Punctuation. Basic rules

1.

Punctuation
Basic rules

2.

Punctuation marks & symbols
. period/ full stop
, comma
: colon
; semi-colon
‘ ’ “ ” quotes
‘ apostrophe
… ellipsis
- hyphen
– dash
this_symbol underscore
? question mark
! exclamation mark
( ) parenthesis/ round brackets
[ ] brackets
/ slash
* asterisk
# hash
@ at
& ampersand

3.

Text formatting
Font
font font font font
Boldfaced text; text in bold
Italics; italicized text
Indented line
CAPITAL LETTERS; CAPITALIZED TEXT
Footnote*
* footnote

4.

Numbers and dates

5.

Numbers and dates

6.

Dates
We use a comma to make the year parenthetical when the
date of the month is included:
July 4, 1776, is regarded as the birth date of American
liberty.
Without the date itself, the comma disappears:
July 1776 was one of the most eventful months in our
history.
In political or military format, no commas are used:
The Declaration of Independence was signed on 4 July
1776.

7.

However
I know it is difficult. However, it is worth the trouble.
("however" is a bridge between two sentences.)
I know it is difficult; however, it is worth the trouble.
("however" is a bridge between two independent clauses)
Not recommended: I know it is difficult, however, it is worth the
trouble.
However you manipulate those numbers, they just don’t add
up. (adverb)
The numbers don’t add up however you manipulate
them. (adverb)

8.

When

9.

BUT
Everybody but him is trying out for the team.
BUT = “with the exception for”.
Everybody is trying, but he isn’t.

10.

AND
When AND is used to attach the last item of a serial list,
many writers (especially in newspapers) will omit that final
comma:
Ulysses spent his summer studying basic math, writing,
and reading comprehension.
When a coordinating conjunction is used to connect all the
elements in a series, a comma is not used:
Presbyterians and Methodists and Baptists are the
prevalent Protestant congregations in Oklahoma.

11.

OR
OR: to suggest an ultimatum
To be or not to be?
Live free or die.
You can study hard for this exam or you can fail.
OR: to suggest an alternative
We can broil chicken on the grill tonight, or we can just
eat leftovers.
OR: to suggest a refinement of the first clause
There are no rattlesnakes in this canyon, or so our guide
tells us.

12.

Commas to separate coordinate adjectives
If you can put an AND or a BUT between the adjectives, a
comma will probably belong there:
I live in a very old and run-down house.
=> I live in a very old, run-down house.
I live in a little and purple house.
=> I live in a little purple house.

13.

SO
When we use it to connect two independent clauses:
My laptop broke, so I had to buy a new one.
It’s fine to delete it: My laptop broke. I had to buy a new one.
You also use a comma after “so” at the beginning of a sentence:
I want to know more about you. So, what have you been doing
lately?
With a dependent clause:
I wanted to buy a car so (that) I could travel more with my
family.
You can’t delete it: I wanted to buy a car. I could travel more with my family.

14.

What’s the difference in meaning?
Defining clause
In high-risk patients who attain large benefits from treatment,
expensive drugs may be cost effective.
Non-defining clause
In high-risk patients, who attain large benefits from treatment,
expensive drugs may be cost effective.
A defining relative clause gives information about a person or thing, explaining or
specifying which person or thing you are talking about.

15.

Commas to set off introductory elements
For most, the year is already finished.
Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken
branches.
Running toward the base, he suddenly realized how stupid
he looked.
Surprisingly, he didn’t start arguing.

16.

Commas in different clauses
John plays basketball well, yet his favorite sport is
badminton.
They were happy just sitting in the shade, for it had been
a long, dusty journey on the train.
Because he loved acting, he refused to give up his dream
of being in the movies.
Their years of training now forgotten, the soldiers broke
ranks.
Eleanor, his wife of thirty years, suddenly decided to open
her own business.
To escape with our lives, we would have to run for the
exits.

17.

No commas in parallel forms
both . . . and
not only . . . but also
not . . . but
either . . . or
neither . . . nor
whether . . . or
as . . . as
That is neither what I said nor what I meant.
[Compare: That is not what I meant to say, nor should you
interpret my statement as an admission of guilt.]
She led the team not only in statistics but also by virtue
of her enthusiasm.
Whether you win this race or lose it doesn't matter as
long as you do your best.

18.

Commas with cities/states/countries
We visited Los-Angeles, California, last summer.
Los-Angeles, California's investment in the insurance
industry is well known.

19.

Other punctuation marks
Sentences that can stand on their own but have a strong link can be ;
separated by a semi-colon. Semi-colons are also used in longer lists
that include commas.
Lists, long quotes and explanations are often preceded by a colon. :
Additional information can be given between round brackets (but
do not do this too often in academic English).
()
In British English, exact or special words are indicated by single
quotation marks.
‘ ’
In British English, when you quote within a quote, you use double
quotation marks.
“”

20.

No colon…
Her recipe for gunpowder included saltpeter, dry oatmeal,
and ground-up charcoal briquets. (no colon after
"included")
His favorite breakfast cereals were Rice Krispies,
Cheerios, and Wheaties. (no colon after "were")
Her usual advice, I remember, was "Keep your head up as
you push the ball up the court." (no colon after "was")
…because the preceding clauses are incomplete and not
independent