Punctuation Rules

 Here are some punctuation rules I found around the Internet in my first semester.

Punctuation rules

Apostrophe

The apostrophe(’)is a punctuation mark  used in written English to indicate either a missing letter (mustn't for must not) or number ('47 for 1947), or grammatical possession (‘John's camera’, ‘women's dresses’).

Rule 1. We never add and apostrophe to a word to make it a plural. Example: The plural of banana is not banana’s (it should simply be bananas). The There are a lot of computer´s is wrong. There are a lot of computers is wright.

Rule 2. Dropping a few letters from a word, or joining two words together (and losing some letters in the process). Example: Did Not becomes abbreviated to didn’t.Let us becomes abbreviated to let’s.

Rule 3. Posessive. Use to indicate ownership. Example : The boy’s books (one boy)

The boys’ books (more than one boy)

Quotation marks

         Quotation marks or inverted commas (“ ”) are punctuation marks at the beginning and end of a quotation, direct speech, literal title, or name. Quotation marks can also be used to indicate a different meaning of a word or phrase than the one typically associated with it, and are often used to express irony. Quotation marks are sometimes used to provide emphasis in a phrase or text said by someone. These are some rules of quotation marks:

Rule 1. Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.
Example:The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds. She said, "Hurry up." She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.”

Rule 2. The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.
Example: She asked, "Will you still be my friend?". Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"? Here the question is outside the quote. 
NOTE: Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used.

Rule 3. When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.
Example: Did she say, "May I go?

Rule 4. Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks. Example: He said, "Danea said, 'Do not treat me that way.'"

Rule 5. Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation only. 
Examples: "When will you be here?" he asked. He asked when you will be there.

Rule 6. As we said before, another common use of quotation marks is to indicate or call attention to ironic or apologetic words. 
Example: He shared his “wisdom” with me.The lunch lady plopped a glob of “food” onto my tray.

Rule 7. When you are quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in brackets. Sic means, "This is the way the original material was."
Example:        She wrote, "I would rather die then [sic] be seen wearing the same outfit as my sister." Should be than, not then.

Rule 8. Put quotation marks around the titles of short works, such as articles, songs, short stories, or poems. 
Example: Have you heard the song "Love Me Tender," by Elvis Presley.

Comma

         The comma ( , ) is a punctuation mark  used to separate parts of a sentence such as clauses, and lists of three or more things. This punctuation mark is the most used by people whne we are writing and its the most one used incorrectly. Here are some some rules about how to use it :

Rule 1. Use a comma to separate the elements in a series(three or more things), including the last two.  
Example: "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."

Rule 2. Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses. 
Example: "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base."

rule 3. Use a comma to set off introductory elements. 
Example: "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."

Rule 4. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements. When both a city's name and that city's state or country's name are mentioned together, the state or country's name is treated as a parenthical element.
Example: We visited Hartford, Connecticut, last summer. Paris, France, is sometimes called "The City of Lights."

Rule 5. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives. 
Example: "That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow" rule (as opposed to "the little old lady"). If you can put an and or a but between the adjectives, a comma will probably belong there.

Rule 6. Use a comma to set off quoted elements. 
Example: "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things."

Rule 7. Use commas to set off phrases that express contrast. 
Example: Some say the world will end in ice, not fire. It was her money, not her charm or personality, that first attracted him.

Rule 8. Use a comma to avoid confusion. For most the year is already finished. 
Example :For most, the year is already finished.

There are a lot of reasons to use a comma. But the biggest problem of this punctuation mark that most students do  is to overuse it when they are redacting something.

Colon

The colon (:) is a punctuation mark consisting of two equally sized dots centered on the same vertical line. A colon informs the reader that what follows the mark proves, explains, or lists elements of what preceded the mark. Here are some of it rules:

Rule 1. Use a colon between numerals indicating hours and minutes. 
Example: School starts at 8:05 a.m.

Rule 2. Use a colon to introduce a list that appears after an independent clause.  (Introductory words such as following go somewhere before the colon to help introduce the list.)
Example: You need the following items for class: pencil, pens, paper, ruler, and glue.

Rule 3. When mentioning a volume number and page number, use a colon between the two items.
Example: You will find information about Mexico in Grolier Encyclopedia 17:245.

Rule 4. Use a colon after the greeting of a business letter.
Example: Dear Sir:

Rule 5. Use a colon between the title and subtitle of a book. 
Example: Reading Strategies That Work: Teaching Your Students to Become Better Readers is an excellent resource.

Rule 6.Use a colon between the chapter and verse numbers for parts of the Bible. Example:  Please read Genesis 1:3.       .

Semicolon

The semicolon (;) is a punctuation mark with several uses. It is used to separate words of opposed meaning and to indicate interdependent statements. These are some of it rules:

Rule1. We use it  to join two complete sentences. 
Example: Mary ate dinner; the dinner tasted exquisite.

Rule 2. We use it with words Like 'however" and phrases like "for example". 
Example: Mary ate dinner; however, she was hungry an hour later.  Mary's dinner was made with several spices; for example, the chicken was sprinkled with Cayenne pepper.

Rule 3. We use to separate items in a long list, especially when commas have already been used.
Example: Mary's favorite dinner foods are chicken, with Cayenne pepper; salad, with Italian dressing; toast, with garlic and butter; and soup, with scallions, cheese, and mushrooms.

Dash

The dash (--) is a quotation mark —often typed as two hyphens side by side with no space between the dash and the words on either side of it— used to connect groups of words to other groups, making a brief interruption  within a statement, a sudden charge of thought, an adittional comment, or a dramatic qualification. Here are some of it rules.

Rule 1. We use a pair of dashes to indicate a sudden interruption in a sentence. (One handwritten dash is twice as long as a hyphen. One typewritten dash is one hyphen followed by another.). 
Example: There is one thing--actually several things--that I need to tell you.

 Rule 2. We use a dash to attach an afterthought to an already complete sentence. 
Example: Sarah bought a new pet yesterday--a boa constrictor.

 Rule 3. Use a dash after a series of introductory elements. 
Example: Murder, armed robbery, assault--he has a long list of felonies on his record.

 Rule 4. The Dash is used to indicate a conclusion without expressing it. 
Example: "He is an excellent man but—"

Rule 5. A dash is used to denote the omission of part of a word when it is undesirable to write the full word. Example: He is somewhat of a r——l (rascal). This is especially the case in profane words.

Rule 6. Between a citation and the authority for it there is generally a dash. 
Example:"All the world's a stage."—Shakespeare.

Rule 7. When questions and answers are put in the same paragraph they should be separated by dashes. Example: "Are you a good boy? Yes, Sir.—Do you love study? I do."

Parentheses

The parentheses [()] are a quotation mark that contain material that could be omitted without destroying or altering the meaning or  the one we want to emphasize in a sentence,  and that wouldn't normally fit into the flow of our text but we want to include.These are some of the rules:

Rule 1. Use parentheses to enclose words or figures that clarify or are used

as an aside. 
Example: I expect five hundred dollars ($500).  He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the question. Commas could have been used in the above example. Parentheses show less emphasis or importance.

Rule 2. Use full parentheses to enclose numbers or letters used for listed items.   
Example: We need an emergency room physician who can (1) think quickly, (2) treat patients respectfully, and (3) handle complaints from the public. Examples: Please read the analysis (I enclosed it as Attachment A.).

or please read the analysis. (I enclosed it as Attachment A.)

or please read the analysis (Attachment A). 

Rule 3. Use parentheses to enclose material added to a sentence but not of major importance. 
Example: My grandmother always said "dream about a (friendly) dog and you'll see an old friend soon."

Rule 4.We must never enclose an entire sentence in a parentheses. 
Example: (Most people understand that the final punctuation must remain inside the closing parenthesis mark, like this.)

Rule 5. We also use parentheses to set off an interruption which merely provides additional information or a brief explanation of an unfamiliar term.
Example: The number of living languages (currently about 6000, by most estimates) is decreasing rapidly. The bodegas (wine cellars) of the Rioja are an essential stop on any visit to northern Spain.

                                                        Period

A full stop or period(.) is the punctuation mark commonly used to place at the end of sentences.

Rule1. Use a period at the end of a sentence. 
Example: I enjoyed the movie.

Rule 2. Use a period after an initial. 
Example: M. E. Kerr is a wonderful author.

Rule 3. Use a period after an abbreviation.
Example: We welcomed Mrs. Simmons to our team.

Rule 4. Use a period as a decimal point.
Example: The workers received a 2.1 percent raise.

Rule 5. Use a period to separate dollars and cents. 
Example: The book cost $4.95.

Rule 6. Use a period after each number in a list printed vertically. 
Example:  For the example, look at the lists on this page.

Rule 7. Always place a period inside a quotation mark that ends a sentence. 
Example: The sign read, “A pest is a friend in need.”

Rule 8. Use a period after each Roman numeral, letter, or number in an outline. 
Example: 1., 2., 3., A. B. etc.

Bibliographies

Most of the concepts of the punctuations marks I searched are from Wikipedia, but I summarize them to make them  more understandable.

http://lilt.ilstu.edu/golson/punctuation/dash.html

http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#QUOTATION MARKS

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

http://www.copywriting-on-demand.com/apostrophe_how_to_use_the_apostrophy.htm

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#COLON

http://www.gcsu.edu/writingcenter/colonrules.htm

http://www.libraryonline.com/default.asp?pID=32

http://www.lousywriter.com/punctuation_dash.php

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-English-Punctuation-Correctly

http://www.sta.cathedral.org/lowerschool/form1/eng1javwww/grammar/punctrules.html

http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/parens.asp

http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/parentheses.html

http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/department/docs/punctuation/node38.html

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#PERIOD

http://www.infoplease.com/cig/grammar-style/period-question-mark-exclamation-mark-end-line.htm

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