punctuation

There are some marks or symbols that play a very important role in our written language. They create the real meaning of a sentence. These marks or symbols that are used correctly to separate words, phrases or sentences are called punctuation marks.

 

Capital Letters (ABCD……)

We use a capital letter in the following situations:

• As the first letter to mark the beginning of a sentence. For example, The school starts in August.
• At the beginning of proper nouns. For example, Rachael lives in Texas.
• The pronoun I is always a capital letter. For example, I am Harry
• Titles of books, magazines and newspapers, plays and music. For example, ‘Oliver’ is a musical based on the novel ‘Oliver Twist’ by Charles Dickens.

Full Stop (.)

• We use a full stop to end a statement, or a request or command. For example, I wake up early in the morning.
• In addition to closing sentences, we also use full stops in initials for personal names. For example, David A. Johnson
• Full stops are also used after abbreviations, although this practice is becoming less common. For example, Dr. (doctor), Prof. (professor), Arr. (arrival), etc. (etcetera)

Question Mark (?)

• We use a question mark at the end of an asking sentence – where a question is asked. For example, Where are you going?

Exclamation mark (!)

• We use an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence that shows a strong feeling. For example, Congratulations!

Comma (,)

• We use a comma for listing three or more different things. The comma separates words in a list. For example, Washington, California, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Barcelona
• We do not normally use a comma before and at the end of a list of single words. For example, They traveled through France, Spain, Italy, and Germany.
• American English does use a comma in lists before ‘and’.  For example, We took bread, cheese, and juice with us.
• We use commas to separate words or phrases that mark where the voice would pause slightly. For example, I can’t tell you now. However, the result will be out soon.
• When main clauses are separated by ‘and’ or ‘but’, we don’t normally use a comma if the clauses have the same subject. However, we sometimes use commas if the clauses have different subjects.

For example,

They were very friendly and invited us to their villa in Spain. (same subject).

It was an expensive hotel in the center of Munich, but we decided it was worth the money. (different subjects)

• When a subordinate clause comes before the main clause, we commonly use a comma to separate the clauses. However, we do not always do this in short sentences. For example, If you get lost in the mall, please don’t hesitate to text or phone us.

• When we use subordinate or non-finite comment clauses to give further details or more information, we commonly use commas to separate the clauses. For example, You do need to wear a brighter cardigan, if I may say so.

• We use commas to mark non-defining clauses. Such clauses normally add extra, non-essential information about the noun or noun phrase. For example, The fire engine, which arrived after just five minutes, extinguished the building fire immediately.

• We commonly separate tags and yes-no responses with commas. For example, They are going to the party, aren’t they?

• We also usually separate vocatives, discourse markers and interjections with commas. For example, 

Open the door for them, Barack, can you. Thanks. (vocative)

Well, what do you think we should do about it? (discourse marker)

Wow, that sounds really exciting. (interjection)

• We use commas to show that direct speech is following or has just occurred. For example, The teacher said to the class, ‘Now is the time to prepare for the upcoming exams.’ (or The teacher said to the class: ‘Now is the time to prepare for the upcoming exams.’)
• When the direct speech is first, we use a comma before the closing of the quotation marks. For example, ‘We don’t want to get late again,’ he said impatiently.
• To separate multiple adjectives describing the same noun, if you can reverse the order of the adjectives or insert “and” between the adjectives. For example, I have a small, white cat.

Colon (:) and semicolon (;)

• We use colons to introduce lists. For example, There are three main reasons for the success of the team: cooperation, knowledge, and motivation.
• We also use colons to indicate a subtitle or to indicate a subdivision of a topic. For example, Life in Nature: A Personal View
• We often use colons to introduce direct speech. For example, Then he said: ‘I really cannot come to the party tonight.’
• We commonly use a colon between sentences when the second sentence explains or justifies the first sentence. For example, Try to keep your home clean and tidy: it will create positive energy.
• We use semi-colons instead of full stops to separate two main clauses. In such cases, the clauses are related in meaning but are separated grammatically. For example, Spanish is spoken throughout South America; in Brazil the main language is Portuguese.

Semi-colons are not commonly used in contemporary English. Full stops and commas are more common.

Quotation marks (‘……’ or “…..”)

In direct speech, we enclose what is said within a pair of single or double quotation marks, although single quotation marks are becoming more common. The direct speech begins with a capital letter and can be preceded by a comma or a colon.

Example: 

She said, “Where can we find a nice Italian restaurant?” (or She said: ‘Where can we find a nice Italian restaurant?’)

We can put the reporting clause in three different positions. Note the position of commas and full stops here. 

Example: 

The fitness trainer said, “Don’t try to do too much when you begin.” (quotation mark after comma introducing speech and after a full stop)

“Don’t try to do too much when you begin,” the fitness trainer said. (comma before closing quotation mark)

“Don’t try to do too much,” the fitness trainer said, “when you begin.” (commas separating the reporting clause)

When we use direct speech inside the direct speech, we use either single quotation marks inside double quotation marks or double quotation marks inside single quotation marks:

Example: 

Nic said, ‘They were getting really excited and were shouting “Come on!”’.

Nic said, “They were getting really excited and were shouting ‘Come on!’”.

We commonly use question marks inside the quotation marks unless the question is part of the reporting clause.

Example: 

‘Why don’t they all go to London?’ they asked.

So did they really say ‘We will meet every day at 8:00 am for the next 10 days’?

We also use single quotation marks to draw attention to a word. We can use quotation marks in this way when we want to question the exact meaning of the word.

Example: 

This was a ‘new approach’ to solve the problem. Has it never been used before?

Articles or chapters within books, or titles of short stories, are normally punctuated by single quotation marks.

Example: 

The most interesting chapter in the book is called ‘A riddle to solve’.

We sometimes use quotation marks to refer to the titles of books, newspapers, magazines, films, songs, poems, videos, CDs, etc:

Example: 

There’s a special mention of this in a report in ‘The Daily Mail’.

We can use italics instead of quotation marks for these citations:

There’s a special mention of this in a report in The Daily Mail.

Apostrophe (‘)

We use an apostrophe to show whom a thing belongs to.

-s is added to a singular noun after the apostrophe to show whom a thing belongs to.

Examples:

Dad’s laptop

Mom’s comb

Fanny’s bag

Only an apostrophe is added to a plural noun that ends with –s, to show whom a thing belongs to.

Examples:

Boys’ team

Dogs’ food

- s is added after the apostrophe to a plural noun that does not end with –s

Examples:

Men’s party

Feet’s skin

Do not use an apostrophe with possessive personal pronouns like yours, his, hers, ours, theirs, whose, its

Apostrophes are also used in contractions (two words which have been combined into one) to mark where the missing letter or letters would be.

Examples:

I am = I’m

I have = I’ve

Cannot = can’t

Let us = Let’s

They are = They’re

You are = You’re

Hyphens

Use hyphens with compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine and with fractions used as modifiers (adjectives).

Example

Forty-two students

Two-thirds majority

Three thousand five hundred and sixty-five students

Use hyphens in a compound adjective only when it comes before the word it modifies. There are exceptions; look up compound adjectives in the dictionary if you are unsure whether or not to hyphenate them.

Example

A well-renowned author

A self-made man

Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex-, self-, and all-; with the suffix elect-; and with all prefixes before a proper noun or proper adjective.

Example

All-star

Ex-mayor

Self-image

Non-European

Senator-elect

Use a hyphen with compound phrases. Note: When describing ages, phrases that function as adjectives will use hyphens, while numbers as adjectives will not use hyphens.

Example

The nine-year-old boy meaning he is nine years old

Sister-in-law

All-or-nothing

Up-to-date

Soon-to-be

Also, note how hyphens can change the meaning, and use them accordingly.

Re-dress (to dress again)

Redress (to remedy or set right)

Re-press (to iron again)

Repress (to keep at bay)

A hot-water bottle (a bottle for holding hot water)

A hot water bottle (a bottle of water that is hot)

Parentheses

Parentheses set off elements within a sentence that are related to the sentence but nonessential.

Parentheses set off additions or expressions that are not necessary to the sentence. They tend to de-emphasize what they set off. They are often seen as less academic in tone. For example, We visited European countries (France, Spain, and England) on our last trip.

Parentheses can enclose figures in a sentence. For example, Relationships are based on (1) respect, (2) trust and (3) love.