Punctuation

1
Punctuation

• Review, reminders, stuff you probably already
  know but may have forgottenand a few things new
  and exciting!!

2
End punctuation

• Use a period at the end of declarative sentences
• Use a period at the end of an imperative sentence
• Use a question mark at the end of an
  interrogative sentence
• Use an exclamation point at the end of an
  exclamatory sentence
• Use an exclamation point after a strong
  interjection (Whats an interjection?
  )

3
Commas

• There are LOTS of comma rules
• Separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses
  in a series
• Set off introductory words
• Set off names used in direct address
• Set off words that interrupt the flow of thought
  in a sentence (interrupters)
• Set off an appositive that is not essential to
  the meaning of the sentence

4
More comma rules

• Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction
  that connects a compound sentence
• Set off an adverb clause at the beginning of a
  sentence (it will begin with a subordinating
  conjunction whats this?)
• Set off nonessential adjective clauses (usually
  starts with a relative pronoun whats this?)
• Do NOT set off an adj. clause that is necessary
  to the meaning of the sentence

5
Still commas

• Set off a single LONG prepositional phrase at the
  beginning of a sentence (you dont need to set
  off short phrases, but its not wrong if you do)
• Set off two or more prepositional phrases at the
  beginning of a sentence
• Set off participles and participial phrases at
  the beginning of a sentence, or one that is not
  essential to the meaning of a sentence that comes
  in the middle
• Use a comma after an adverb used as a
  subordinating conjunction

6
Commas in dates and addresses

• In a dateset off the year ONLY when it is used
  with both the month and day
• Do NOT use a comma in a date where only the month
  and year are given
• Set off the name of a state or a country when
  its used after the name of a city
• Set off the name of a city when its used after a
  stree address in a sentence
• Do NOT use a comma after the state if its
  followed by a zip code

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And still more comma rules

• Set off an abbreviated title or degree following
  a persons name
• Set off the word too when its used in the middle
  of a sentence and means also do NOT set it
  off at the end of the sentence
• Set off a direct quotation
• Use a comma after the greeting of a friendly
  letter and after the closing of any kind of
  letter
• Use a comma to prevent misreading what does
  this mean?

8
Semicolons

• Whats a semicolon?
• Three times to use it
• 1. To join main clauses of a compound sentence
  when theres not coordinating conjunction
• 2. To join main clauses of a compound sentence if
  theyre long and already have a lot of commas
  (even if theres a conjunction)
• 3. To separate main clauses joined by an adverb
  acting like a subordinating conjunction

9
Colons

• Whats a colon?
• Three times to use it
• To introduce a list of items that ends a
  sentence. Use a word or phrase such as these, the
  following, or as follows before the list begins
• To separate the hour and minutes when you use
  numbers to write the time of day
• After the greeting in a business letter

10
Quotation Marks

• Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quote
• Use quotation marks to enclose each part of an
  interrupted quotation
• When using quotation marks, use commas to set off
  an explanatory phrase (whats this?
  ) The commas go INSIDE the closing quote
  marks
• At the end of a direct quote, the period goes
  INSIDE the closing quote marks
• Question marks go INSIDE the closing quote marks
  IF the quote is a question. If the question mark
  is part of the whole sentence, but not the
  quotation, it goes on the OUTSIDE of the closing
  quote marks
• If you are writing a conversation, begin a new
  paragraph each time you change speakers

11
Punctuating TitlesWhen you write titles, some
must be underlined (or italicized) others must
be enclosed by quotation marks.

• Quote marks
• short stories
• essays
• poems
• songs
• articles
• chapters of books
• single television shows that are part of a series

• Underlining
• books
• plays
• movies
• television series
• magazines
• newspapers
• works of art
• music CDs
• long musical compositions

12
Apostrophes

• What is an apostrophe?
• (its not called that comma thing above the
  line)
• When do you use an apostrophe?
• possessives
• contractions

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Those extra weird punctuation marks

• Hyphen what is it?
• - divide a word at the end of a line (between
  syllables ONLY)
• - compound numbers
• - fractions as words
• - some compound words
• - after the prefixes all-, ex-, and self- and
  any prefix that comes before a proper noun or
  adj.
• Dash what is it?
• Parentheses what is it?

14
Abbreviations

• Use abbreviations for titles before and after a
  persons name
• Use capital letters and no periods for
  abbreviations that are pronounced letter by
  letter or as words
• EXCEPTION U.S. and Washington D.C.
• Time abbreviations
• Days and months only on charts or lists
• Units of measure use periods with U.S. units,
  but not with metric
• Words that refer to streets only on envelopes

15
Writing out numbers(yes, you have to)

• Spell out numbers you can write in one or two
  words use numerals for more than two words
• Spell out ANY number that begins a sentence
• For numbers greater than 999,999, use a number
  followed by the word that corresponds
• Spell out ordinal number under one hundred
• Use words to write the time of day unless you are
  using a.m. or p.m.
• Use numerals for dates, house numbers, street
  numbers above 99, other address words, phone
  numbers, page numbers, amounts of money that are
  more than 2 words, and percentages (always write
  out the word percent)

16
Questions?