How to Check Punctuation Step by Step

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How to Check Punctuation Step by Step
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• Proper punctuation is essential, no matter what
  youre composing. A paper full of mistakes can
  end up getting a lower degree, damaged academic
  reputation as well as your credibility. The point
  is that punctuation errors happen even to
  competent writers. Thats why re-read your paper
  thoroughly using the following information on how
  to check punctuation.

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Proper apostrophe usage

• The apostrophe is used to show ownership,
  possession (Cathys house, our familys yacht,
  the girls hat) and some contractions (lets,
  Ive, doesnt, hes, etc). This sentence and
  punctuation checker can help you out.

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• Also, the apostrophe is used to point out where a
  letter is omitted. For example Ive been writing
  this essay for more than two hours. (I have been
  writing this essay)

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• Do not confuse "its" with "its" as "its" shows
  us that some letter is omitted
• Its so hot outside. (It is so hot)
• Do not judge a book by its cover.
• Here are some funny apostrophe mistakes that
  youve probably committed in your writing.

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Put quotation marks properly

• Did you know that quotation marks demand periods
  and commas even if theyre not parts of the
  quotation? Check an example
• I hope you will be here, Thomas said, when
  Ill come back.
• All other punctuations marks we put outside the
  quotation
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is the most
  amazing book Ive ever read.
• To make sure youve checked correctly, try this
  quotation marks checker.

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Punctuate correctly with parentheses

• Only if a parenthetical sentence is a finished
  sentence and exists on its own, we put a period
  inside the closing parenthesis. In other cases,
  we write a full stop inside parentheses.
• Examples
• She told us shes going to celebrate her birthday
  in The Ledbury (a restaurant, not a pub).
  (Unfortunately, she didnt invite us.)

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Compound adjectives and hyphen

• Adjectives that have two or more words are called
  compound adjectives and are hyphenated
• Daniel submitted a four-page essay.
• She adopted a two-year-old dog.

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Used colon and semicolon correctly

• The colon and the semicolon both join two
  independent clauses. However, we put a colon to
  explain or expand the first clause the semicolon
  is used when clauses are hardly related to each
  other.

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• Check examples
• Semicolon I have an exam tomorrow I cant go to
  the party.
• Colon Remember You can rely on me during the
  test.
• As an alternative, find on the Internet punctuate
  this sentence for me online tools.

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Multiple punctuations at the end of a sentence is
absolutely inappropriate

• Ending a statement with an exclamation point or
  question mark followed by a full stop is not
  correct. Also, do not add a second period, if it
  ends with an abbreviation which already has a
  period.
• Im working in Yahoo!
• Usually, my day starts at 9 a.m.

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Watch out for a colon and a list of items

• Remember not all lists should be followed with
  colons. If the introductory clause can stand as a
  complete statement, put a colon. Otherwise, a
  colon isnt needed.

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• Check examples
• Correct Dont forget to buy the following
  products milk, eggs, a cinnamon, flour, and
  apples.
• Incorrect Dont forget to buy milk, eggs, a
  cinnamon, flour, and apples. (A colon in this
  sentence is not appropriate.)

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Commas are used to point out not essential
information

• If we can omit explanatory matter and the sense
  of our sentence will be saved, it must be set off
  with commas. Dont use put commas when an
  explanatory phrase is crucial for a sentence
• Correct The politician John Smith doesnt give
  interviews.
• Incorrect The politician, John Smith, doesnt
  give interviews.

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Parallel punctuation

• Interrupting a clause with a comma or a dash?
  Make sure that youve put the same punctuation
  marks at the beginning as well as at the end of
  this sentence clause.

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• Incorrect The whole class, students from Royall
  College of Music visited a fantastic opera.
• Correct The whole class, students from Royall
  College of Music, visited a fantastic opera.

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Proper dash usage

• If you want to add more emphasis to some piece of
  information, a dash is exactly what you need.
  Also, it is used to highlight the last item in a
  list
• For his party, Michael got a lot of food, drinks
  and a swimming pool!

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Using a dictionary is a must

• A good dictionary can help you to find out how
  you should write complex words with punctuation
  marks E.U or EU, students campus or students
  campus, cold blooded or cold-blooded, to confuse
  etc.

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Rewrite where youre not sure

• If you dont know for sure what punctuation mark
  you should use, avoid it and rephrase a sentence.
  Don't let it confuse you. Alternatively, use a
  correct punctuation checker free.
• More information you can find in this Google
  book.

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• Need help with punctuation?
• Check
• punctuationcheck.org
• without hesitating!