Common Punctuation Rules

COMMA
1. Before and, or, but, for, nor, yet when they join two independent clauses.
Ex-	The day was bright and warm, but we had no time to go to the beach.
		She raised her hand timidly and answered the question in a small voice.

2. Between the items of a series, if more than three series and without "and". 
Ex-	We were served brie soup, green salad, seafood crepes, and raspberry cheesecake.
		The cake ingredients included sugar and butter and eggs and flour.
She rushed into the house, up the strains, and into her room.
    
   NOTE: use a combination of commas and semi-colons in a series with two              
   levels of rank. 

Ex-	Our group was made up of many doctors: Jon Doe, pediatrician; Jeff More, podiatrist; Joe Goe, gynecologist.

3. Between coordinate adjectives preceding a noun.
Ex-	A tall, dark, handsome gentleman...
	The dark, cold, drafty room…

Note:   The two tests for COORDINATE adjectives.
1. Insert and between the adjective
2. Reverse the order of the adjective
3. Exception: two or more adjective indicates SIZE must have no comma.
"tall fat boy". 

4. After introductory modifiers, especially if they are lengthy.
A. Adverbial clause-   Although we are scheduled to leave Friday evening, we
            may change our plan.
B. Verbal phrases-       To get to class early, he had to set his alarm for nine o' click.
			            Running to the edge of the precipice, he yelled to his 
                                      companions to follow. 
C. Absolute elements In fact, there was no way to keep the door closed.
			Well, we are not in danger.
			Certainly, I'll put a chair against it.
D. Prepositional phrases of five or more wards
At the end of the day, we often retire to the porch to talk and enjoy the gloaming.
 
5. Between any two words that be mistakenly read together.
Ex-	While we were eating, the table collapsed.

6. Nonrestrictive adjective clauses and phrases.
Ex-	A building that needs immediate renovations is Keeney Hall.
	Kenney Hall, which needs immediate renovations, is the oldest building on campus.
	My oldest brother, Rick, is water safety instructor.
    	My brother Pat is living in California.

7. Most appositives.
Ex-	The colonel, a friend of many years, will be visiting with us.

8. Absolute phrases.
Ex-	The cat being away, the mice will play.
       My work having been finished, I went shopping.

9. Parenthetical expressions.
Ex-	The essay, moreover, had not been carefully read.
       My work having been finished, I went shopping.
	His appearance, I must say, was not appropriate.

10. Words used in direct address.
Ex-	I admit, Susan, we were rather uncertain of our welcome.

11. Expressions designating the speakers in a direct quotation.
Ex-	"That must do," he said, "until we think of something better."

12. Negative insertions.
Ex-	Our plane was a DC-3, not the jet we had chartered.

13. Units out of position and short interrogative clauses.
Ex-	Tired and footsore, the hikers reached camp.
	You had a good time, don't you?

14. Degrees and titles when they follow the name.
Ex-	Henry Lyle, Ph.D., gave the opening address.
	The new ambassador is Peter Jones, Esq.

15. In dates and address.
Ex-	On May 25, 1985, We were married; and we moved to 21 Wilson Street 
Yukon, Alaska 32909.

SEMI-COLON
1. To separate independent clauses NOT joined by a coordinating conjunction.
Ex-	The ability to take infinite pain is the mark of the genius; the ability 
to delegate those pains to subordinates is the mark of the executive.

2. To separate elements with internal comma.
Ex-	Three instructions, as I have told you, are of the extreme importance; and you will be expected to follow them explicitly.

3. In series with two levels of rank.
Ex-	Our group was made up of many doctors: Jon Doe, pediatrician; Jeff More, podiatrist; Joe Goe, gynecologist.

PERIOD
1. To mark the end of a declarative or imperative sentence.
Ex-	AT&T carries on a great deal of scientific research.
	Gorge, go feed the ferret.

2. To mark the end of an indirect question.
Ex-	Frances asked whether we had received or not.

3. To punctuate abbreviations.
Ex-	Mr. Mrs. Dr. Ave. St. ft.  A.D.  B.C. J.r  etc. in. Jan. III. A.M.

4. Abbreviations of some names of organizations omit period.
Ex-	NATO, CARE, WASECO, SEATO, UNESCO

5. To separate dollars from cents in sums of money.
Ex-	$21.00   $612.87

6. To mark a decimal fraction.
Ex-	Ivory soap is said to be 99.44% pure.

7. An ellipsis (…) is used to indicate words are omitted.
Ex-	"Run to the store…go buy the cleaners…call me when you get back," 
chattered Jane.
  

QUESTION MARK
1. To conclude every direct question.
Ex-	When is the Spring Break this year?

2. To conclude a sentence consisting of a declaration followed by a short, dependent question.
 	Ex-	That's your third piece of a sentence, isn't it?

3.    To punctuate questions which occur in the middle of sentences.
Ex-	The speaker of the House said- or did I misunderstand him?-that the Legistlature passed the tax hike.


EXCLAMATION MARK
1. To express STRONG emotion.
Ex-	Help! FIRE! FIRE!
	"Get the police!" she yelled.

DASH
1. To introduce a list where a mark less formal than the colon is wanted.
Ex-	Jane had a world of qualities-sweetness, understanding, warmth, and vivacity-and wanted to get mined.

2. To introduce a summarizing statement after an enumeration.
Ex-	Jane had sweetness, understanding, warmth, and vivacity-in a word, charm.

3. To indicate an abrupt change in the thought or structure of a sentence.
Ex-	Celeste is too pure, too native, too sensitive-oh , how shall I say it? - for life in a brothel.

4. To separate a parenthetical statement from the rest of the sentences.
Ex-	I still have to put-I hate these sheets-the lines on the guest bed. 


COLON
1. To introduce a formal listing.
Ex-	He was told he must cultivate three qualities for the job: fairness, perseverance, and discretion.

2. To introduce a formal question or explanation.
Ex-	In describing the effects of love on a person, one should not overlook Shakespeare's words: "A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind /A lover's ears will hear the lowest sound."
	He told us exactly what we wanted to hear: that the factory would open soon and immediately resume full-time production.

3. After the formal salutation in a letter; in time notations; between the title and subtitle of a book; in biblical references.
Ex-	Dear Sir:
4:45　P.M.
Walt Whitman: A Study in Realism.
Genesis 3:4-6

QUATATION MARK
1. To enclose a direct question in dialogue.
Ex-	"I am simply mad about Proust," said Paula, "He wonderful insight into a woman's mind."

2. To enclose a quotation not a part of a dialogue.
   	See Colon #2

3. To enclose words used as words (Italics are used similarly)
Ex-	The word "lady" is of Old English origin and may be derived from a word which meant "the breadmaker."

4. To enclose titles of stories, poems, essays, works of art, parts of books, and article.
Note: Use Italic for title of books, magazine, newspapers, name of ships, 
long musical compositions, plays, and book-length poem.

5. To enclose slang expressions used in special sense.
Ex-	He prefers to talk to his "punk" friends instead of to mine.

6. Single (') quotations marks are used INSIDE double quotation marks.

7. Use Italics for foreign words and phrases not yet considered part of standard English.
Ex-	For some reason she always treated him as if he were persona non grata.

APOSTROPHE
1. To from the possessive of nouns and indefinite pronouns.
Ex-	The car's lights…
Jon's book…
Somebody's umbrella…
Gus' boat

2. To note omitted letters in a contraction.
Ex-	does not   	doesn't
 You will 	You'll
 
3. To form the plural of letters and some abbreviations.
Ex-	We had several A's on the exam.

Note: the trend is to use only the s.

PCs, 1990s
      Note:  never use an apostrophe to form the plural of a common or proper noun. 
		Flowers, two Susans



HYPHEN
1. Use to divide a word at the end of a line. ( A hyphen is used only between syllables.)
Ex-	con-nect, up-lifting

2. Use to join compound modifiers preceding a noun.
Ex-	good-humored laugher
		Well-formed teapot

3. Use to clarify an exact meaning.
Ex-	I asked the bank teller for twenty-dollar bills.
		Instead, I was given twenty dollar-bills.

4. Use for compound numbers and fractions.
Ex-	thirty-six, one-third, one hundred million.

5. Use to clarify awkward prefixes and suffixes.
  Ex-	re-creation, recreation, anti-intellectual.