USMBA-FLDM-FES SEMESTER

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION

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Prof. Asmar
Prof. Eljai

PUNCTUATION:

I. Introduction:

Punctuation refers to the tools used in writing to separate sentences, phrases, and clauses
so that their intended meaning is clear. Russel Baker explains the need for punctuation in a
language beautifully: “When speaking aloud, you punctuate constantly — with body
language. Your listener hears commas, dashes, question marks, exclamation points, quotation
marks as you shout, whisper, pause, wave your arms, roll your eyes, wrinkle your brow. In
writing, punctuation plays the role of body language. It helps readers hear the way you want
to be heard.”
In other words, Punctuation marks are the symbols used to indicate pauses, intonation,
and emphasis in written language. They help to break up sentences into manageable chunks,
provide clarity, and ensure that the reader understands the intended meaning.

II. Punctuation marks:

1. Commas ( , )

Commas indicate a separation of ideas or elements within the structure of a

sentence.
1. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction to connect two independent clauses.
(Examples of coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
  She spent hours cleaning her room, but she still failed her room check.
 He was a feisty fellow, and everyone knew it.
 Will I take the elevator, or will I take the stairs?

2. Use a comma when a subordinating conjunction is part of an introductory phrase or

clause, but not when it begins the second clause of a sentence.
(Examples of subordinating conjunctions: after, although, because, except, than, while)
 Although the people walked slowly, the geese continually attacked them.
 The geese continually attacked the people although they walked slowly.
 Because he stayed up late to write his paper, he fell asleep in class.
 He fell asleep in class because he stayed up late to write his paper.
3. Use a comma to separate nonessential elements in a sentence.
A phrase is nonessential if one can still understand the meaning of the sentence without it.
 The audience, which was made up of many fellow students, applauded
enthusiastically.
 Mr. Parker, who had played ball in high school, volunteered to help coach
the team.
 Our first thought, to run to the nearest exit, would have resulted in panic.
4. Use commas to separate words in a series of three or more.
 As a college student, my skills are socializing, procrastinating, and staying
up late.
 Cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles roared past the lone pedestrian.
 Study the rules for the use of the comma, the semicolon, and the colon.
5. Use commas to provide more clarity, not more confusion, especially between repeated
words.
Ideally, you should rephrase the sentence to avoid repeated words.
 INCORRECT: Now now, you don’t expect me to believe that!
 CORRECT: Now, now, you don’t expect me to believe that!
6. Use a comma to designate a question at the end of a sentence.
 College students often ask, “Is the purpose of writing papers to help me learn
or to make me miserable?”
 He looked down at the goose, stared up at the sky, and thought, “Why?”
7. Use commas purposefully, not because you think the phrase needs one.
You should not use a comma to indicate a breath or a pause in speech.
 INCORRECT: You are, a good friend. (1 extra comma is used.)

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  CORRECT: You are a good friend. (No commas are needed.)

8. Use a comma when writing a date.

A comma is used to separate the day from the month, and the date from the year.
 July 4, 1776, was an important day in American history.
 I was born on Sunday, May 12, 1968.
if you're writing the date in day-month-year format, you don't need a comma.
9. Avoid these common comma errors:
a. A comma between the main points in a sentence
 INCORRECT: Students who do not understand Turabian, will have difficulty writing.
 CORRECT: Students who do not understand Turabian will have difficulty writing.
b. A comma between two words or phrases, (or dependent clauses), joined by and,
but, or, nor, or yet.
A dependent clause does not contain a subject, (something that performs the action of the
verb).
 INCORRECT: The wind was strong, and almost knocked her over.
 CORRECT: The wind was strong and almost knocked her over.
c. A comma alone when connecting two independent clauses(sentences) (This is also
called a comma splice.)
 INCORRECT: The people were hiding in the basement, there was no tornado.
 CORRECT: The people were hiding in the basement, but there was no tornado.
 CORRECT: The people were hiding in the basement; there was no tornado.

2. SEMICOLONS ( ; )
Semicolons separate clauses or phrases that are related and that receive equal emphasis.
1. Use a semicolon, (without a coordinating conjunction), to connect two independent
clauses.
 She spent hours cleaning her room; she still failed her room check.
 He was a feisty fellow; everyone knew it.
2. Use a semicolon before a coordinating conjunction to connect two independent
clauses, if at least one of the clauses contains commas.
 Ashley, Philip, and Celeste worked for days on their group project; but they
had only finished half of it by the night before it was due.
 Kansas City, which is known for its exceptional barbecue, is a popular tourist
spot; and people travel many miles only to eat a few ribs.

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3. Use a semicolon between two independent clauses that are joined by transitional
words.
 Today is Friday; therefore, students can wear jeans.
4. Use a semicolon between items in a series of three or more if the items themselves
contain commas.
 Many students are from Belton, Missouri; Topeka, Kansas; and Little Rock,
Arkansas.
 Calvary is great because of its dedicated faculty; small campus, which is
located near Kansas City; and magnificent student body.
5. Do not use a semicolon in place of a colon.
 INCORRECT: The Learning Center provides these three services; paper
editing, exam proctoring, and assistance with studying.
 CORRECT: The Learning Center provides these three services: paper editing,
exam proctoring, and assistance with studying.

3. COLONS ( : )
1. Only use a colon after statements that are complete sentences.
 INCORRECT: To get good grades, you should: study regularly, complete your
assignments well, and organize your time.
 CORRECT: To get good grades, you should take this advice: study regularly,
complete your assignments well, and organize your time.
2. Use a colon (instead of a semicolon) between two independent clauses when the
second clause explains, illustrates, or paraphrases the first.
 I have a good excuse for not turning in my homework: my dog ate it.
 Every college student chooses a major: some major in sciences, and others in
arts.
 She got what she worked for: she really deserved that A+.
3. Use a colon to announce a piece of information, a list, or a quote.
(Think of the colon as a trumpet heralding the information.)
 This is the best thing about Kansas City: The Royals.
 To get good grades, you should take this advice: study regularly, complete
your assignments well, and organize your time.
4. Use a colon to introduce a numbered or bullet-pointed list.
These are three major hurdles for college students:
1. stress
2. procrastination

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 3. balancing social life and diligence in studies

4. PERIODS ( . )

1. Use a period at the end of a complete sentence and to separate two sentences or
independent clauses.
 Welcome to my humble abode. Would you like a cup of tea?
2. Do not use a period after a sentence fragment.
(A fragment is an independent clause or an incomplete sentence.)
 INCORRECT: Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain
animals. Many college students continue to consume excessive amounts of it.
 CORRECT: Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain
animals, many college students continue to consume excessive amounts of it.
3. Do not use a period in place of a comma, semicolon, or colon.
 INCORRECT: She had three friends. Ashley, a volleyball player. Philip, a
basketball player. And Celeste, a dancer.
 CORRECT: She had three friends: Ashley, a volleyball player; Philip, a
basketball player; and Celeste, a dancer.
4. Use a period to mark abbreviations, but not abbreviations of time eras, ordinal
directions, academic degrees, or state names.
 Sunday > Sun.
 January > Jan.
 Before Christ > BC (no periods)
 Avenue > Ave.
 North > N.
 Northwest > NW (no periods)
 Sergeant > Sgt.
 ante meridiem > a.m.
 Doctor > Dr.
 Dr. of Education > EdD (no periods)

5. APOSTROPHES ( ‘ )

1. Use an apostrophe to designate possession.

a. Possession by a single noun—apostrophe and “s”
 You cannot turn that in; that is Celeste’s paper.

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i. In For…sake phrases that end with an “s” or an “s” sound, use the apostrophe “s.”
 For goodness’s sake.
 For righteousness’s sake.
 For appearance’s sake.
 For your own sake.
ii. To avoid awkward results, rephrasing is sometimes a better option.
 “The economy of the United States” instead of “The United States’
economy”
b. Possession by a plural noun
i. If the noun ends with “s,” use only an apostrophe.
 The teachers’ pens.
 the students’ homework.
ii. If the noun does not end with “s,” use an apostrophe and “s.”
 The geese’s attacks.
 The children’s home.
 Brothers-in-law’s.
ii. If the noun refers to a group or collective entity that is treated as grammatically singular,
use only an apostrophe.
 The United States’ Politics’.
c. Possession by multiple nouns
i. If the owners share the item, use only one apostrophe.
 Ashley and Philip wrote a paper together. In class, the teacher collected Ashley
and Philip’s paper.
 America and Great Britain both fought in the War of 1812. The book is about
America and Great Britain’s war.
ii. If the owners each possess their own item, use an apostrophe for each owner.
 Ashley and Philip each wrote a paper. In class, the teacher collected Ashley’s
and Philip’s papers.
 America and Great Britain do not share the same history. The book is about
America’s and Great Britain’s history.
2. Use an apostrophe to create contractions.
The apostrophe replaces the letters that are removed from the word.
 Do not > Don’t
 I am > I’m
 Why did > Why’d
 You will > You’ll

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  He had > He’d
3. Use an apostrophe to shorten/abbreviate.
Like in contractions, the apostrophe replaces the letters (or numbers) that are removed.
 Continued > Cont’d.
 The 1990s > The ‘90s
4. Use apostrophes, not quotation marks, to set off words and concepts.
 The word ‘special’ carries multiple connotations.
 Philosophies like ‘ableism’, ‘antinatalism’, and ‘bio libertarianism’ subtract
from the value of human life.

5. Do not use an apostrophe to make a word, capital letter, abbreviation, or year plural.
 INCORRECT: Apostrophe’s / A’s, B’s, and C’s / URL’s / PhD’s / The 1950’s
 CORRECT: Apostrophes / As, Bs, and Cs /URLs / PhDs / The 1950s
However, use an apostrophe to make a lowercase letter plural.
 a's and b’s x’s and y’s
6. Use apostrophes to designate a quote or dialog within a quote.
In block quotes, which are not contained within quotation marks, use normal quotation
marks to designate quotes within quotes.
 Bobbi told me, “Delia said, ‘This will never work.’”

6. HYPHENS (-)
1. Use a hyphen between the two words in a compound word, only if the compound
word precedes that which it modifies. Not all compound words should be hyphenated.
 Open-ended questions
 Well-loved professor
 The decision-making process
However, do not use a hyphen between the two words in a compound word if they are
accompanied by an adverb modifier.
 Somewhat open ended questions
 Very well loved professor
2. Use a hyphen compound including numbers.
Fractions:
 Two-thirds
 Quarter-mile run

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Adjectives:
 Twenty-year-old student BUT The student is twenty
years old.
 365-day year BUT A year is 365
days.
3. Use a hyphen between compound proper nouns, only if the first word is shortened, or
if the two words could be joined by ‘and’.
 African American > Afro-American
 Spanish and English dictionary > Spanish-English dictionary
4. Use a hyphen in words formed with prefixes, only if the prefix is combined with a
capital word.
a.
 sub-Saharan BUT subdivision
b. the prefix is combined with a number.
 pre-1950s BUT predisposed
c. the prefix ends in the same letter that the word begins with.
 anti-intellectual BUT
antidepressant
d. the prefix precedes a compound word.
 non-coffee-drinking BUT nonbelief
e. the prefix is repeated as a prefix in the word.
 sub-subentry BUT rerecorded
(not used as a prefix)
f. the prefix stands alone.
 over- and underused
 macro- and microeconomics

5. Use a hyphen to express ‘through’ or ‘to’ within inclusive terms.

 Genesis-Deuteronomy
 pages 1-10

7. QUOTATION MARKS ( ‘’ )
1. Use quotation marks to set off quoted material.

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  The Manual says that “if you are writing a class paper, your instructor may
also ask you to follow certain principles for punctuation” (Turabian 2010,
294).
2. Use quotation marks to set off dialog.
 Celeste said, “I hate geese with all of my heart.”
3. Use quotation marks to indicate the titles of chapters, short stories, poems, essays,
journal articles, individual episodes of TV programs, short musical compositions,
theses, dissertations, and lectures.
 In the Sesame Street episode “Elmo Steps in for Super Grover”, Elmo helps
Baby Bear find his missing stuffed animal.

8. PARENTHESES ( )

1. Use parentheses to set off interrupting or explanatory elements.

 She had just come from math class, (her least favourite class), and was
extremely grumpy.
2. Use parentheses to set off the numbers in a numbered list.
 The three most impressive things about geese are that (1) they love
blueberries, (2) they are capable of swimming in 40-feet deep water at just a
day old, and (3) they have only ten different vocalizations.
3. Use parentheses to set off a citation within a paragraph.
 “Parentheses can also be used with citations” (Turabian 2010, 303).

9. ELLIPSIS (…)
1. Use ellipses to indicate a pause in thought.
 I thought that the wind had stopped…it still knocked me over.
 I didn’t have that much homework to finish…excluding that which was due
last week.
2. Use ellipses to represent passage of excluded words in a quote.
 “Strings of periods…can be used in quotations…, where they are called
ellipses” (Turabian 2010, 294).

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Revised 2016 – Clark Academic Center

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