exploring punctuation

8/3/2019 Exploring Punctuation

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Exploring

Punctuation


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The Fourteen Punctuation Marks In

English The fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar are: 1. full stop, 2. question mark,

3. exclamation point, 4. comma, 5. semicolon, 6. colon, 7. dash, 8. hyphen, 9. parentheses, 10. brackets, 11. braces, 12. apostrophe, 13. quotation marks, and

14. ellipses.


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Semicolon

1) Between Two Independent

Clauses in a CompoundSentence

When two independent clauses are joined together withoutthe use ofa conjunction, then a semicolon must be used between the clauses.

Example: Mr. John has just created a new PowerPoint onpunctuation; this is the last PowerPoint in the English Proficiencyseries.

2) Between Complex or Lengthy Items in a Series

When presenting a series of three or more complex items (items thatcontain commas), a semicolon is placed between each item in thelist.

Example: My favorite punctuation marks are the semicolon, whichjoins independent clauses; the dash, which emphasizes explanatorynotes; and the colon, which introduces any variety of elements.


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End Punctuation

The punctuation marks used to signal the end of a sentence are thefull stop, the exclamation mark, and the question mark.

A full stop is used to terminate a sentence.

Example: All students should learn grammar.

An exclamation markis used when a person wants toexpress a sudden outcry or add emphasis.

Example:Within dialogue: Holy cow! screamed Jane.

To emphasize a point:My friend's pathetic jokes make meirritated!

A question markpresents the statement as a direct question.Example: Should all students learn grammar?


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Colon

In prose, a colon basically has one function: itintroduces. A colon

can introduce a word, a phrase,a sentence, a quotation, or even a list.

Examples:Mr. John is fanatical about one thing: grammar.Mr. John always says: Ifyou learn grammar now,

youre going to be much better off in university.

The class concentrated on three aspects of grammar:parts of speech, sentence structure, andpunctuation.


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DASH

The dash is essentially used to emphasize anexplanatory comment.

Two basic uses of the dash are discussed below.1) Inserting an Explanatory Comment within a Sentence

While one can use commas to set off explanatory comments, at times one might wish to usedashes to place special emphasis on such comments. For example, compare the followingsentences:

Mr. John a grammar fanatic, will announce the new mandatoryEnglish Proficiency Test inassembly this morning.

Mr. John a grammar fanatic will announce the new mandatory English Proficiency Testin assembly this morning.

Dashes can even be used to insert a complete sentence within another sentence.

Mr. John his students call him the Guru of Grammar will announce the new mandatoryEnglish Proficiency Test in assembly this morning.


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2) Adding a Comment to the End of a Sentence

A dash can allow one to attach material to the end of a sentence.The dash can elaborate on the noun preceding the dash:In assembly this morning, Mr. John will announce the date for

the Mandatory English Proficiency Test a new initiativeintended to promote writing skills in the senior school.

Or the dash can denote a shift in perspective:

Today in class, Mr. John decided to teach criminaladjudication procedures as opposed to lecturing aboutgrammar.

Final Note: Dashes should be used only when the writerwishes to show special emphasis. If they are used too often,then their capacity to show emphasis is diminished.


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Hyphen

A hyphen is used to connect words together to createcompound nouns and modifiers.

1) To avoid multiple letters. [reevaluate can be written re-evaluate]

2) If the root word is capitalized. [pre-Christmas, anti-European]

3) With specific prefixes and suffixes.[self-sacrificing, all-seeing, ex-wife, vice-chairman, president-elect]

4) To avoid ambiguity or awkward pronunciation.[un-ionized would otherwise be interpreted as unionized]

5) To form compound nouns. [sit-in, stand-out, Mother-In-Law]

6) In compound adjectives that modify nouns that they precede.[blue-chip company, devil-may-care attitude, up-to-the-minute news]

7) With fractions, as well as numbers between 21 and 99. [one-half, three-quarters, twenty-four, eighty-five]

8) Words that start with a capital letter [X-ray, T-shirt, U-Turn]


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Apostrophe

1) To Create Contractions

A contraction is simply two words collapsed into one. Examples ofcontractions:

cannot - cantdo not - dontit is - itswill not -wont

2) To Form PossessivesThe apostrophe is also used to denote the possessive. The possessive tells the

reader that an entity (person, institution, country) owns or possessessomething, or that a characteristic is attributed to something.

Examples of possessives:

Billys computer the accountants journal the corporations net income the nations GNP this years forecast


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Quotation Marks

Double Quotation marks are used to denotewhere another persons exact words (spoken orwritten) begin and end.

Mr. John said, Iintend to ensure that you allmaster English grammar before graduating.

Single quotation marks are used to quotesomeone who is quoting someone else.

Pal said, Good morning, Dave, recalled Frank.


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BRACKETS, BRACES, AND

PARENTHESES

Parentheses-() are curved notations used to containfurther thoughts or qualifying remarks.

For example:John and Jane (who are brother andsister) both have red hair.

Brackets are the squared off notations ([]) used fortechnical explanations.

Braces ({}) are used to contain two or more lines oftext or listed items to show that they are considered as a

unit. They are not common, but can be seen incomputer programming to show what should becontained within the same lines.

Ellipsesshould be used in writing or printing toindicate an omission, especially of letters or words.


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