Add clarity to your writing. Punctuation . . . Add clarity to your writing.

Period (.) 1 Use a period at the end of a sentence that makes a statement or gives a command. Example: Your report card was excellent. Example: Clean your room.

Period (.) 2 Use a period after an initial or an abbreviation. Example: Dr. Example: C.E.D.

Comma (,) 1 Use a comma between two independent clauses separated by words such as: but, or, nor, for, yet, and, so. Example: I wanted to fly south for the winter but, I love to ski.

Comma (,) 2 Use a comma to separate more than three words, phrases or clauses in a series. Example: Don’t forget to buy chips, salsa, cheese, and napkins for the party.

Comma (,) 3 Use a comma to separate adjectives that equally modify the same noun. Example: Just look at that big, yellow moon.

Comma (,) 4 Use a comma to enclose words or phrases that explain. Example: My daughter, at a year old, calls me “di-da.”

Comma (,) 5 Use a comma to enclose an “appositive.” “Appositives” identify or rename a noun or pronoun. Example: My teacher, Miss Crabapple, smiles a lot.

Comma (,) 6 Use a comma to separate contrasted elements in a sentence. Example: I tripped, not over the step, but over my own shoes.

Comma (,) 7 Use a comma to set off items in an address and items in a date. Example: December 5, 2005 Example: Essex, Vermont

Comma (,) 8 Use a comma to set off a word, phrase, or clause that interrupts the movement of the sentence. Example: If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not eat at McDonald’s.

Comma (,) 9 Use a comma to distinguish hundreds, thousands, millions, etc. Example: $6,598,431.78

Ellipsis ( . . .) Use an ellipsis to show that words are missing from a sentence or quote. Example: “Our Father who art in heaven . . . “

Semicolon (;) 1 Use a semicolon to join two or more independent clauses. Example: I didn’t lie about the accident; I just didn’t say anything.

Semicolon (;) 2 Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses that are long or contain commas. Example: I am going to plant five red maples along the driveway; but before I start, I have to dig up the dead hedges.

Colon (:) 1 Use a colon after the salutation or greeting of a business letter. Example: Dear Sirs:

Colon (:) 2 Use a colon between numbers indicating time. Example: It’s only 4:30 a.m.

Colon (:) 3 Use a colon to introduce a list. Example: To do: Vacuum Clean the bathroom Make lasagna Frost the cake

Hyphen (-) 1 Use a hyphen to make a compound word. Example: Pie-eater

Hyphen (-) 2 Use a hyphen to join words in compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine (when it is necessary to write them out.) Example: My sister is turning thirty-six this year.

Hyphen (-) 3 Use a hyphen to divide a word between syllables at the end of a line of print. Example: I went out to walk my old blood- hound before turning in for the night.

Question Mark (?) 1 Use a question mark as the punctuation after a direct question. Example: Which one of you handsome gentlemen is going to ask me to dance?

Exclamation Point (!) Use an exclamation point to express strong feeling or emotion. It should be used sparingly! Example: Dang it!

Quotation Marks (“ ”) 1 Use quotation marks to enclose titles of songs, poems, short stories, lectures, courses, episodes of radio or t.v. programs, chapters of books, articles found in newspapers, magazines, etc,. Example: “The Simpson’s”

Quotation Marks (“ ”) 2 Use quotation marks to indicate a word that is being discussed, to indicate a slang word, or to indicate a word that is being used in a special way. Example: He’s pretty “buff.”

Quotation Marks (“ ”) 3 Use quotation marks before and after a direct quotation. Example: “Slim’s word was law.” Of Mice and Men

Single Quotation Marks “(’ ‘)” Single quotations marks are used to punctuate a quotation within a quotation. Example: “‘I shouldn’t ought to let no stranger shoot my dog.’” Of Mice and Men

Italics (Underlining) Italics are used to indicate titles of magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, books, plays, films, radio and t.v. programs, ballets, operas, record albums, and CD’s. Example: My favorite Rolling Stone’s album is Beggar’s Banquet.

Parenthesis { } , ( ) Use parenthesis to enclose explanatory or supplementary information that interrupts normal sentence structure. Example: My husband (Mike) says I snore like a freight train.

Apostrophe (‘) 1 Use an apostrophe to show that a letter or letters have been left out of a word in order to form a contradiction. Example: Don’t litter. (from the sentence: Do not litter.)

Apostrophe (‘) 2 The possessive form of singular nouns is usually made by adding and apostrophe and s. Example: The boy’s room was a disaster.

Apostrophe (‘) 3 The possessive form of plural nouns ending in s is usually made by adding just an apostrophe. Example: The Joneses’ just installed a pool.

Diagonal (/) Diagonals are used to form fractions. Example: ½ or ¾ Diagonals are also used between and / or to indicate that either word is acceptable.

Phew! That’s all folks! Homework Assignment: Write one page, typed about anything (school appropriate, of course) that you want. Use a variety of punctuation in order to “add clarity to your writing.” This is due next class, and it will count as a quiz grade.