Punctuation

Punctuation

26Apostrophe ’ Used for contractions, plurals and possessives.
Examples

Contractions

: don’t, can’t, wouldn’t, it’s (it’s with the apostrophe means it is)

Plurals

: She got all A’s on her tests.
Possessives: That is the dog’s chew toy.
He sat on the teacher’s chair.

Note
Its (without the apostrophe) is the possessive form of it.
Example: The dog chewed its toy.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

27Brackets [ ] allow the insertion of editorial, clarification material inside quotations.
Examples
The witness stated that on the date in question [July 5th, 2021] she saw Mr Walker's vehicle at the parking garage of the mall.

28Braces { } also known as curly brackets, are used in various programming languages, certain mathematical expressions, and some musical notation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

29Colon : 1. is used to introduce a list of items. Do not, however, use a colon when the listed items are incorporated into the flow of the sentence.
Examples:
Correct: The student received high marks in three subjects: Math, English and Music.
Correct: The student received high marks in Math, English and Music.
Incorrect: The student received high marks: Math, English and Music.

2. The colon is used to separate two independent clauses when the second explains or illustrates the first.
Example: Remember to separate independent clauses: using a colon works.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

30Comma , Level 1     Used to indicate a pause that would occur if the sentence were spoken aloud.

Level 2     Commas are used in many different ways. These are some of the ways commas are used:
1. To set off an introductory word or phrase.
Example: Yes, this sentence has an introductory word.

2. To separate items in a list.
Example: We bought apples, grapes, oranges and bananas at the market.

3. To separate multiple adjectives that modify or describe the same noun.
Example: It was a dark, wet night.

4. To set off nonessential explanations.
Example: This sentence, though simple, illustrates the use of nonessential explanation between the commas.

There are many more uses for commas.

31   Level 3     Comma Splices and Run-ons
Avoid

comma splices

. A comma splice is the unjustifiable use of only a comma to combine two separate sentences. Instead, use either a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction and a comma to separate the two statements.
Example:
This sentence is a comma splice, it is incorrect. (This sentence is incorrect because the part before the comma is a sentence and the part after the comma is a sentence. The sentence contains two independent clauses.) We can fix this sentence.
1. Use a period: This sentence was a comma splice. It is now correct.
2. Use a semicolon: This sentence was a comma splice; It is now correct.
3. Use a coordinating conjunction and a comma: This sentence was a comma splice, but it is now correct.

Avoid

run-ons

. A run-on or fused sentence is two independent clauses that are not separated by any punctuation.
Example:
Run-on: This is a run-on sentence it is incorrect.
Revision: This was a run-on sentence; it is now correct.

32Ellipses . . . A set of three periods ( . . . ) indicating an omission. It can also represent a trailing off of thought or indicate hesitation.
Examples:
Trailing off of thought: What was I looking . . . Ah, I forgot now.
Hesitation: No, it wasn’t . . . well, I can’t be . . . it appeared real to me.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

33Exclamation Point ! or exclamation mark is used after exclamations and vehement commands.
Examples:
We won!
Get out!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

34Hyphens and Dashes - – —

Hyphen (-)

: Compound terms consist of more than one word but represent a single idea. Hyphenated compounds use hyphens between the words.
Example: check-in, free-for-all

En dash (–)

: The en dash is used to represent a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. There should be no space between the en dash and the adjacent material. Depending on the context, the en dash is read as “to” or “through.”
Example: The professor holds office hours every Thursday, 2:00 p.m.⁠–⁠4:00 p.m.

Em dash (—)

: Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons.
Example: This sentence—using em dashes for emphatic effect—illustrates how they can be used.

35Period . ends a sentence or indirect question. Periods are used with certain abbreviations.
Examples:

Sentence

: This sentence ends in a period.

Indirect question

: I wonder if this indirect question ends in a period.

Abbreviations

: a.m., p.m., Capt., Prof.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

36Parentheses ( ) (always used in pairs) allow a writer to provide additional information.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

37Question Mark ? is used at the end of a direct question. Indirect questions end in a period. A question mark is also used when a direct question occurs within a larger sentence.
Examples:
Direct question: Is this a question?
Indirect question: I wonder if this indirect question ends in a period.
Direct question in a larger sentence: The question, Should this direct question occurring in a larger sentence take a question mark? was answered.

38Quotation Marks (Double) “ ” are primarily used to indicate material that is being reproduced word for word. They have other important uses as well.
Example: “Everyone should have Notable+ books,” said the teacher.
Example: In his book The Elements of Style, William Strunk Jr. states, “In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

39Quotation Marks (Single) ' ' When double marks are used, single marks indicate a quotation within a quotation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

40Semicolon ; used to indicate a pause intermediate in value or length between that of a comma and that of a period. It is used to join two independent clauses in a sentence, and shows that the ideas in the two clauses are related.
Example:
This sentence has two independent clauses; a semicolon is used to join them.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

41Slash / also known as the virgule, has several uses, mainly as:
1. A shorthand for or e.g. (she/he)
2. Meaning per e.g. (45 km/h)
3. A dividing line in dates or fractions e.g. (9/14/2022, 1/2)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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