Someone asked for a post on punctuation months ago. I haven’t gotten to it until now. My apologies. I’m using proper punctuation here because it’s meant to help. Most of this information is just what I remember learning. There are probably more uses for each section, but I can’t describe everything well enough. Keep in mind that this is American English, not British English. British English and American English have different words and rules. I learned English as a second language, yes, but I learned American English. Please be mindful of that as you continue.
Question marks ( ? ) are used to indicate a question. You don’t need a full stop when using a question mark.
Is that my shirt?
Why are you wearing my shirt?
Exclamation marks ( ! ) are used at the end of a sentence to indicate a strong feeling of emotion. They add emphasis to the sentence. You don’t need a full stop when using an exclamation mark.
I can’t believe it!
That’s amazing!
Semicolons ( ; ) can be used as a replacement for a period (full stop) when you have two closely linked independent clauses next to each other. Independent clauses can stand as their own sentences. They don’t necessarily need any extra information to make sense.
Call me tomorrow; you can give me an answer then.
You can also use a semicolon before words like however, but only when they introduce a complete sentence and when you put a comma after.
Bring any two items for the charity event; however, toiletries and shoes are in short supply.
Semicolons are also used when there are commas within a list.
We will be traveling to Rome, Italy; Nice, France; Madrid, Spain; and Berlin, Germany.
Colons ( : ) are not the same as a semicolon. They are explanations of different things. They may introduce a list, an explanation, or a quote. Colons can connect independent clauses with lists and nouns.
Here is what I need: paper, a ruler, paint, and a pen.
If there are two or more complete sentences following a colon, capitalize the beginning of each sentence.
My mom taught me three rules: Be honest. Be vigilant. Never hurt others.
Dashes ( — ) add emphasis, just as many other types of punctuation do. However, they can also change the tone of a sentence. They usually indicate a dramatic pause or an interruption of some sort.
You’re the one, the only one, I want to marry.
You’re the one—the only one—I want to marry.
Dashes can separate unnecessary information from the rest of a sentence.
Maria—my friend from tennis—got married on Wednesday.
Dashes can show an interruption in dialogue.
Eloise screamed, “Help! I need someone to help! My sister is fall—“
Dashes are also used to show a duration of time.
It is from 1:35–6:25.
Hyphens ( - ) bring words together.
They can connect individual words to make different phrases.
State-of-the-art.
Off-campus.
Hyphens can help to make new words, like original compound verbs.
Video-games.
Hyphens can also be used to connect two last names from different people.
Mary Smith-Johnson.
Arianna Rivera-Hughes.
Quotation marks ( “ “ ) are used most often in dialogue. Capitalize the first word if you have a complete quotation.
Marianna said, “There is nothing more unfortunate than a man who is too blind to see his faults but has eyes perfect for seeing women.”
If you are continuing a sentence, don’t capitalize the quoted material.
Marianna told us that it is “unfortunate” to see a man who is “too blind to see his faults but has eyes perfect for seeing women.”
Parenthesis ( ) are used to enclose clarifying information that isn’t necessary to understand the sentence. Periods go inside parenthesis when the whole sentence is in the parenthesis. Otherwise, the period goes outside.
Please read my research. (You'll be shocked.)
Please read my research (you'll be shocked).
Commas ( , ) can be used to separate a list of things.
We need to buy apples, blueberries, bananas, and strawberries.
I have been to Japan, Taiwan, Italy, and France.
The sentence above is also an example of the Oxford comma. This is the comma used before “and” in lists.
Without the Oxford comma: We need to buy apples, blueberries, bananas and strawberries.
With the Oxford comma: We need to buy apples, blueberries, bananas, and strawberries.
Commas are also used to to separate independent clauses that are joined by any of these conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
The performance was over, but the crowd refused to leave.
I spent an hour explaining the equation, yet my brother still didn’t understand.
Commas can also be used to separate nonessential or nonrestrictive clauses from the main clause.
The dog ran down the road, wagging its tail.
My brother, who used to be a teacher, is retiring in May.
Commas are also used to introduce and interrupt dialogue.
Marianne laughed, “I have never seen you so devastated. And for what? This?”
“I don’t understand,” Laura sniffled, “why you have such little empathy.”
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