Learn to Use Punctuation

Mark the start and end of sentences.

We mark the beginning of each sentence by capitalizing the first letter of the first word of the sentence. We mark the end of each sentence with a question mark ?, exclamation mark !, or period. In business reports, we often use a double space between sentences.

End sentences with the period, question mark, or exclamation point.

When should you use a question mark? Whenever you ask a direct question, the sentence ends with a question mark. Direct question sentences usually start with a word like who, what, when, where, or how. Learn from these examples of direct and indirect question sentences.

• Who is coming for dinner? She wondered who was coming for dinner.
• What has happened? He asked her what happened.
• Where is my ball? The boy asked his neighbour where is the ball.

Sometimes the only clue that the sentence is a direct question is the appearance of the question mark at the end of the sentence. Look ahead to the end of the sentence before reading it. Reversed verb and subject order is another clue a question is being asked.

• You want me to steal it? Are you crazy?

When a sentence statement is emphatic/emotional/forceful end the sentence with an exclamation mark.

• Ouch! That hurt.
• Fire!
• Quick! Stop him!

In general, all other sentences end with a period. (If a sentence is contained in parenthesis, the period can be either inside or outside the brackets.)

Remember the goal of grammar is to make your written message readable and the meaning clear for the reader. (You already know what you mean.)

Pause before and after text.

Commas represent a pause. It is the same pause used in speech. Its placement in the sentence conveys meaning. Here is an excellent example from the Harbrace College Handbook:

• When lightning struck, James Harvey fainted.
• When lightning struck James, Harvey fainted.

The two sentences have entirely different meanings. Often, it is obvious where you should place a comma just by speaking aloud your thoughts. Still, there are rules.

Place a comma

• before a conjunction,

Amber leaves for work every morning at eight o'clock, but never arrives before nine.

• after an introductory phrase,

For such a young man, Keven writes very well.

• between items on a list,

Linda's favourite review topics are movies, restaurants, and books.

• and around a group of words to set apart.

Samuel, an expert in his field, is often called upon to speak at conferences.

Use the dash to represent an interruption.

Use the dash to show an interruption in the thought or dialogue.

• It was Tuesday, and that meant Linda — hell-bent on quitting one day, determined to stick it out to the end of the term the next — was headed for the library.
• "We've been over this a million times, and you promised —"
  "I never promised," she interrupted.

Use the dash instead of brackets with a group of words with internal punctuation.

• You learn to write — so no amount of unhelpful advice, sarcastic feedback, or oppressive attitudes should slow you down — by writing.

When your sentence begins with a series of items followed by the main clause which emphasizes the list, use a dash after the list.

• Movies, books, games, the school newspaper — Linda couldn't choose a topic.

Do not use the dash as a substitute for commas, semicolons, or end marks. After writing this page, I combed through the site content, ashamed — removing dashes.

Note: When coding in HTML use & mdash; to generate the correct character on the page.

Use the apostrophe to form possessive nouns and contract text.

Use the apostrophe with the letter s at the end of a word to show ownership. If the noun ends with a letter s already, place the apostrophe alone after the s.

• The ball belongs to Spot. Give me Spot's ball.
• The boys painted the clubhouse blue. The boys' clubhouse is painted blue.
• Both Samuel and Ruth own a car. I see Samuel's and Ruth's cars.
• Samuel and Ruth own one car. I see Samuel and Ruth's car.

Some words can be contracted together to form a shorter version where the sounds are blended together and with the apostrophe replacing missing characters.

• don't   ( do not ),
• he'll   ( he will ),
• it's   ( it is ),
• '21   ( 2021 ).

To distinguish the contracted form of it is from the possessive form of it, use the apostrophe for the contraction.

• It is time to go. It's time to go.
• A turtle takes its time. (Do not use the apostrophe.)

To distinguish the contracted form of who is from the possessive form of who, use the apostrophe for the contraction.

• Who is at the door? Who's at the door?
• Who owns this ball? Whose ball is it? (Do not use the apostrophe.)

Spelling Convention: Why was the letter e added to the end of whos? It was added to preserve the vowel sound of o at the end of the word.

So this is what the textbook warns against: don't overuse the colon.

Use the colon — not a dash which is used to interrupt a sentence — to draw attention to what follows: grammar is not that hard.

You can use a colon before a list when the listed items have internal punctuation and are separated using semicolons. My favorite things are: eating ice cream, especially in winter; shopping with my sisters, when my husband is out of town; and sneaking off for vacation in the fall, before the leaves fall and the weather turns.

You can use the colon to join two sentences if the second sentence explains on the first. My husband never joins me when I shop for gifts: he had a traumatic shopping experience as a child. (I don't believe the story.)

Use the semi-colon to join clauses of equal importance.

The semicolon is something between a comma and a period. You can join two main clauses together using a semicolon instead of a conjunction. I will use an example from Harbrace College Handbook:

• Landscapes in poems are often interior landscapes; they are maps of a state of mind. —Margaret Atwood

Semicolons can also be used to separate list items, when the list items use internal punctuation.

• My favorite things are: eating ice cream, especially in winter; shopping with my sisters, when my husband is out of town; and sneaking off for vacation in the fall, before the leaves fall and the weather turns.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, punctuation adds "marks ... [which] separate structural units."

Any text of which you are not the author should be placed inside double quotes and the source of the text should be cited. (It should be clear to the reader that these are not your words.) If you change or add anything to the original text, place the change in square brackets [], and if you leave any text out, use ... in place of the missing text.

• Linda had been talking about becoming a writer for some time but had yet to put pen to paper. Well you know what Walt Disney had to say: "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

If you are quoting a large block of text, put the text in its own paragraph, indented on both sides, and use a slightly smaller font size. In this case, you do not need to use quotation marks. Follow the block with a cited source or a reference to where the reader can find the cited source such as a footnote or endnote number. (Citation standards are beyond the scope of what is covered on this site: Google it.)

Words have two kinds of meaning. The denotation of a word is the meaning or meanings stipulated in a dictionary, the literal meaning. The connotation is the more subtle meaning that becomes current as the word is used. ... Words evoke emotional responses in the reader — they are in effect, emotionally charged.

Andrews, Deborah C., and Blickle, Margaret D. Technical Writing, Principles and Forms. Page 96. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., NY, NY 1982.

Quotes are also used for dialogue. Start each line of dialogue on a new line.

"Pass me the salt," said Linda.

"You can reach it yourself," replied Samuel.

"Samuel," Mom interrupted. "Pass your sister the salt."

Use single quotes within double quotes if needed.

Parenthesis are used to add extra off-topic information to a sentence or paragraph.

Use the brackets to add a short text to a sentence or paragraph, which is a little off-topic but provides some additional information.

• Paul drove to the bank Saturday (he does every Saturday) hoping to see her.
• Paul drove to the bank Saturday hoping to see her. (He goes every Saturday.)
• The bank is located in Beamsville (Ontario).

Commas, dashes, and parenthesis are used within a sentence to offset information. Dashes should be used for emphasis or for more complex text which interrupts the flow. Use parenthesis for off topic information. Use a comma for normal description.

Paul drove to the bank — every Saturday the same — hoping to see her.

Paul drove to the bank (he does every Saturday) hoping to see her.

Paul drove to the bank on Saturday, as always, hoping to see her.

Use a slash to separate options, as in yes/no/maybe.

Use the slash to simplify writing a short list of options.

When asked how are you, you are expected to answer: "Fine/Great/Wonderful."

Ask an operator where he/she works, and the answer is likely: "At home."

Solve the mystery!

Is it readable?

the practice of writing is by itself the best teacher ask an engineer who has risen through a company's hierarchy because of his or her communication skills how he or she learned to write and you are apt to receive a simply reply by writing Andrews, Deborah C., and Blickle, Margaret D. Technical Writing, Principles and Forms. Page 4. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., NY, NY 1982.

Your eye doesn't know where to go! Add the punctuation back and restore the meaning. PEAK at the answer.

Solution

Readable!

The practice of writing is by itself the best teacher.   Ask an engineer who has risen through a company's hierarchy because of his or her communication skills how he or she learned to write, and you are apt to receive a simply reply: "By writing."

Andrews, Deborah C., and Blickle, Margaret D. Technical Writing, Principles and Forms. Page 4. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., NY, NY 1982.