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Punctuation in writing serves the same purpose as voice inflection in speaking. Roper phrasing avoids ambiguity, ensures clarity and lessens the need for punctuation. Period The period (.) serves the following functions as shown in each example: To mark the end of a sentence Example: Close the door. To accentuate most abbreviations Examples: U.S., c.o.d. To separate integral and decimal numerals Examples: 3.75 percent, $3.75, 3.75 meters Ellipsis The ellipsis ( . . . ), three periods and two spaces, is used for the following functions as shown in each example: To indicate omitted material Example: "I pledge allegiance to the flag . . . and to the Republic. . ..") Comma The comma (,) serves the following functions as shown in each example: To separate various elements within a sentence and to indicate a slight pause Examples: When lightning struck, Bob Smith fainted. When lightning struck Bob, Smith fainted. To separate clauses Example: They fought the battle, but no one won. To separate a series Example: Neither snow, rain nor heat ... To set off attributions Example: "The work," he said, "was exacting and satisfying." To set off apposition or contrast Example: Wilson, the favorite, won handily. As used in the following examples, the comma is omitted before Roman numerals, Jr., Sr., the ampersand (&), the dash, in street addresses and Social Security numbers. Examples: Louis XIV, Joe James Jr., Smith &Co., 54321 Pine St., 123-45-6789. Newspaper usage has, inmost cases, eliminated the comma before "and" and "or" in a series, but a comma is still required before "and," "or" and other conjunctions in compound sentences. Note the following example: Example: Fish abounded in the lake, and the shore was lined with deer. Semicolon As used in the examples that follow, the semicolon (;) separates phrases containing commas to avoid confusion, separates statements of contrast and statements closely related. Examples: The party consisted of E. E. Wright; R. J. Kelly, his secretary; Mrs. Jordan; Martha Bowen, her nurse; and three accountants. (Without the semicolons, that could read as nine persons.) The draperies, which were ornate, displeased me; the walls, light blue, were pleasing. Yes; that is right. Colon As used in the following examples, the colon (:) precedes the final clause and summarizes previous material; introduces listings, statements and texts; marks discontinuity; and takes the place of an implied "for instance." Examples: States and funds allotted were as follows: Alabama $6,000, Arizona $14,000. The question came up: What does he want to do? The colon also is used in the following reamers and examples: In clock time Examples: 9:20 p.m., 10:30 a.m. In Biblical and legal citations Examples: Matt. 2:14, Missouri Statutes 3:234-432 Question Mark The question mark (?) follows a direct question. Occasionally, it is used to indicate uncertainty, as with some dates or identifications. In the latter use, it is enclosed in parentheses. Note the following examples: Examples: What happened to Dean? Columbus, an Italian (?) sailing for the Spanish crown, discovered America... Exclamation Point The exclamation point (!) is used to indicate surprise, appeal, incredulity or other strong emotion as in the following examples: Examples: You are wonderful! What! He yelled, "Help!" Apostrophe The apostrophe (') indicates the possessive case of nouns, omission of figures and contractions. Usually, the possessive of a singular noun not ending in "s" is formed by adding the apostrophe and the "s" as in the example that follows: Example: The boy's ball, but the boys' bats. The apostrophe is used in the following instances and examples: After plural possessives Examples: the girls' coats; the marines' rifles. In contractions Examples: I've, isn't, don't. In omission of figures Examples: '90s, Class of '22. The "s" is omitted and only the apostrophe used in "for conscience' sake" or in a sibilant double or triple "s" as Moses' tablet. As in the following examples, the apostrophe is not used to form plurals unless it is in the context of the exception shown: Examples: MiGs, P-3s, B-52s, ABCs. Exception: When a single letter is made plural, as in "mind one's p's and q's," the apostrophe is required. Quotation marks (" ") enclose direct quotations, phrases in ironical uses, slang expressions, misnomers and full titles of books, plays, poems, songs, lectures, speeches, hymns, movies, television, and so forth. As in the next example, use quotation marks around nicknames when a person's full name is used. Example: Paul "Bear" Bryant. Note the following examples in which the comma and period are placed inside the quotation marks. Other punctuation is placed inside quotation marks only when it is part of the matter quoted. Examples: Why call it a "gentlemen's agreement"? He asked, "Is the interview completed?" Parentheses Parentheses ( ) serve the following functions as shown in each example: To set off material not intended to be part of the main statement or that is not a grammatical element of the sentence, yet important enough to be included Examples: It is not customary (at least in the areas mentioned) to stand at attention. "That proposal," he said, "and one by (Prime Minister John) Major are being studied." To facilitate further identification that is not part of the official name Example: The Springfield (Virginia) Historical Society. To set off letters or figures in a series Examples: The order of importance will be (a) general acceptance, (b) costs and (c) opposition. The water is (1) tepid, (2) muddy from silt and (3) unpalatable. Dash As shown in each example, the dash ( - ) is used in the following cases: To indicate a sudden change and interjection Examples: The commander - do you know who I mean? - approved it. If that man gains control God forbid our troubles will have just started After dateline and before the first word of a story Example: NEW YORK - five people were injured. ... Note that a dash consists of two strokes of the hyphen (or minus sign) key on your computer keyboard. Hyphen The hyphen (-) is used to separate compound words, figures, abbreviations and figures, double vowels in some cases and to divide a word at the end of a line. The general rule for hyphens is that "like" characters take the hyphen; "unlike" characters do not. Note the following examples: Examples: Secretary-Treasurer (compound word); 20-20 vision (figures); bell-like (use a hyphen to avoid tripling a consonant). Other uses of the hyphen and examples are as follows: Adjectival use of hyphens must be clear. Examples: The 6-foot man eating shark was killed (the man was). The 6-foot man-eating shark was killed (the shark was). Ordinarily, in prefixes ending in vowels and followed by the same vowel, the hyphen is used. Example: pre-eminent. (Check dictionary for exceptions 'such as cooperate, coordinate, etc.) The hyphen also serves to distinguish between meanings of similarly spelled words. Example: recover (from illness), re-cover (couch). The hyphen separates a prefix from a proper noun. Examples: un-American, pre-Christian era Do not use a hyphen between "vice" and "president" or other such titles, or with adverbs ending in "ly." Note the following examples: Examples: badly damaged car, frilly informed public, newly elected official. |
 
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