Pu

nctu

ati

on

& Gram

m

ar. , ?; :’! . , ?; “” :’!. , ?; “” :’!

Full stop (.)• The Full Stop is also referred to as a period or point or full point.

• The primary use of this punctuation mark ( . ) is to make the end of a

declarative sentence (one that states a fact) or an imperative

sentence (one that gives a command or states a request).

• Use full stops with abbreviations.

• Do not use full stops with contractions.

• Full stop after a single word.

• If a sentence ends with a question mark or an exclamation mark,

one does not use a Full Stop after this, as the question mark or the

exclamation mark already contains a Full Stop within itself.

Full stop (.)

Comma (,)• Use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of

three or more.• Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the word and can be

inserted between them.• Use a comma when an -ly adjective is used with other adjectives.• Use commas before or surrounding the name or title of a person

directly addressed.• Use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year and

after the year.• If any part of the date is omitted, leave out the comma.• Use a comma to separate the city from the state and after the state

in a document. • Use commas to surround degrees or titles used with names.• Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt sentence flow.• Use a comma to separate two strong clauses joined by a coordinating

conjunction--and, or, but, for, nor.• Use the comma to separate two sentences.• Use commas to introduce or interrupt direct quotations shorter than

three lines.• Use a comma to separate a statement from a question.

Comma (,)

Question mark (?)• A question mark is only used after a direct question.

• Eg: Will you go to town with me?

• Use a question mark when a sentence is half statement and half

question.

• Eg: You do see, don't you?

Exclamation mark (!)• Use the exclamation mark to show emphasis or surprise. Do not use

the exclamation mark in formal business writing.

• Eg: I'm extremely shaken by your manners!

Quotation marks (“ ”)• When a person or work is quoted directly and word for word, the

“quotation” is placed in quotation marks.

• Question mark comes before quotation mark.

• Always place a comma or period before beginning or ending

quotation marks.

• Always place a colon or semicolon after ending quotation marks.

• Begin a new paragraph with every change of speaker.

• Use quotation marks to set off the title of a short written work or

parts of a longer work.

• Nonstandard or unusual slang terms are normally put in quotation

marks.

• Explicit definitions of words or terms are put in quotation marks.

Quotation marks (“ ”)

Slash (/)• A slash is often used to indicate "or“.

• Use a slash for fractions.

• Use a slash to indicate "per" in measurements of speed, prices etc.

• People often use a slash in certain abbreviations.

• A slash is often used in dates to separate day, month and year.

• The slash is used to separate parts of a website address (url) on the

Internet, and to separate folders on some computer systems.

Colon (:)• Use the colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list of items

when introductory words such as namely, for example, or that is do

not appear.

• Use the colon to follow the salutation of a business letter even when

addressing someone by his/her first name.

• Colon Used to Further Explain or Introduce a List .

• Colon Used with Ratios, Titles and Subtitles of Books, City and

Publisher in Bibliographies, Hours and Minutes, and Formal Letters

Semicolon (;)• Use a colon before a list when the list is preceded by a complete

independent clause.

• Semicolon Used with Words Like 'however" and Phrases Like "for

example" .

• Semicolon Used to Join Two Complete Sentences .

• Semicolon Used to Clarify a List of Items When Each Item has

Punctuation Within Itself

Semicolon (;)

Dash (--)• A dash is a long horizontal mark twice the length of a hyphen.

• Dashes are used to emphasize words or phrases. They are nearly like

definite comments.

• To be effective dashes should not be overused.

• Dashes indicate an sudden change of thought.

• Sometimes they set off a section or phrase for emphasis or dramatic

effect.

Dash (--)

Ellipsis (…)• The ellipsis is three periods in a row. It signifies that words or figures

are missing.

• Most frequently an ellipsis is used with quotations. It may come at

the middle or end of a quotation. It may be used at the beginning of

a quotation if the quotation begins mid-sentence and there is an

appropriate lead-in.

• In mathematics an ellipsis shows that numbers have been left out.

This is usually used in decimals, series, and matrices.

Hyphen (-)• A hyphen is a short horizontal line used within words.

• Use a hyphen between the tens and units number when writing out

the numbers twenty-one to ninety-nine in words.

• Use a hyphen between the numerator and denominator when a

fraction is written out in words and the fraction is an adjective.

• Use a hyphen after a prefix followed by a proper noun or proper

adjective.

• Use a hyphen in words beginning with the prefixes all-, ex- (meaning

"former"), and self- and in words ending with the suffix -elect.

• Hyphens are used internally in some compound words to separate

the words forming the compound word. Examples: merry-go-round

• Hyphens within a word can make some words clearer.

• Hyphens are used to divide words at the end of a line when the word

cannot fit on the remainder of the line.

Hyphen (-)

Apostrophe (‘)• The apostrophe has three uses:

• 1. to form possessives of nouns

• 2. to show the omission of letters

• 3. to indicate certain plurals of lowercase letters

Apostrophe (‘)

LOL