Punctuation

Period, Question mark, and Exclamation Point Use a period (full stop) to end declarative sentences and statements. Use a question mark to end questions. Use an exclamation point to end exclamatory sentences.

COMMA Use a comma to indicate a break or pause within a sentence. Use a comma when listing three or more items in a series. Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives describing a noun. Use a comma to separate a larger geographical area from a smaller one located within it. Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence. Use a comma to separate two independent clauses. Use a comma when making a direct address. Use a comma to separate a direct quotation from the sentence introducing it.

Examples: The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges. (listing three or more items) The big, red truck came our way. (separate two or more adjectives) Oakland, California, is where I grew up. (separate a larger area from a smaller one) On the back of my couch, my cat's claws have slowly been carving a large hole. (separate introductory phrase) Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen. (separate two independent clauses) Amber, could you come here for a moment? (direct address)

Colon: Semicolon: Use a colon to introduce a list. Use a colon to introduce a new concept or example. Use a colon to separate parts of a title. Example: The professor has given me three options: to retake the exam, to accept the extra credit assignment, or to fail the class. There's only one person old enough to remember that wedding: grandma. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Semicolon: Use a semicolon to separate two related but independent clauses. Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items. Example: People continue to worry about the future; our failure to conserve resources has put the world at risk. I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend, Jane; and her best friend, Jenna.

Hyphens & Dashes Hyphen 1.Use a hyphen when adding a prefix to some words. -Ex. Cara is his ex-girlfriend. 2. Use hyphens when creating compound words from several smaller words. -Ex. The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on the latest scandal. 3. Use a hyphen when writing numbers out as words. -Ex. He lived to be one hundred twenty-one. 4. Use a hyphen to split a word between two lines. -Ex. He just couldn't get the novel's elec- trifying surprise ending out of his head. Dashes 1.Use a dash when making a brief interruption within a statement. -Ex. This is the end of our sentence — or so we thought.

1.Use the apostrophe together with the letter s to indicate possession. -Ex. The hamster's water tube needs to be refilled. 2.Use the apostrophe to combine two words to make a contraction. -Ex. Friends of hers explained that it's her idea, not theirs, to refill the hamster's water tube and change its bedding. 3.Use a single quotation mark within a regular quotation to indicate a quotation within a quotation. -Ex. Ali said, "Anna told me, 'I wasn't sure if you wanted to come!'" Important: Don't use an apostrophe with an s to make a singular noun into a plural noun. -Ex. apple → apple's

Parentheses, Brackets, and Braces 1.Use parentheses to clarify. -Ex. Steve Case (AOL's former CEO) resigned last night. 2.Use parentheses to denote an afterthought. -Ex. You will need a flashlight for the camping trip (don't forget the batteries!). 3.Use parentheses for personal comments. -Ex. Most grammarians believe that parentheses and commas are always interchangeable (I disagree). Brackets: 1.Use brackets to signify an editor's note in a regular piece of writing. -Ex. "'[The blast] was absolutely devastating!' said Susan Smith. Braces: 1.Use braces to denote a numeric set in mathematics. -Ex. { 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 }

Quotation marks & Ellipsis 1.Use the double quotation mark ( " ) to enclose a direct quotation derived from either a spoken or written source. -Ex. "I can't wait to see him perform!" John exclaimed. Ellipsis: 1.indicates that part of the text has been intentionally been left out. -Ex. 0, 2, 4, ... , 100

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