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Punctuation

29 April, 2016 - 11:35

Punctuation marks are the traffic signals, signs, and indications that allow us to navigate the written word. They serve to warn us in advance when a transition is coming or the complete thought has come to an end. A period indicates the thought is complete, while a comma signals that additional elements or modifiers are coming. Correct signals will help your reader follow the thoughts through sentences and paragraphs, and enable you to communicate with maximum efficiency while reducing the probability of error.

Table "Table 13.1" lists twelve punctuation marks that are commonly used in English in alphabetical order along with an example of each.

Table 13.1 Punctuation Marks

Symbol

Example

Apostrophe

Michele’s report is due tomorrow.

Colon

:

This is what I think: you need to revise your paper.

Comma

,

The report advised us when to sell, what to sell, and where to find buyers.

Dash

This is more difficult than it seems—buyers are scarce when credit is tight.

Ellipsis

Lincoln spoke of “a new nation…dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Exclamation Point

!

How exciting!

Hyphen

-

The question is a many-faceted one.

Parentheses

( )

To answer it (or at least to begin addressing it) we will need more information.

Period

.

The answer is no. Period. Full stop.

Question Mark

?

Can I talk you into changing your mind?

Quotation Marks

“ ”

The manager told him, “I will make sure Renée is available to help you.”

Semicolon

;

Theresa was late to the meeting; her computer had frozen and she was stuck at her desk until a tech rep came to fix it.

 

It may be daunting to realize that the number of possible punctuation errors is as extensive as the number of symbols and constructions available to the author. Software program may catch many punctuation errors, but again it is the committed writer that makes the difference. Here we will provide details on how to avoid mistakes with three of the most commonly used punctuation marks: the comma, the semicolon, and the apostrophe.