PUNCTUATION:

COMMA

-Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more.
------Drive two blocks north of Main, turn left, go past two traffic signals, and turn right.
-Use commas to set off any word or phrase that is not essential to the main idea of the sentence.
-----Writing a good letter of application is not difficult, if you are careful (Right)
-----Writing a letter of application that is clear and concise is a challenge.
-Put a comma between independent clauses when they are joined by these connecting words: for, and, nor, but, or yet, and so.
-Put a comma after a word or phrase that comes before and independent clause.
-----No matter how hard I try, I will never forget you.
-Use commas between coordinate adjectives but not between cumulative adjectives.
-----Coordinate adjectives are those whose order can be changed, and the word "and" can be inserted between them without changing the meaning.
-------Our company is looking for energetic, courteous salespeople.
-----Cumulative adjectives modify the word that follows it.
-------The bride wore a pale pink silk dress, and the groom wore a navy wool suit. (Do not put commas between words that describe or build on each other)

SEMICOLON

-Replaces a period
-----Between two independent clauses
-Before linking phrases
-Before introductory expressions
-Between items of a complex list
-----Incorrect: We invited a number of senior managers including Ann Kung, senior vice-president, Lionel Tiger, director of information technology, and Larry Sells, manager of marketing.
-----Correct:

COLON

-Functions as an introducer for
-----a list
-----a clarification
-----a quotation
-Answers "who" or "what"
-----Business and industry face a new problem: Canada's low productivity.
-Preceded by a complete sentence
----Never used after "is" or "are"

DASHES

-Summarize or restate what has just been said
-----I still love dried apricots and pickled beets--foods my mother gave me as treats when I was a child.
(Two hyphens equals a dash...word will automatically convert it)
-Pair of dashes to enclose a series of items
-----Because they were afraid of the police, my so-called friends--Roman, Shane, and Luba--all betrayed me
-Emphasize a phrase
-----I expect--and so does the college--that students should be self motivated

PARENTHESIS

-Included but not emphasized information
-----Giselles teaching schedule (she is in class seven hours a day) gives her little time to meet with student individually.
-Explanatory material not part of main sentence
-----The Malagasy (people of madagascar) like to eat a kapoaka of rice (enough to fill a can) three times a day.
-Reference data
-----Isajiw asserts that the twentieth century "has produced more refugees and exiles than any other preceding period since the fall of the Roman Empire" (66).

QUOTATIONS

-Use comma to separate a reporting expression from a quortation
-If there is nor reporting verb, use a colon after and independent clause to introduce a quotation.
-If the end punctuation is part of the quote include it inside the quotation marks.
-If the ned punctuation is not part of the quote put it outside the second quotation mark.
-Put colons and semicolons outside the second quotation mark

HYPHEN

-Divide a word at the end of the line
--More than two syllables
-Separate prefice with same vowel
-----Re-elect
-Compound numbers
-----Ninety-eight
-Join two or more words as adjective before noun
-----First-born child
-Bring clarity
-----The mayor will address small business owners (Wrong)
-----The mayor will address small-business owners (Right)

	Created by heinrichs.mark over 10 years ago

First Year SBC EN101 English Composition Note on October 7th-Punctuation and Essay Writing, created by heinrichs.mark on 10/07/2013.

October 7th-Punctuation and Essay Writing