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PUNCTUATION
RULES
Please note that some of the words below are in
bold print to help them stand out. Also, this is certainly not an
all-inclusive list of rules.
The rules below have been researched using numerous
sources. Some punctuation has more than one acceptable rule, and in those
cases I have tried to include the variations.
PERIOD
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Use a period at the end of a
sentence.
 | Example: I enjoyed the movie.
|
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Use a period after an initial.
| Example: M. E. Kerr is a
wonderful author.
|
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Use a period after an
abbreviation.
| Example: We welcomed Mrs.
Simmons to our team.
|
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Use a period as a decimal point.
| Example: The workers received
a 2.1 percent raise.
|
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Use a period to separate dollars
and cents.
| Example: The book cost $4.95.
|
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Use a period after each number in a list printed vertically.
|
Example: For the example, look at the lists on this
page.
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EXCLAMATION
POINT
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Use an exclamation point at the
end of sentence, phrase, or word to indicate strong emotion. (Never use more than one exclamation point.)
|
Example: Wow! I never thought
Mom would let us go to the concert!
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| Unacceptable: Wow!! I never
thought Mom would let us go to the concert!!!!!!
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QUESTION
MARK
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Use a question mark at the end of
a question.
| Example: Did Steven go with
you?
|
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Use a question mark at the end of a declarative statement
that you want to emphasize as not believing the statement.
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She's our new teacher?
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Use a question mark with parentheses to indicate that you
are not sure of a spelling or other fact.
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I have to visit an orthopeadic (?) doctor next week.
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COMMA
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Use a comma after each item in a
series of at least three items. (It has become acceptable to omit the comma before the conjunction in a
series. However, it is important to remain consistent.)
|
Example: I still need to take
a test, write an essay, and check out a book.
|
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Example: I dislike spinach,
broccoli, and cauliflower.
|
|
Acceptable: I dislike
spinach, broccoli and cauliflower.
|
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Use commas after the street
address and city in an address. (Do not use a comma after the state.)
| Example: The address is 1234
Apple Street, Midtown, Kansas 98765.
|
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Use a comma after the day and the
year in a date. (No commas are used in dates when using the MLA
style.)
| Example: Connie's birthday is
February 20, 1965.
|
| MLA version: Connie's
birthday is 20 February 1965.
|
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Use a comma to clarify large
numbers. Counting from right to left, a comma is needed after every 3 digits. This rule does not apply to years,
where no commas are used at all.
| Example: In 1998 the
population of Claremont was 23,899.
|
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Use a comma to set off an
interruption in the main thought of a sentence.
| Example: Rosa, of course,
will bring her folding chairs.
|
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Use a comma to separate two or
more adjectives that equally modify the same noun. (If you aren't sure
whether to use a comma to separate the adjectives or not, say the sentence
with the word and in place of the comma. If it makes
sense, then use the comma.)
| Example: Jill was having
problems with the unruly, disruptive children.
|
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Use a comma after a dependent
clause that begins a sentence. (Never use a comma before a dependent clause at the end of a sentence.)
| Example: If Mr. Wilson
complains, we'll invite him for a snack.
|
| Example: We'll invite Mr.
Wilson for a snack if he complains.
|
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Use a comma before the conjunction
in a compound sentence. However, if the two independent clauses are
very short, you do not need the comma.
| Example: We had a lot of fun,
so I'll have another party soon.
|
| Example: She spoke and I took notes.
|
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When quoting, put a comma to the
left of a quotation mark that does not already have a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
(It is much easier to remember this rule than to worry about
"inside" and "outside".)
| Example: Ariel said, "I
knew you would win the contest."
|
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Use a comma after a mild interjection, such as oh
or well.
|
Example: Oh, the test was not that difficult.
|
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Use a comma after a noun of direct address.
|
Example: Kodi, didn't I ask you to clean your room?
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Use a comma after the greeting in a personal letter.
|
Example: Dear Aunt Sheila,
|
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Use a comma after the closing of a letter.
|
Example: Sincerely,
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Use a comma to indicate where a pause is necessary in order
to avoid confusion. (Sometimes rewriting the sentence is a better
choice.)
|
Example: After Kelly, Jennifer gets a turn.
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|
Example: Maria came in, in quite a hurry.
|
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Use a comma after an appositive. (An appositive is a noun or
noun phrase that gives additional information about the noun that it
follows. Do not use a comma after a restrictive appositive, which is
one that cannot be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning of
the sentence.)
|
Example: Wesley, my brother, is an optician.
|
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Use a comma to set off the abbreviation etc.
|
Example: I went to the store to get napkins, plates, cups,
forks, etc.
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SEMICOLON
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Use a semicolon to join two
independent clauses. (This eliminates the need for a comma
and a conjunction.)
| Example: Casey read a book;
then he did a book report.
|
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Use a semicolon to separate items
in a series when those items contain punctuation such as a comma.
| Example: We went on field
trips to Topeka, Kansas; Freedom, Oklahoma; and
Amarillo, Texas.
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COLON
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Use a colon between numerals
indicating hours and minutes.
| Example: School starts at
8:05 a.m.
|
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Use a colon to introduce a list that appears after an
independent clause. (Introductory words such as following
go somewhere before the colon to help introduce the list.)
| Example: You need the
following items for class: pencil, pens, paper, ruler, and glue.
|
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When mentioning a volume number and page number, use a colon
between the two items.
|
Example: You will find information about Mexico in Grolier
Encyclopedia 17:245.
|
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Use a colon after the greeting of a business letter.
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Example: Dear Sir:
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Use a colon between the title and subtitle of a book.
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Example: Reading Strategies That Work: Teaching Your
Students to Become Better Readers is an excellent resource.
|
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Use a colon between the chapter and verse numbers for parts
of the Bible.
|
Example: Please read Genesis
1:3.
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APOSTROPHE
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Use an apostrophe in a contraction
to show where letters have been omitted, or left out.
| Example: I don't think I can
do this. (The apostrophe shows that the letter
|
Use an apostrophe when you leave out the first two numbers
of a year.
|
She was in the class of '93.
|
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For a singular noun that does not
end in -s, add 's.
| Example: The lady's hands
were trembling.
|
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For a one syllable singular noun
that ends in possessive.
| Example: It is my boss's
birthday today.
|
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If a singular noun has more than
one syllable and ends in -s it is acceptable to use 's
OR to use
only an apostrophe after the -s. (It is important to remain
consistent.)
| Example: The metropolis's
citizens were very friendly during our visit.
|
| Acceptable: The metropolis'
citizens were very friendly during our visit.
|
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To form the possessive of a
singular proper noun ending in -s, it is acceptable to add 's OR to add
only an apostrophe. (It is important to remain consistent.)
| Example: Mr. Ness's classroom
is very inviting.
|
| Acceptable: Mr. Ness'
classroom is very inviting.
|
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If a plural noun ends in -s, add an apostrophe
after the -s.
| Example: The ladies' restroom
was a mess.
|
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If a plural noun does not end with
an -s, form the possessive by using an apostrophe before an -s.
| Example: The mice's tails
were caught in a trap.
|
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For a compound noun, place the
possessive ending after the last word.
| Example: My mother-in-law's
car was in the garage during the hail storm.
(singular)
|
| Example: My brothers-in-law's
cars were damaged in the hail storm. (plural)
|
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To show possession of the same object by more than
one noun, only make the last noun in the series possessive.
| Example: I'm looking for Mrs.
Garcia, Mrs. Lee, and Miss Carter's office. (They all
share the same office.)
|
| Example: I'm looking for Mrs.
Garcia's, Mrs. Lee's, and Miss Carter's offices.
(Each person has her own office.)
|
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Use an apostrophe to form the
plural of a number, letter, sign, or word used as a word.
| Example: Check to see that
you used the +'s and -'s correctly.
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QUOTATION
MARKS
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Use quotation marks before and
after a direct quote. If the speaker tag interrupts the quoted material, then two sets of
quotation marks are needed. However, do not put quotation marks around the speaker tag.
| Example: "I think my leg
is broken," Jesse whimpered.
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| Example: Did Mrs. Steele just
say, "We are going to have a test today"?
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| Example: "I can't
move." Maria whispered, "I'm too
scared."
|
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Put quotation marks around the
titles of short works, such as articles, songs, short
stories, or poems.
| Example: Have you heard the
song "Love Me Tender," by Elvis Presley?
|
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Place quotation marks around
words, letters, or symbols that are slang or being discussed
or used in a special way. (Underlining can be
used for the same purpose.)
| Example: I have a hard time
spelling "miscellaneous."
|
| Example: I have a hard time spelling miscellaneous.
|
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Use single quotation marks for
quotation marks within quotations.
|
Example: "Have your read
the poem, 'The Raven,' by Edgar Alan Poe?" I
asked Chris. |
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Any punctuation used goes to the left
of a quotation mark. However, if the punctuation is used to punctuate the whole sentence and not just
what is inside the quotation marks, then it goes to the right.
| Example: Have you read the poem, "Anabel
Lee"?
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ELLIPSIS
-
Use an ellipsis to indicate a
pause.
| Example: You mean ... I ...
uh ... we have a test today?
|
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Use an ellipsis to indicate
omitted words in a quotation.
| Example: "Then you'd
blast off ... on screen, as if you were looking out
... of a spaceship."
|
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If the ellipses comes at the end of your sentence, you still
need end punctuation, even it is a period.
|
I listened carefully as the teacher read Lincoln's inaugural
address. "Four score and seven years ago ...."
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HYPHEN
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Use a hyphen in compound numbers
from twenty-one to ninety-nine.
| Example: The final score was
seventy-eight to sixty-two.
|
-
Use a hyphen between the numbers
in a fraction.
| Example: I only used
three-fourths of the flour you gave me.
|
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Use a hyphen to form some compound words, especially
compound adjectives that appear for the nouns they modify.
| Example: The court took a ten-minute recess.
|
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Use a hyphen to join a capital
letter to a word.
| Example: I had to have my arm
X-rayed.
|
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Use a hyphen to show a family relationship, except
"grand" and "half."
|
Example: My sister-in-law helps take care of my
great-aunt.
|
|
Example: We are going to go visit my grandparents
while we are in town.
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Example: Connie just found out that she has a half
sister.
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DASH
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Use a pair of dashes to indicate a
sudden interruption in a sentence. (One handwritten dash is twice as long as a hyphen. One typewritten
dash is one hyphen followed by another.)
| Example: There is one
thing--actually several things--that I need to tell
you.
|
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Use a dash to attach an
afterthought to an already complete sentence.
| Example: Sarah bought a new
pet yesterday--a boa constrictor.
|
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Use a dash after a series of
introductory elements.
| Example: Murder, armed
robbery, assault--he has a long list of felonies on
his record.
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PARENTHESES
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Use a set of parentheses around a
word or phrase in a sentence that adds information or makes an idea more clear. (Punctuation is placed
inside the parentheses to mark the material in the parentheses. Punctuation is placed outside
the parentheses to mark the entire sentence. When the material in
parentheses is longer than one sentence [such as this information], then the
punctuation for the final sentence is placed inside the
parentheses.)
| Example: Your essay (all nine
pages of it) is on my desk.
|
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Do not use parentheses within parentheses. Use
brackets in place of the inner parentheses.
|
Example: Please refer to Julius Caesar (Act IV,
scene i [page 72]).
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BRACKETS
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Use brackets around around words of your own that you add to
the words of someone you are quoting.
| Example: The news anchor announced, "It is my sad
duty to inform our audience that we are now at war [with Iraq]."
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UNDERLINING (OR ITALICS)
|
It is more acceptable to use italics when available.
|
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Underline titles of long works
such as books, magazines, albums, movies, etc. (Do not
underline end punctuation.)
| Example: We use The Language Handbook
to study grammar.
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| Example: We use The Language Handbook to
study grammar.
|
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Underline foreign words which are
not commonly used in everyday English.
| Example: If you look closely,
you'll see e pluribus on most U.S. currency.
|
| Example: If you look closely,
you'll see e pluribus on most U.S. currency.
|
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Underline a word, number, or
letter which is being discussed or used in a special way. (Quotation marks can be used for the same
purpose.)
| Example: Remember to dot
every i and cross every t.
|
| Example: Remember to dot
every i and cross every t.
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S
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Grammar and punctuation rules evolve over time, and spacing
rules are no exception. I was taught how to type in the days before
computers. I learned to use two spaces after a period, and I find it
very difficult to do otherwise. It is now acceptable (some would say
required) to use only space after a period. I teach my students that
consistency is the key. For more information on the "new
rules" visit Chattanooga
Writers Guild. This is an informative article. It makes a good
argument for using one space, but this old dog is having problems learning
that new trick. I'll stick to two spaces. I don't think it will
bother you any; you've made it to the bottom of this page, and I used two
spaces after every period. |
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