Punctuation II Punctuation II

The Question Mark (?)The Question Mark (?)

• A direct question is followed by a question

mark.

– Where did you put the sheet of data?

• But not an indirect question

– He asked me where we put the sheet of data.

The Exclamation Point (!)The Exclamation Point (!)

• Use an exclamation point to express exceptional feeling.– We have done all of this work for nothing!– The solution to the problem was right in front

of us all the time!• Use an exclamation point for special emphasis.

– Keep away from the boiling water!– Do not touch that specimen!

Exercise 1Exercise 1

Although I am generally rational I am superstitious I

never walk under ladders or put shoes on the table If I

spill the salt I go into frenzied calisthenics picking up

the grains and tossing them over my left shoulder I

know that not putting a hat on the bed comes from the

time when head lice were common and you didn’t

want them in your bed Would I put a hat on my bed

now Wow Do you think I’m crazy

The Dash (-)The Dash (-)

• Use a dash to set off parenthetical material that

needs emphasis.

– Everything that went wrong - from the leaking

faucet to the broken window - was blamed on

our negligence.

– All the details of our research - even the

timing, the equipment, and the material - are

included in the study plan.

• Use a dash to set off an appositive (同位語 )

that contains commas.

– In a rural area the basic needs of living - food,

clothing, and shelter - are less expensive than in a

large city.

Unless there is a specific reason to use the dash,

do not use it in scientific writing. Unnecessary

dashes make writing choppy (erratic, irregular,

casual, discontinuous)

The semicolon (;)The semicolon (;)

• Use a semicolon to connect major sentence elements of equal grammatical rank. Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses not joined with a coordinating conjunction.

– I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor; rich is better.

– Love is blind; envy has its eyes wide open.

– When I was a boy, I was told that anyone can become president; I’m beginning to believe it.

• Use a semicolon between independent clauses linked with a transitional expression.

(The transitional expression can be a conjunctive adverb or a transitional phrase.)

– Conjunctive adverbs are:

accordingly, also, besides, however, instead, nevertheless, meanwhile, subsequently.

– Transitional phrases are:

after all, as a result, at the same time, for example, in addition, in conclusion.

– We were told that the main road was blocked; however,

we decided to try it.

– They will not go to school today; instead, they will have

a filed trip.

– We studied English writing very carefully; as a result,

we can write well in English.

– Our car had a flat tire; in addition, we ran out of gas;

consequently, we were late for the meeting.

• Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal punctuation.– Classic science fiction sagas (= long historic

or legendary stories) are Star Trek, with Mr. Spock and his large pointed ears; Battlestar Gallactica, with its Cylon Raiders; and Star Wars, with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader.

• Avoid abuses of the semicolon– Unless you water the newly planted flower soon[;], the

roots will dry out.(between a subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence)

– Another delicious dish is the chef’s special[;], a roasted duck rubbed with spices and stuffed with rice.(between an appositive and the word it refers to)

– Some favorite film starts have homepages on the web[;], John Travolta, Brad Pitt, and Emma Thompson.(to introduce a list)

– Five of the applicants had worked with spreadsheets[;], but only one was familiar with database management.(between independent clauses joined by and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet)

Exercise 2Exercise 2

• The researchers tried to work all night but they fell asleep.

• If an animal does something we call it instinct if we do the same thing we call it intelligence.

• I remember when he couldn’t write his own name now he’s a journalist.

• The people in the line who managed to get tickets were very happy.

• The Republic of China consists of the island of Taiwan an island 161 km off the Asian Mainland in the Pacific two off-shore islands Jinmen (Quemoy) and Matsu and the nearby islets of the Pescadores chain.

The Colon (:)The Colon (:)

• Use a colon between independent clauses

if the second summarizes or explains the

first.

– Faith is like love; it cannot be forced.

– Smiling confidently, the young man stated his

major goal in life: he aimed to be chairman of

the company before he was thirty.

• Use a colon after an independent clause to direct attention to a list, an appositive, or a quotation.– The daily routine should include at least the following:

twenty keen bends, fifty sit-ups, fifteen leg lifts, and five minutes of running in place.

– Consider the words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

• Use the colon after the introduction in a business

letter.

– Dear Sir or Madam:

• Use the colon in indicating time of day.

– 5:30 p.m.

• Use the colon in expressing a ratio.

– The ratio of women to men was 2:1.

Avoid abuses of the colon. A colon must be preceded by a full independent clause.

• Avoid using it between a verb and it object:– Some important vitamins found in vegetables are

[:] vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, and Vitamin C.

• Avoid using it between a preposition and it object.– The heart’s two pumps each consist of [:] an

upper chamber, or atrium (心房 ), and a lower chamber, or ventricle (心室 ).

• Avoid using it after such as, including, or

for example.

– The trees on our campus include many fine

Japanese specimens such as [:] black pines,

ginkgoes, and weeping cherries.

– We have reviewed our writing carefully,

including [:] spelling, grammar, and

punctuation.

The Apostrophe (’)The Apostrophe (’)

• Use an apostrophe to indicate that a noun

is possessive.

– The children’s money

– The professor’s briefcase

– The hostess’s party

– Joyce and Greg’s new camper

– John’s and Mary’s expectations are different.

• Form the possessive of plural nouns that end in s by adding ’.– both diplomats’ briefcases– the birds’ wings– The specimens’ numbers

• Do not use an apostrophe with a possessive pronoun.– its own conference room– whose technique– The book is yours, not ours.– The disks are his, not mine.

Exercise 3Exercise 3• Some examples of reptiles are : lizards, snakes, crocodiles,

and turtles.

• Albert had a major role in life never eat anything larger than your head.

• The equipment in our laboratory includes instruments such as microscopes dynamometer analytical equipment and strain measuring devices.

• In a democracy, anyones vote counts as much as mine.

• The puppy’s favorite activity was chasing it’s tail.

• The instructors laboratory manuals have been updated with the latest information.

Le parc japonais Le parc japonais est beau et calmeest beau et calme

La fille japonaise est belle mais bavarde

Ritsurin Park, Takamatsu