Punctuation Checklist

Semicolons
- Between two independent clauses (an independent clause is a complete thought. It has a subject and a predicate.)...Edward joined the basketball team; remarkably,the 5´4˝ young man excelled at the sport.
- Between elements in a series that uses commas
...The possible dates for the potluck dinner are Thursday,June 5; Saturday,June 7; or Monday,June 9.

Periods
- At the end of a declarative sentence (sentence that makes a statement)...Today,I took a walk to nowhere.
- At the end of a command or request...Here’s a cloth. Now gently burp the baby on your shoulder.
- At the end of an indirect question...Jane asked if I knew where she had left her keys.
- Before a decimal number...Statisticians claim that the average family raises 2.5 children.
- Between dollars and cents...I remember when $1.50 could buy the coolest stuff.
- After an initial in a person’s name...You are Sir James W. Dewault,are you not?
- After an abbreviation...On Jan. 12,I leave for Africa.

Colons
- Between two complete ideas when the second idea explains the first....Keri pushed her dinner away: She had eaten on the car ride home.
- Before a list...Grandma brought Chloe’s favorite three sweets: chocolate kisses,Tootsie Rolls,and a Snickers bar.
- Between titles and subtitles...Finding Your Dream Home: A Buyer’s Guide.
- Between volumes and page numbers...Marvel Comics 21:24
- Between chapters and verse...Job 4:12
- Between hours and minutes...It’s 2:00 a.m.—time to sleep.

Question Marks
- At the end of a question...Why do you look so sad?
- Inside a quotation mark when the quote is a question...She asked,“Why do you look so sad?”

Exclamation Points
- At the end of a word,phrase,or sentence filled with emotion...Hurry up! I cannot be late for the meeting!
- Inside a quotation mark when the quote is an exclamation...The woman yelled,“Hurry up! I cannot be late for the meeting!”

Apostrophes
- Where letters or numbers have been deleted—as in a contraction...I looked at my father and whispered, “It’s (It is) okay to cry every so often.”
- At the end of a name where there is ownership (remember to also add an s after the apostrophe if the word or name does not end in an s already)
...Mary Jane’s horse sprained his ankle during practice.

Quotation Marks
- When directly quoting dialogue,not when paraphrasing...Hamlet says,“To be,or not to be. That is the question.”
- For titles of chapters,articles,short stories,poems,songs,or periodicals...My favorite poem is “The Road Not Taken.”
- Around nonessential clauses,parenthetical phrases,and appositives (A nonessential or nonrestrictive clause is a word or group of words that are not necessary for the sentence’s completion; a parenthetical phrase interrupts the flow of a sentence; and an appositive is a word or group of words that rename the noun preceding them)...Matt’s mother,Janie (appositive),who has trouble with directions (nonessential clause),had to ask for help.
- After introductory words,phrases,and clauses... Hoping for the best,we checked our luggage.
- Before conjunctions (Conjunctions are words that link two independent clauses together)...Drew wanted to experience ballroom dancing before his wedding,so he signed up for lessons at a local hall.

Commas
- Between items in dates and addresses...Michael arrived at Ellis Island,New York,on February 14, 1924.
- Between words in a list...The university hired a woman to direct the Bursar’s,Financial Aid,and Registrar’s offices.
- Between equally important adjectives (be careful not to separate adjectives that describe each other)...The reporter spoke with several intense,talented high school athletes.
- After a tag that precedes a direct quote...David whined,“I am famished.”
- In a quote that precedes a tag and is not a question or an exclamation...“I am famished,” whined David.