Punctuation S

Punctuation: Punctuation marks are signals to the readers. In speaking, we can pause, stop, or change our tone of voice. In writing, we use the following marks of punctuation to emphasize and clarify what we mean.

The Comma (,) • The Comma is a punctuation mark used to indicate a slight division between different parts of a sentence or to indicate a small break in the sense of continuity within a sentence.

The Comma is used • To separate the items of a list shoes, socks, shirts • Between clauses when the subjects of the clauses are different Jim bought a tie, and Hilary bought a scarf • To cut off exclamation , parentheses from the rest of the sentence Oh, what a pity you didn’t catch him!

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To separate two or more adjectives: She is a young, energetic and enterprising lady • To prevent ambiguous, confused and awkward readings: Hundred yards below, the bridge was flooded. Waleed, our milkman, has been hurt.

• Before and, but, or, nor, for, yet when they join independent clauses: He sold his car, and his wife was angry. • To set off expressions that interrupt the sentence: The man, you say has gone. His father , the president of the company will be responsible.

• Use of comma to mark an inversion: Myself , I will vote in favor of it. Being ignorant of the facts of the situation, I could say nothing. • In following cases: – In figures - 22,425 – In names followed by titles - S. K. Waris, D.C. – In letters - Dear Hamid, – After yes or no - Yes, I ‘ll do it.

The Colon (:)is used • To introduce a list For this recipe you will need the following ingredients: eggs, rice, sugar and butter • To introduce a quotation or lengthy items of direct speech Keats wrote: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”; and critics have been arguing about it ever since.

• To mark a dramatic break between two main clauses Man proposes: God disposes They cannot win : We cannot lose • To introduce a clause that explains a statement made in an earlier clause The reasons for the success of the play are obvious: it has an engaging plot, witty dialogues and a powerful theme.

• Between hours and minutes 3:30 4:15 • Between chapters and verses when referring to passages from the holy books Genesis 4:2 • Between volumes and numbers Forum 22:4

The Semicolon (;) • Semi colon is a mark of separation. • The semicolon is a punctuation mark halfway between a comma and a full stop.

The semi colon is used • To divide statements which are separated but which are still very closely connected The first present that she opened was a box of handkerchiefs; the second was a box of chocolate.

• To separate items in a list when these are phrases rather than single words The weather was showing its most wintry face: dark storm clouds that rode fiercely across the sky; gusts of violent wind that rattled the window panes; the touch of ice in the air that made the flesh shiver.

• To separate elements in a series when they contain internal punctuations Accessories of this model include; supplementary lenses, ranging from 28 mm to 400 mm; dedicated electronic flash; filters, both for color and black-and-white film; an aluminum-framed hold-all.

Exclamation Marks (!) Exclamation marks are used for • Words used as exclamation Oh! Wow! • Sentences using ‘how’ or ‘what’ exclamation How senseless you are! What a nuisance you are! • Sentences expressing strong feeling Stop thief!

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Question Mark (?) Question marks indicate a question. Have you heard the news? What do you want?

Quotation Marks (“”) • Quotation marks are used to enclose a direct quotation. The lawyer said, “Are you ready to sign the contract?” • Single quotation marks are used to enclose a quotation within a quotation. The policeman asked Bill, “Did you say, ‘I heard a noise in the basement’?”

Brackets • Round Brackets ( ) are used to enclose additional information or explanations. Hardy’s long life (1840 – 1928) spanned the reigns of three monarchs. • Square Brackets [ ] are used to indicate that a word or words included in quoted matter are not part of the original material. Johnson answered, “ I have no doubt that they [the poems of Ossian] are forgeries.”

The Hyphen (-) is used • To join two or more words that are regarded as a compound word mother-in-law self-made arm-chair • To indicate that an unfinished word at the end of a line is completed at the beginning of the next line. The scientists are still looking for the answer.

The Dash ( _ )is used • As a pause mark before an explanation They sold their heirlooms _ furniture, pictures, books. • To separate a ‘summing up’ from the items preceding it. The gearbox, transmission, suspension _ all constitute a revolutionary design concept. • To stress a word or a phrase at the end of a sentence. In the whole world there is only one person he really admires _ himself.

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE The apostrophe has only a handful of uses, but these uses are very important. A misplaced apostrophe can be annoying. The apostrophe is used: • 1. to create possessives • 2. to show contractions • 3. to create some plural forms

The apostrophe is used to create possessive forms for singular and plural nouns, especially nouns referring to people. the mayor’s car, my father’s beard Kashif’s brother, Naveed’s habits

When a noun already ends in “s,” you can decide whether or not to use another “s” after the apostrophe. Charles’s car OR

Charles’ car

With multi syllabic words, do not add another “s” after the apostrophe. • Dumas’ second novel, Jesus’ birth, Socrates’ ideas, Illinois’ legislature

To form the possessive of an inanimate object, we are usually better off using an “of phrase,” but the apostrophe possessive is not impossible, especially with expressions of time and in personifications. The smell of the greasepaint, a year’s salary, my heart’s desire, your dollar’s worth, the paper’s conclusion

To form the possessive of a plural noun, we pluralize first and then add the apostrophe. The Kennedys’ house The children’s playhouse The travelers’ expectations Notice that with an irregular plural, the apostrophe will come before the “s.”

A contraction allows us to blend sounds by omitting letters from a verb construction. The apostrophe shows where something is left out. I am a student here = I’m a student here. I have been working on the railroad. = I’ve been working on the railroad. They could have been great together. = They could’ve been great together.

REMINDER: It’s is a contraction for “it is”; the possessive of it = its (no apostrophe).

The apostrophe is also used to form the plural of digits and letters . . . The word Mississippi has four s’s. She got three A’s and two B’s last semester. She dotted all her i’s very carefully. . . . and to indicate omission of a number in a date: summer of ’99; class of ’38

The mighty apostrophe does not mind being used, but it wants to be used wisely. Use it well and it will be there whenever you need it!