PUNCTUATIONS

& THEIR PROPER

USE
CHA JAHZEEL DAINE SAMBO
01. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

02. INTRODUCTION

03. PUNCTUATIONS & THEIR

PROPER USE

04. PRACTICE TEST

TABLE OF
CONTENT
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
differentiate between common
punctuation marks.

demonstrate an understanding of
punctuation through correct usage.

identify when each punctuation mark

(period, exclamation point, question mark,
comma and quotation marks) is needed.
 INTRODUCTION

PUNCTUATION refers to the tools

used in writing to separate
sentences, phrases, and clauses so
that their intended meaning is
clear.

(the use of) special symbols that

you add to writing to separate
phrases and sentences to show
that something is a question, etc.:
01. PERIOD.
a period is used to end a sentence
The full stop, period, or full point. is one of the most common
punctuation marks in English that indicates the end of a sentence,
paragraph, or even a whole document.

For example:
To end a sentence: I have a dog.
After abbreviations: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.
For decimal points: 14 is pi.
In lists: First, second, third, etc.
don’t use a period to end a sentence that is a
question
don’t use a period to end a sentence that is an
abbreviation
don’t use a period to end a sentence that is a
number
 02. COMMA,
The comma is one of the most important punctuation marks.
It is used to separate ideas or items in a list.

For example,

“I have a cat, a dog, and a rabbit.”

Here, the comma separates the three pets that the person has.
If there was no comma, it would sound like the person has all three
pets together as one.
commas are used to separate phrases
commas are used to separate items in a list
commas are used to separate a subject from an
object
commas are used to separate a verb from an
adverb
commas are used to separate an adjective from a
noun
Some more examples of commas:

I have a cat, but I don’t have a dog.

John has a red, blue, black, and yellow pen.
Ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, butter.
03. QUESTION MARK?
A question mark also ends a sentence, however it ends
a sentence that is a direct question. Typically, sentences
that are questions begin with what, how, when, where,
why, or who.

Here’s how to use a question mark in a sentence:

How do you like your eggs?
Why didn’t you like the movie last night?
04. EXCLAMATION POINT!
An exclamation point or exclamation mark is also used
at the end of a sentence when that sentence expresses
an intense emotion. The expression can be a variety of
things, from excitement, disgust, anger, joy, or anything
else. Exclamation points are meant to add emphasis to
a sentence.
Here’s how to use one in a sentence:

“Look out behind you!” she yelled.

I’m so excited to go to the park tomorrow!
05. COLON (:)
The colon is a punctuation mark, used after a complete
thought or independent clause, that introduces a list,
quotation, table, or other material. When introducing a list,
the items in the list are typically separated by commas.

For examples:

She took four classes last semester: history, biology, arts,

and economics.
A colon can also be used to link two independent
clauses if the second clause clarifies or completes the
first one.

For example:
They didn’t have time to waste: it was already late.

Finally, a colon can also emphasize a subject in a

sentence:
I only hate one vegetable: brussel sprouts.
06. SEMICOLON (;)
Similar to a colon, a semicolon links two independent clauses.
However, in this case, the clauses are more closely related
than when you would use a colon.

The clauses can e searated by a single word, such as “and,

“but”, “or”.
For example:
I have a meeting tomorrow morning; I can’t go out tonight.

Both clauses are independent enough to be their own

sentences, but instead of using a period, it’s possible to use a
semicolon to show both clauses are connected.
Another less common use for semicolons is within a list that
uses commas. Have a look:

Last summer we traveled to London, England; Paris, France;

Rome, Italy; and Athens, Greece.
07. DASH-
A dash is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or
phrase after an introductory element, to indicate an abrupt
change in thought, or to set off a list.

There are two types of dashes that vary in size and use.

En dash: Typically shorter in length, the en dash is used to

denote a range, such as between numbers or dates. For
example:
For example of En dash:
The company was operational from 1990-2000.
He took the Chicago-New York train last night.

Em dash: this dash is longer, and is sometimes used instead

of other punctuation marks, like commas, colons, or
parentheses.
Here’s an example:
Her answer was clear — Yes!
08.HYPHEN (-)
A hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words or to
separate the syllables of a single word.

A hyphen is not used at the beginning or end of a

sentence. The hyphen is also used to indicate a word break
at the end of a line of text. The most common use of the
hyphen is to join two words or parts of words.
For example, you might use the hyphen to join the
prefix “ex-” to a word, as in the word “ex-boyfriend.”

The hyphen can also be used to join two compound

words, as in “mother-in-law.”
use to show compound words
use to show a range use to show a hyphenated
word
use to show a prefix or suffix
use to show a compound adjective
use to show a compound noun use to show a
compound verb
09. BRACKETS ([ ])
are used to enclose text that is not part of the
sentence brackets are used to enclose a word or phrase
that is not part of the sentence but is used to clarify the
sentence.

Brackets are used to enclose information that is necessary

to the meaning of the sentence. This might be because the
information is complex, or needs special attention.
 Here are some examples:
She [Mrs. Smith] agrees that cats are better
than dogs.
Adam said that “[summer] is my favorite time
of year.”
I read that novel [The Great Gatsby] in high
school.
10. BRACES ({ })
Curly braces are used in a variety of programming
languages and other contexts, but their most common use
is in mathematical or scientific notation.
For example:

The set of equations x^2+y^2=z^2 and x+y=z can be

written as {x^2+y^2=z^2, x+y=z}. In scientific notation,
curly braces are used to denote a list of values.

6{3x+[28+2]}=xy
11. PARENTHESES (( ))
parentheses are used to enclose additional
information
parentheses are used to indicate a word or phrase that
is added for explanation

Parentheses, also known as round brackets, are used to

insert information that is not essential to the main text.
They can be used to provide extra information, give a
translation of a word or phrase, or to set off a list of items
Here are some examples:

Kate (who is Matt’s wife) likes to go for walks.

She is coming to our house after work (around
six o' clock).
I am going to visit my grandma (my dad's mom)
today. My umbrella (which is somewhat
broken) can still shield the two of us from the
rain.
12. APOSTROPHE (‘)
Apostrophes are meant to show that a letter or letters
have been omitted and also to indicate the possessive or
contractions. It can also be used to pluralize lowercase
letters. Here are some examples:
I’ve been working from home for 6 months and it’s
great.
Rebecca’s dog had surgery yesterday.
All that’s left to do is dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
13. QUOTATION MARKS (“)
Quotation marks are used to denote text, speech, or
words spoken by someone else. It is also used to
indicate dialogue.

“I don’t like this,” said Mark.

She told him that she “prefers not to think about
that.”
14. ELLIPSIS (…)
Ellipsis is three periods used together to represent
an omission of words or letters. They are often used
to jump from one sentence or phrase to another
while omitting unnecessary or obvious words. It’s
also used when quoting someone and unnecessary
words are left out.
Here are some examples:
At midnight, she began to count down: “ten, nine,
eight…” and then the ball dropped.

When Martin Luther King said “I have a dream…”

he was talking about civil rights and an end to
racism.
 PRACTICE TEST:
1.They were red blue and green.
2. Fill in the blank: This old thing? ___ broken!
a. Its b. It’s
3. She had doctorates in two areas philosophy and
physics.
4. Does anyone have a pen I can borrow
5. His name is Alexander Alex for short.
6. The Chicago New York flight left at 6:00.
7. My favorite movie is playing
8. Wow I can't believe I ran into you here.
9. Im only a part time worker.
10. Jane and John who go to the same school have
similar projects due tomorrow.
 PRACTICE TEST: CORRECT ANSWER
1.They were red, blue, and green.
2. Fill in the blank: This old thing? ___ broken!
a. Its b. It’s
3. She had doctorates in two areas: philosophy and
physics.
4. Does anyone have a pen I can borrow?
5. His name is Alexander (Alex for short).
6. The Chicago-New York flight left at 6:00.
7. My favorite movie is playing.
8. Wow! I can't believe I ran into you here.
9. I’m only a part-time worker.
10. Jane and John (who go to the same school) have
similar projects due tomorrow.
THANK YOU
Have any question?