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PUNCTUATION

1. FULL STOP/PERIOD (.): We use the full stop or comma in the following situations:

a) After we finish a sentence.

b) For abbreviations e.g. Mrs., or Mr.
c) Before a capital letter e.g. He was brave. His name was Lucas.

2. THE COMMA (,)

a) When there is a series of nouns e.g.

⇒ I brought bananas, apples, and peaches.
b) To separate independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction e.g.
⇒ We went to the campsite as soon as we arrived, but it was already full.
c) After introducing phrases or clauses e.g.
⇒ If tomorrow I have to travel, I’ll be two hours at work.
⇒ When I have a cold, I take an aspirin.
⇒ Because we had an exam, we were tired.
d) For appositions, to clear up something e.g.
⇒ President Kennedy, who was killed in 1962, was a democrat.
⇒ President Kennedy who believed in democracy, couldn’t reach peace.
e) Referring to a specific person or animal e.g.
⇒ Maria, stop doing that.

3. THE COLON (:)

a) For a salutation e.g.

⇒ Dear Sir: (Formal)
⇒ Dear Mary, (Informal)
b) Before mentioning a list, before listed items e.g.
⇒ The following items are required: a notebook, a pen, an erases, etc.
⇒ Namely:
⇒ As follows: first, cut the onions. Second, toast the meat.
c) To introduce a long, formal quotation e.g.
⇒ Marcus Aurelius offered sound advice: “Be not careless in deeds, nor confused in words,
nor rambling in thought.”
d) Use a colon between clauses of a compound, when the second clause explains the first clauses,
or amplifies it e.g.
⇒ Her intention is clear: she does not plan to obey.

4. THE SEMICOLON (;)

a) Between clauses of a compound sentence, if the coordinated conjunction is omitted e.g.

⇒ The polls close at five; we must hurry.
b) Before conjunctive adverbs like however, moreover, nevertheless, therefore, hence, thus. When
they connect clauses of a compound sentence e.g.
⇒ I shall try to convince him; however, I am not hopeful.
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⇒ The university closed very early; thus we couldn’t see books in the library.
⇒ The winners are: John Lake, Bedford, Virginia; Burt Clark, Aiken, South Ca; and Myron
Brown, Saint Diego, Ca.
c) To separate numbers in a series of commas within the series which cause confusion

5. THE DASH (–)

a) To separate ideas, clear up some terms, separate thoughts form narrative e.g.
⇒ He was American –or so I thought–
b) To embed an interruption of the main thought e.g.
⇒ He protested –it was a lie– that he had missed the meeting.

6. UNDERLING

a) Titles of books, newspapers, plays, musicals e.g.

⇒ I read War and Peace yesterday.
⇒ The Times
⇒ Cats
⇒ The Phantom of the Opera

7. QUOTATIONS/INVERTED COMMAS (“”)

a) To quote the direct speech or saying e.g.

⇒ He said: “I can’t do it.”
b) Titles of articles and technical expressions e.g.
⇒ “God moves in a mysterious way.”
c) To use technical words e.g.
⇒ “Robotics” is growing nowadays.

8. BRACKESTS/PARENTHESES ()

a) A thought inside another idea or main line e.g.

⇒ The Americans signed the Act (of Independence) very early.
b) When words are added to the idea or sentence e.g.
⇒ The king of pop music (Jackson) died in an estrange way.
c) Numbers or letters, to show order e.g.
⇒ 1), 2), 3), a), b), c)

9. APOSTROPHE (’)

a) For contractions e.g. don’t, aren’t

b) Possessive indicator e.g. the boy’s room.
c) Informal e.g. it’s time.