Other Punctuation Marks Presented to the Students of W.F. Burns Middle School

HYPHEN 1) Use a hyphen in compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine. Example: The final score was seventy-eight to sixty-two. 2) Use a hyphen between the numbers in a fraction. Example: I only used three-fourths of the flour you gave me. 3) Use a hyphen to form some compound words. Example: I just bought a dot-matrix printer. 4) Use a hyphen to join a capital letter to a word. Example: I had to have my arm X-rayed.

DASH 1) Use a pair of dashes to indicate a sudden interruption in a sentence.  Example: There is one thing--actually several things--that I need to tell you. 2) Use a dash to attach an afterthought to an already complete sentence. Example: Sarah bought a new pet yesterday--a boa constrictor. 3) Use a dash after a series of introductory elements. Example: Murder, armed robbery, assault--he has a long list of felonies on his record.

PARENTHESES 1) Use a set of parentheses around a word or phrase in a sentence that adds information or makes  an idea more clear. (Punctuation is placed inside the parentheses to mark the material in the  parentheses. Punctuation is placed outside the parentheses to mark the entire sentence.) Example: Your essay (all nine pages of it) is on my desk.

APOSTROPHE 1) Use an apostrophe in a contraction to show where letters have been omitted, or left out. Example: I don't think I can do this.  2) For a singular noun that does not end in s Example: The lady's hands were trembling. 3) For a one syllable singular noun that ends in  ss  possessive. Example: It is my boss's birthday today.

Apostrophe 4) If a singular noun has more than one syllable and ends in s OR to use only an apostrophe after the s Example: The metropolis's citizens were very friendly during our visit. Acceptable: The metropolis' citizens were very friendly during our visit. 5) To form the possessive of a singular proper noun ending in ss OR to add only an apostrophe.

Apostrophe 6) Use an apostrophe after the s Example: The ladies' restroom was a mess. 7) If a plural noun does not end with an s, form the possessive by using an apostrophe before an s. Example: The mice's tails were caught in a trap. 8) For a compound noun, place the possessive ending after the last word. Example: My mother-in-law's car was in the garage during the hail storm. (singular) Example: My brothers-in-law's cars were damaged in the hail storm. (plural) 9) To show possession by more than one noun, only make the last noun in the series possessive. Example: I'm looking for Mrs. Garcia, Mrs. Lee, and Miss Carter's office. (They all share the same office.) Example: I'm looking for Mrs. Garcia's, Mrs. Lee's, and Miss Carter's offices. (Each person has her own office.)