Punctuation

Terresa Fontana, BSEd.,

MAEd.

High School English

Road S

igns

in

Wri

ting

End M

ark

sPeriodQuestion MarkExclamation Point

Period Declarative Sentence Gives a statement Imperative Sentence

Makes a command

End M

ark

s

Write a declarative sentence.

Write an imperative sentence.

End M

ark

s

Period Indirect Question Mentions asking someone

else a ?

Polite Request Command disguised as a

question

Abbreviations Organizations that are not

well-known

End M

ark

s

Give an example of an

indirect question.

Give an example of a polite

request disguised as a

question.

Name an organization

whose abbreviations should

have periods.

End M

ark

s

Question Mark Interrogative Sentence Asks a question

Write an interrogative

sentence.

End M

ark

s

Exclamation Point Exclamatory Sentence Surprise, fear, excitement

Strong command (imperative)

Write two exclamatory

sentences.End M

ark

s

Com

mas

• To join independent clauses (one comma)• WITH coordinating

conjunctions• and• but• or• nor• for• so• yet

Com

mas

Add commas as needed to the

following sentences.1) We are going to the mall

but we can’t watch a

movie.

2) I have to study so I can’t go

to the party.3) I am thirsty for I have been

talking too much.4) I study yet I don’t understand.

Com

mas

• To show words omitted (one comma)• Separate 3+ items• words• phrases• clauses

Com

mas

Add commas and delete words as

needed in the following sentences.1) I have homework in English

and Biology and Algebra and

History.2) I love to go shopping and to

eat pizza and to ride my

motorcycle to school.3) Mom said that we have to

buy school supplies then I

have to do my homework and

then I can go online to chat

with my friends.

Com

mas

• Between 2+ coordinate adjectives

before a noun (one comma)• coordinate = similarhappy, jolly elfcold, dark nightdamp, dank basement

Com

mas

Add commas only between coordinate adjectives in the following phrases.steel gray pipenarrow winding road

long tedious practicebrown-haired blue-eyed child

two oversized blueberry

muffins

Com

mas

• To avoid misreading (one comma)

Before we ate my brother John

prayed.

Let’s eat Grandma.

Com

mas

• To set off non-essential

elements (pair of commas)

• Non-essential• If removed, sentence makes

sense• Just gives extra info• If first/last in sentence, only

one comma used (no pair)• Appositive (AP) = noun follows

noun = explain/identify• Short = usually essential

• Participial phrases• Adjective clauses• Adverb clauses

Com

mas

Mrs. Fontana, my English

teacher, has two children. (AP

Phrase)

My son Steffan teaches

TaeKwonDo. (Essential AP)The boys, having finished their

homework, went outside to play.

(Part. Phrase)After I ran to the car, I

realized I had forgotten

my keys. (Adverb Clause)

Com

mas

• After a direct address• Person spoken to in

sentence• After interjection @ beginning of sentence• well, yes, no, etc.

• To set off parenthetical

expressions• in fact, indeed, I think,• however, of course, etc.

Com

mas

Add commas as needed to the following

sentences.1) Sara please set the table.

2) My sisters Carrie Sue and Maggie will be here for

dinner.

3) I do indeed need to finish my homework.

4) Of course if you don’t study you’ll probably fail.

5) If you eat at Chili’s be sure to order the chips and

salsa.

6) You’re doing fine Michael.7) My daughter Morgan graduated last year.

8) Yes I do believe Jesus is my Savior.

9) Please Marcus read on page 9 of your book.

Com

mas

• After introductory phrases/clauses • Only if NOT used as the

subjectExercising regularly is good

for your health.Exercising regularly, I

improved my health.

Com

mas

• Separate parts of addresses /

dates in a sentenceMarch 1994 = NO comma

March 23, 1994 = one comma

On March 23, 1994, Morgan was born.

= 2 commas!

• No comma btwn state + zip

codeEugene, Oregon 97404

• If no zip code, one comma

after the stateEugene, Oregon, is a nice town.

Com

mas

• After salutation (friendly letter)

Dear John,

With love,

Sem

icolo

n

• Between IND clauses

(that don’t have a comma + coord conj)• With coordinating conj• Commas within clauses

• Long clauses• With transitions

Sem

icolo

n

• Between items in a series that includes commasExample:I have visited Atlanta,

Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; and Jackson, Mississippi.

Colo

n

•Before listed items• Esp after “follows” / “following”• NOT before direct

object, indirect object, or object of preposition

Colo

n

• Before formally announced quotation

• Between IND clauses• When 2nd explains 1st

• Between chapter/verse

(Bible)• Between hour/minute• After salutation (business)

Dear Sirs:To Whom it May Concern:

Dash

•After a series / before a statement (opposite of colon)• To show stutter /

break in speech• To show emphatic parenthetical element

Pare

nth

ese

s•Brief confirming information•Confidential comments to reader

• Explanatory info (for clarity)

Bra

ckets• Editorial comments•As parentheses within parentheses

Quota

tion

Mark

s•Direct quotations (exact words of speaker)• Capitalize 1st word of

DQ• If interrupted, don’t capitalize 2nd part

Quota

tion

Mark

s

•Direct quotations (exact words of speaker)• Set off by punctuation• , or . = inside = .” or ,”• ; or : = outside = ”; or ”:

• ! or ? = depends• DQ = inside = !” or ?”• Not DQ = outside = ”! Or

”?• @ Begin 1st sentence /

end last sentence

Quota

tion

Mark

s

•New quotations for each new speaker• Titles of short works• Poems• Stories• Songs• Chapters• Articles• Single ‘quotation marks’ =

quote within a quote

Italic

s

• Titles of BIG works / things

• Books• Magazines• Newspapers• Plays• Art• Paintings• Sculptures• Long musical compositions

• Trains• Ships• Submarines• Air/Spacecraft

Italic

s

• Words, letters, numbers =

referred to as such• A’s• 3’s • the words affect and effect

• Foreign words/phrases (not

common in English)• NOT proper names

Hyp

hens

• Divide word at end of line

• Compound numbers

(twenty-one to ninety-nine)

• Fractions as adjectives• Two-thirds majority• NOT two thirds of the class

Apost

rophe

• Possessive case = Noun

• = ‘s or s’• NEVER with plural nouns

• Joint possession• Last word = ‘s• Tom and Sue’s dog• Tom’s and Sue’s cars

• Possessive case = indefinite pronouns• anybody’s• someone’s

Apost

rophe

• Show letters / #s omitted• don’t• you’re• ’90s• Pluralize letters/#s/signs/

words referred to as words• +’s -’s

and’s but’s

• NOT for years = 1990s

Road S

igns

in

Wri

ting

Punctuation

Terresa Fontana, BSEd.,

MAEd.

Kearny Christian Academy