Punctuation: Summary of the Uses of the Comma

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PunctuationSummary of the Uses of the Comma
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Rule 1

• Use commas to separate items in a series
• If all items in a series are joined by and or or
  or nor, do not use commas to separate them
• Independent clauses in a series are usually
  separated by semicolons. Short independent
  clauses may be separated by commas

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Rule 2

• Use commas to separate two or more adjectives
  preceding a noun.

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Rule 3

• Use commas before and, but, or, nor, for, so, and
  yet when they join independent clauses.

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Rule 4

• Use commas to set off nonessential clauses and
  nonessential participial phrases
• Example
• The chemistry building, which had been erected in
  1928 and badly needed repairs, was scheduled for
  demolition.

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Rule 5

• Use commas after certain introductory elements
• Use a comma after such words as well, yes, no,
  and why when they begin a sentence.
• Use a comma after an introductory participial
  phrase
• Use a comma after a succession of introductory
  prepositional phrases
• Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause

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Rule 6

• Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt
  the sentence
• Appositives and appositive phrases are usually
  set off by commas
• Words used in direct address are set off by
  commas
• Parenthetical expressions are set off by commas

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Rule 7

• Use commas in certain conventional situations
• Use a comma to separate items in dates and
  addresses
• Use a comma after the salutation of a friendly
  letter and after the closing of any letter
• Use a comma after a name followed by Jr., Sr.,
  Ph.D., etc

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Rule 8

• Do not use unnecessary commas

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PunctuationEnd Marks
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End Mark Rule 1

• Use a period at the end of a statement.
• Examples
• Spring break is next month.
• Do not leave until I return.

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End Mark Rule 2

• Use periods with abbreviations.
• Examples
• Blvd.
• Oct.
• A.D.
• NOTE - abbreviations in the metric system are
  often written without periods

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End Mark Rule 3

• An exclamation is followed by an exclamation
  point.
• Examples
• What a wonderful idea!
• How lovely!
• Congratulations!

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End Mark Rule 4

• Use either a period or an exclamation point at
  the end of an imperative sentence, depending on
  the force intended.
• Examples
• Please write me a letter.
• Hold that line!

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End Mark Rule 5

• Use a question mark at the end of a interrogative
  sentence.
• Examples
• Where did you go yesterday?
• How did you end the paper?

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PunctuationSemicolon
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Semicolon Rule 1

• Use a semicolon between independent clauses not
  joined by and, but, or nor, for, yet, or so.
• Examples
• Read all the choices dont write the first
  answer that seems correct.

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Semicolon Rule 2

• Use a semicolon between independent clauses
  joined by such words as for example, for
  instance, that is, besides, accordingly,
  moreover, nevertheless, furthermore, otherwise,
  therefore, however, consequently, instead, or
  hence.
• Example
• The speech was long and repetitious
  consequently, listeners fidgeted in their seats
  and whispered among themselves.

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Semicolon Rule 3

• A semicolon (rather than a comma) may be needed
  to separate independent clauses joined by a
  coordinating conjunction when there are commas
  within the clauses.
• Example
• Super Stop, the store on Fall Street, sells not
  only groceries but also prescription drugs,
  hardware, and sportswear and its first shoppers,
  interviewed last night, seemed very pleased with
  the convenience the store offers.

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Semicolon Rule 4

• Use a semicolon between items in a series if the
  items contain commas.
• Example
• Winners in the competition were Jane Doe, first
  place Jeff Bates, second place Ed Davis, third
  place and Nancy Green, who, as a member of the
  Student Council, had proposed the contest.

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PunctuationColon
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Colon

• Use a colon to mean note what follows.

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Colon Rule 1

• Use a colon before a list of items, especially
  after expressions like as follows and the
  following.
• Examples
• Amazingly enough, the small bag held everything
  shirts, pants, sweaters, a jacket, shoes,
  underwear, nightclothes, and a present for my
  hosts.

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Colon Rule 2

• Use a colon before a long, formal statement or
  quotation.
• Examples
• Dr. Stafford made the following observation
  Cooperation between the leading nations of the
  world is essential to the survival of the planet.

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Colon Rule 3

• Use a colon between independent clauses when the
  second clause explains or restates the idea in
  the first.
• Example
• Those hanging lamps are the most popular kind
  they are inexpensive, come in many colors, and
  are easy to install.

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Colon Rule 4 and 5

• Use a colon between the hour and the minute when
  you write the time.
• Example
• 800 a.m.
• Use a colon between chapter and verse in
  referring to passages from the Bible.
• Example
• Proverbs 33

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Colon Rule 6 and 7

• Use a colon between volume and number or between
  volume and page number of a periodical.
• Example
• Harpers 20316
• Use a colon after the salutation of a business
  letter
• Example
• Dear Mr. Smith

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PunctuationQuotation Marks
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Quotation Marks

• Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quote - a
  persons exact words.
• Examples
• My sister said, My favorite singer is Lena
  Horn.
• My sister said her favorite singer is Lena Horn.

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Quotation Rules

• A direct quotation begins with a capital letter.
• When a quoted sentence is divided into two parts
  by an interrupting expression such as he said or
  Mother asked, the second part begins with a small
  letter.
• Example
• Take care, he warned, that you dont spill
  anything.

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Quotation Rules (cont)

• A direct quote is set off from the rest of the
  sentence by commas or by a question mark or an
  exclamation mark.
• Example
• What would you say to that? she asked
• Commas and periods are always placed inside the
  closing quotation marks.
• Example
• Im sure, said Joe, that well be finished by
  Friday.

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Quotation Rules (cont)

• Semicolons and colons are always placed outside
  the closing quotation marks.
• Example
• Eve, my grandmother said, you should keep up
  with your chores then she reminded me it was my
  turn to wash the dishes.
• Question marks and exclamation points are placed
  inside the closing quotation marks if the
  question itself is a question or an exclamation
  otherwise they are placed outside.

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Quotation Rules (cont)

• Examples of question marks
• Is everyone present? asked the teacher.
• Were you suprised when he said, You win?
• Examples of exclamation points
• How perceptive you are sometimes! she
  exclaimed.
• Stop saying You know!
• When you write a dialogue, begin a new paragraph
  each time the speaker changes.

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Quotation Rules (cont)

• When a quoted passage consists of more than one
  paragraph, place quotation marks at the beginning
  of each paragraph and at the end of the entire
  passage, not at the end of each paragraph.
• Use the single quotation marks to enclose a
  quotation within a quotation.

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Quotation Rules (cont)

• Use quotation marks to enclose titles or short
  works such as poems, short stories, articles,
  songs, and individual episodes of television
  programs and of chapters and of other parts of
  books.
• Use quotation marks to enclose slang words,
  technical terms, and other expressions that are
  unusually in standard English.

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PunctuationApostrophe
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Apostrophe Rules

• To form the possessive case of a noun add an
  apostrophe
• Examples
• Doras choice, Kellies coat, Rosss bag
• To form the possessive case of a noun, add an
  apostrophe and an s.
• Example
• Girls team, Mills backyard

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PunctuationUnderlining (Italics)HyphenDash
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Rules for Underlining (Italics)

• Use underlining (italics) for titles of books,
  films, plays, television programs, periodicals,
  works of art, etc.
• Examples
• The Old Man and the Sea
• the Charleston Gazette
• Use underlining (italics) for words, letters, and
  figures referred to as such and for foreign words
  not yet adopted into English
• Example
• The most common English word is the.

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Hyphen Rules

• Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a
  line
• Use a hyphen with compound numbers from
  twenty-one through ninety-nine and with fractions
  used as adjectives.
• Examples
• forty-two applicants
• a two-thirds majority, but two thirds of the
  voters

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Hyphen Rules (cont)

• Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex-, self-, all-
  with the suffix -elect and with all prefixes
  before a proper noun or proper adjective.
• Examples
• ex-mayor, self-controlled, all-star,
  president-elect
• Hyphenate a compound adjective when it precedes
  the word it modifies.
• Examples
• well-liked author

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Hyphen Rules (cont)

• Use a hyphen to prevent confusion or awkwardness.
• Example
• anti-icer ( instead of antiicer)

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Dash Rules

• Use a dash to indicate an abrupt break in
  thought.
• Example
• He might -- if I have anything to say about it --
  change his mind.
• Use a dash to mean namely, in other words, or
  that is before an explanation
• Example
• It was a close call -- the sudden gust of wind
  pushed hte helicopter to within inches of the
  power lines. The dash means that is.

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PunctuationParenthesesBrackets
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Parentheses Rules

• Use parentheses to enclose incidental explanatory
  matter that is added to a sentence but is not
  considered of major importance.
• Examples
• Former Representative Smith (Utah) was on that
  committee.
• Fred Jones asked us (What a silly question!) if
  we really thought we could do it.

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Rules for Brackets

• Use brackets to enclose explanations within
  parentheses or in quoted material when the
  explanation is not part of the quotation.
• Example
• By a vote of 6-3, the Supreme Court overturned
  the lower courts ruling. (See page 149 Diagram
  A for a chronology of the case.)

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Clauses
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Clauses

• Any clause is a group of words with a subject and
  verb.
• Two types
• Independent
• Dependent

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Independent Clauses

• A group of words with subject and verb which
  makes sense by itself.
• It is a simple sentence.
• Examples
• She ran after the dog.
• Katie raised her hand.

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Dependent Clauses

• A group of words with a subject and verb which
  does not make sense by itself.
• Dependent clauses must always be used with an
  independent clause
• Three different types
• Noun
• Adjective
• Adverb

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Noun Dependent Clause

• Introduced by relative pronouns
• If the clause begins with a relative pronoun and
  follows an action verb, that dependent clause is
  probably a direct object
• If the clause follows a linking verb, it is
  probably the predicate noun.

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Adjective Dependent Clauses

• This is the clause which begins with a relative
  pronoun and modifies a noun or pronoun.
• Two types
• Non-essential
• does not alter the meaning of the sentence
• are set off from the rest of the sentence by
  commas
• Essential
• If it is dropped from the sentence, the meaning
  of the sentence is altered

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Adjective Dependent Clause (cont)

• Examples
• Non-essential
• Jennifer, who is the baby-sitter, won her
  softball game.
• Essential
• All boys who are on the baseball team meet in
  room 300.

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Adverbial Dependent Clauses

• This is a clause which begins with a
  subordinating conjunction and modifies an
  adjective, verb, or adverb.
• When adverbial dependent clauses come at the end
  of the sentence, they are not set off by commas.
• usually set off from the sentence with a comma
  when they begin a sentence

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Adverbial Dependent Clauses (cont)

• Examples
• While the mixture was simmering, Mr. Smith fixed
  the soup. (adverbial dependent clause modifying
  the verb, telling when)
• He wanted to home because he felt tired.