Common Punctuation Errors Flowers for Algernon

Pre-Assessment: Do you know what punctuation I am? Write the answers. I’m used at the end of a statement. I’m used to indicate strong feelings. I’m used to indicate possession or ownership. I’m used to indicate spoken language. I’m used to separate interrupters from the rest of the sentence. I’m used in place of missing letters. I’m used in place of missing words, phrases or sentences. I’m used to connect distinct but closely connected ideas that are complete sentences. I’m used when I’m borrowing information from someone or something. I’m used before a list.

Ends of Quotations If the sentence continues after the quotation, you’ll usually need a comma AFTER your quotation but BEFORE your final quotation mark: “I wish this workshop were over,” John said. “Not me,” Mary replied, “I’ve got to go to the dentist this afternoon.” If the quotation ends in an exclamation point or question mark, omit the comma: “I hate going to the dentist!” John bellowed. “Why are you talking so loudly?” asked Mary.

Ends of Sentences Cont. If the sentence ends with the quotation (and if there is no parenthetical citation), put your final mark of punctuation INSIDE the quotation marks: “That dog is bigger than a Denali!” “I don’t think so; those SUVs are quite large” (Car and Driver 24). If your sentence ends with a footnote, put the superscript number AFTER your final mark of punctuation: According to Car and Driver, the Denali is “among the most agile of full-sized sport utility vehicles.”15

Quotes in Quotes If you have a quotation within a quotation, standard American usage indicates that you double the outermost quotes (“”) and use single quotes for the inner quotations (‘’). My dad said to me, “Your so-called ‘best friend’ was just over here asking if you could loan her some money. I told her ‘absolutely not.’”

If you’re borrowing information… Preserve the original format (punctuation and capitalization) in quotations unless you have good reason for changing it (to fit into your sentence or meet a publisher’s standards, for instance). If you must change something, put it in brackets. According to Car and Driver, the Denali is “[a]mong the most agile of full-sized sport utility vehicles.”15

Capitalization, Commas, and Apostrophes Sometimes Rules Help… Capitalization, Commas, and Apostrophes

Capitalization Always capitalize the first word of a sentence and the pronoun I. Except in special cases (e.e. cummings), always capitalize proper names or official titles. Do not capitalize common nouns.

Comma Rules Use a comma to join two sentences with and, but, or or. (FANBOYS) You cook, and I’ll do the dishes. I’ll cook and do the dishes. 2. Use a comma after an introductory word group. If you cook, I’ll do the dishes. Today, I’ll cook. First of all, you cook; then, I’ll do the dishes.

More Rules… 3. Use a comma between items in a series. I’d rather not do the cleaning, laundry, or dishes. 4. Use a comma to set off added information only if that information is not absolutely necessary. My mother, who is a college professor, enjoys her job. I am looking for a college professor who enjoys her job. [no comma]

Still More Rules… 5. Use commas to set off transitions or interrupters. It was, in fact, cloudy this morning, but, it did not rain. It was cloudy this morning; however, it did not rain. 6. Use commas to make reading easier. Unlike Joe, Catherine loves to sing. To err is human; to forgive, divine. Well, things didn’t go well; what happened, happened.

Tired Yet? 7. Use commas to set off direct address or quotations. John, would you come over here? “John,” she shouted, “would you come over here?” Do NOT use a comma every time you breathe. When in doubt, leave it out.

Apostrophes Apostrophes create contractions. (missing letters) I don’t like him very much. Steak ‘n’ Shake is a fast food restaurant. Apostrophes indicate possession. (ownership) My mother’s job is better than all my brothers’ jobs put together. Dickens’s later works are much darker than his early novels. The Joneses’ Christmas card spelled their name wrong. Do NOT use an apostrophe to form a plural. (more than one) I have two brothers, but I’ve never been to my younger brother’s new house. Remember: “it’s” = “it is,” but “its” is the possessive form.

Colons, Semicolons, Dashes, Hyphens, Ellipses, and Other Trouble Spots Judgment Calls Colons, Semicolons, Dashes, Hyphens, Ellipses, and Other Trouble Spots

Colons Use them when the second half of the sentence further explains the first half: John is a very emotional person: he cries at the drop of a hat. I got just what I wanted for my birthday: a Denali. I got just what I wanted for my birthday--a Denali. (em dash) Use them to introduce a list that does not flow naturally with the rest of the sentence: The classroom was a cacophony of the sounds of 2007: iPods, cell phones, and laptops. You do not need a colon if the list fits into the grammar of the sentence: My favorite foods are sushi, pizza, and fruit.

Semicolons Semicolons connect independent clauses in a “both-and” relationship. My brother was sixteen years old that winter; I was thirteen. He had a Mustang; I, however, waited for a hand-me- down. Semicolons separate items in a list when commas are not strong enough to do so. I bought fruits such as apples, pears, and bananas; meats such as chicken and fish; and cereals such as Cheerios, Mini-Wheats, and Cinnamon Chex.

Hyphens Hyphens create compound words. I have ninety-four Penguin editions. Hyphens make adjectives out of nouns. The woman was an African American.  The woman was African-American. I like literature from the nineteenth century.  I like nineteenth-century literature. Dashes indicate a full stop—a very strong pause in the sequence of a sentence: I cannot write without dashes—I sprinkle them like salt and pepper in my prose.

Ellipses Ellipses indicate that something has been omitted. Paul urges, “Present your bodies . . . holy and acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1). If you end a sentence with an ellipsis, you need FOUR periods instead of three. 3. Do NOT use ellipses to create dramatic effect (especially in formal writing). The results of this study were surprising to the researchers…. 4. Ellipses may or may not be enclosed in brackets (depending on your citation style). 5. If at all possible, avoid using too many ellipses.

Punctuating for Publishing Some things to do: Number of spaces after a period Number of spaces after a comma British versus American punctuation/spelling Forget texting and capitalize! Indent by pressing the tab button No extra spacing between paragraphs Italics versus underlining Double space and use standard 10 or 12 font