sentences remains the same as it would be without a direct
quotation.

 Titles
Titles of short works such as magazine articles, essays. Songs, poems, paintings and sculpture
are set off by the quotation marks. The rule of thumb is that anything long enough to appear in
book form including plays, opera, collection of art, etc. are underlined or printed in italics. All
other titles are set off by quotation marks.

 Extraneous material in quotes

Quotation marks are used to direct attention to special words in a sentence such as slang,
technical terms, colloquialisms, nicknames and material referred to elsewhere in the sentence.
Note that such highlighting may also be achieved by underlining, or printing in italics or bold
face.

 Single quotation marks

Single quotation marks are used in the same manner as double quotes to set off material already
contained in double quotes-in effect, to set off a quotation within a quotation.
“I think she said, ‘be ready by noon,”’ Tom reported.

10. THE HYPHEN ( - )

The hyphen is used to join the parts of certain compound words.
mother-in-law pre-Columbian weak-heated
It may also be used to create an expression comprised of several words which are to be taken as
unit.
Cock-of-the-walk holier-than-thou
A hyphen is placed after the syllables of a word divided at end of line to indicate that the balance
of the word follows on the next line.

 The dash
A dash indicates a break in the flow of a sentence, usually to insert a parenthetical remark or for
emphasis.
When I passed the house – the one at the end of block – it was empty.
There’s only one thing that can save us – Superchicken.

11. PARENTHESES ( ) AND BRACKETS [ ]

Parentheses are used to separate incidental information which would otherwise interrupt the flow
of the sentence.
We set put on July 27, (Susan’s birthday) to tour the area.
 Parentheses are often used to separate confirming numbers is a sentence.
The admission price is eight dollars ($8.00) for advance reservations and ten dollars
($10.00) the day of the show.

 Parentheses set off letters or numbers which are used in a sentence to enumerate items in
a list.
Our goal is to see that you (a) understand the proper use of English and (b) use your
knowledge to communicate effectively in the language.

 Parentheses may be used to indicate lower level subdivision in an outline. For example,
first, second, third, etc. levels might be, in order, I (Roman numerals), A, 1, a, (1), (a).
Incidentally, parentheses is plural; one (parentheses?) is a parenthesis.

 Brackets are used to insert editorial commentary; that is to indicate that the material
inserted is not a part of the original material.
 He said that they (the Jones family) have only lived in this area for six months.
The letter mentioned, “there [sic] inability to cope.” The word sic, for thus, is
used in the context to show that the preceding word or phrase has been quoted verbatim
and in the opinion of the one making the insertion is incorrect or at least questionable.

 Indicating omissions – the ellipsis

The ellipsis (plural ellipses) is a series of three dots (or periods) used to indicate the omission of
a word or words. When used at the end of a sentence, it is followed by the ending punctuation.
She said, “The report… is unacceptable.” The missing material is descriptive
information which is not germane to the writer’s point; that the report is unacceptable.