Chapter 5 Mechanics of Writing Business Communication Copyright 2010 South-Western Cengage Learning

Punctuation Helps readers interpret your ideas and questions Shows where one thought ends and the next begins External Marks and the Comma © Stockbyte / Getty Images Punctuation clarifies and adds emphasis to your writing.

The Period Period: a punctuation mark used to signal the end of a sentence or an abbreviation At the end of sentences With abbreviations In lists External Marks and the Comma

The Question Mark Question mark: a punctuation mark used after a direct question and after each part in a series of questions After direct questions In a series External Marks and the Comma

The Exclamation Point Exclamation point: a punctuation mark that shows strong emotion May follow a word, a group of words, or a sentence Should be used sparingly in business documents External Marks and the Comma

The Comma Comma: an internal punctuation mark used to separate items in a sentence With introductory elements In compound sentences With interrupting elements Nonrestrictive and restrictive elements Appositives External Marks and the Comma

The Comma With direct address In a series Between adjectives With omission of words In numbers and dates With abbreviations External Marks and the Comma

The Semicolon Semicolon: a punctuation mark used to denote a pause Between clauses In a series or list Other Internal Marks

The Colon Colon: a punctuation mark that directs the reader’s attention to the material that follows it Before a series or list Before a long quotation Between independent clauses After a salutation In expressions of time Other Internal Marks

The Dash Dash: a punctuation mark used to show a sudden change of thought With a sudden change of thought For emphasis Other Internal Marks

The Hyphen Hyphen: a punctuation mark used after some prefixes and in forming some compound words After prefixes In compound words Other Internal Marks

Quotation Marks Quotation marks: punctuation marks that set off words from the other text With quotations With definitions and nonstandard English With titles With other punctuation marks Other Internal Marks

Parentheses Parentheses: punctuation marks that set off nonessential words, phrases, or clauses With nonessential elements With numbers and abbreviations With references and directions With a list Other Internal Marks

The Apostrophe Apostrophe: a punctuation mark used to indicate the omission of characters or possession In contractions In possessive words In plurals Other Internal Marks

Abbreviations Abbreviation: a shortened form of a word or a group of words Titles and degrees Addresses Companies, organizations, and departments Expressions of time Miscellaneous abbreviations Abbreviations, Capitalization, and Number Expression

Capitalization Capitalization: using uppercase letters in writing The first letter in a sentence or direct quote Names of specific people, places, and things Titles used as proper nouns Professional titles Compass points Nouns that precede numbers Names of nationalities Abbreviations, Capitalization, and Number Expression

Number Expression Number expression: the way numbers are written (as words or numerals) Numbers ten and lower Indefinite or approximate numbers Two related numbers appearing next to each other A number at the beginning of a sentence Numerals and ordinals Abbreviations, Capitalization, and Number Expression

Number Expression House and building numbers Dollar amounts Percentages Decimals in numerals Mixed numbers Expressions of time Abbreviations, Capitalization, and Number Expression

Vocabulary 19 abbreviation apostrophe appositive capitalization colon comma dash declarative sentence direct address exclamation point hyphen nonrestrictive element number expression parentheses period question mark quotation marks restrictive element semicolon