Questions & Answers: English Expression and Writing - Punctuation and Mechanics

Discuss the rule for end punctuation with question marks and exclamation marks.
 

Question Marks
Question marks should be used following a direct question. A polite request can be followed by a period instead of a question mark.
Direct Question: What is for lunch today? | How are you? | Why is that the answer?
 

Polite Requests:
Can you please send me the item tomorrow. | Will you please walk with me on the track.
 

Exclamation Marks
Exclamation marks are used after a word group or sentence that shows much feeling or has special importance. Exclamation marks should not be overused. They are saved for proper exclamatory interjections.
Examples: We’re going to the finals! | You have a beautiful car! | That’s crazy!

Discuss the rule for using commas with interjections, the rule for using commas for separating nonessential modifiers and appositives with commas, and the rule for using commas to set off nouns of direct address, interrogative tags, and contrast with commas.

1. Use commas for interjections and after yes and no responses
Examples:
Interjection: Oh, I had no idea. | Wow, you know how to play this game.
Yes and No: Yes, I heard you. | No, I cannot come tomorrow.

2. Use commas to separate nonessential modifiers and nonessential appositives
Examples:
Nonessential Modifier: John Frank, who is coaching the team, was promoted today.
Nonessential Appositive: Thomas Edison, an American inventor, was born in Ohio.

3. Use commas to set off nouns of direct address, interrogative tags, and contrast
Examples:
Direct Address: You, John, are my only hope in this moment.
Interrogative Tag: This is the last time, correct?
Contrast: You are my friend, not my enemy.

Discuss the rule for using commas with coordinating conjunctions, the rule for using commas with introductory phrases and adverbial clauses, the rule for using commas with items in a series, and the rule for using commas with coordinate adjectives.

1. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses
Example: Bob caught three fish, and I caught two fish.

2. Use a comma after an introductory phrase or an adverbial clause
Examples:
After the final out, we went to a restaurant to celebrate.
Studying the stars, I was surprised at the beauty of the sky.

3. Use a comma between items in a series.
Example: I will bring the turkey, the pie, and the coffee.

4. Use a comma between coordinate adjectives not joined with and
Incorrect: The kind, brown dog followed me home.
Correct: The kind, loyal dog followed me home.

Not all adjectives are coordinate (i.e., equal or parallel). There are two simple ways to know if your adjectives are coordinate. One, you can join the adjectives with and: The kind and loyal dog. Two, you can change the order of the adjectives: The loyal, kind dog.

Discuss the rule for using semicolons with independent clauses and items in a series that have internal punctuation.

1. Use a semicolon between closely connected independent clauses that are not connected with a coordinating conjunction.
Examples:
She is outside; we are inside.
You are right; we should go with your plan.

2. Use a semicolon between independent clauses linked with a transitional word.
Examples:
I think that we can agree on this; however, I am not sure about my friends.
You are looking in the wrong places; therefore, you will not find what you need.

3. Use a semicolon between items in a series that has internal punctuation.
Example: I have visited New York, New York; Augusta, Maine; and Baltimore, Maryland.

Discuss the rule for using commas with separate expressions (e.g., he/she said) and the rule for dates, addresses, geographical names, and titles.

1. Use commas to separate expressions like he said and she said if they come between a sentence of a quote
Examples:
“I want you to know,” he began, “that I always wanted the best for you.”
“You can start,” Jane said, “with an apology.”

2. Use commas with dates, addresses, geographical names, and titles

Examples:
Date: July 4, 1776, is an important date to remember.
Address: He is meeting me at 456 Delaware Avenue, tomorrow morning.
Geographical Name: Paris, France, is my favorite city.
Title: John Smith, Ph. D., will be visiting your class today.

Discuss parentheses and give examples of their use in a sentence.
Parentheses are used for additional information. Also, they can be used to put labels for letters or numbers in a series. Parentheses should not be used very often. If they are overused, parentheses can be a distraction instead of a help.

Examples:
Extra Information: The rattlesnake (see Image 2) is a dangerous snake of North and South America.
Series: Include in the email (1) your name, (2) your address, and (3) your question for the author.

Discuss the rule of using a colon to make a list, the rule for using a colon for explanations or quotes, and the rule for colons after the greeting in a letter, to show hours and minutes, and to separate titles and subtitles.

1. Use a colon after an independent clause to make a list
Example: I want to learn many languages: Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

2. Use a colon for explanations or to give a quote
Examples:
Quote: The man started with an idea: “We are able to do more than we imagine.”
Explanation: There is one thing that stands out on your resume: responsibility.

3. Use a colon after the greeting in a formal letter, to show hours and minutes, and to separate a title and subtitle

Examples:
Greeting in a formal letter: Dear Sir: | To Whom It May Concern:
Time: It is 3:14 P.M.
Title: The essay is titled “America: A Short Introduction to a Modern Country”

Discuss the rule for using quotation marks around the titles of short works and the rule for using quotation marks to set off words that are being used in a different way from a dictionary definition.
Quotation marks should be used around the titles of short works: newspaper and magazine articles, poems, short stories, songs, television episodes, radio programs, and subdivisions of books or web sites.
Examples:
“Rip van Winkle” (short story by Washington Irving)
“O Captain! My Captain!” (poem by Walt Whitman)
Quotation marks may be used to set off words that are being used in a different way from a dictionary definition. Also, they can be used to highlight irony.

Examples:
The boss warned Frank that he was walking on “thin ice.”
(Frank is not walking on real ice. Instead, Frank is being warned to avoid mistakes.)
The teacher thanked the young man for his “honesty.”
(Honesty and truth are not always the same thing. In this example, the quotation marks around honesty show that the teacher does not believe the young man’s explanation.)

Discuss the rule for using quotation marks with direct quotes, indirect quotes, and a quote inside a quote.
Use quotation marks to close off direct quotations of a person's spoken or written words. Do not use quotation marks around indirect quotations. An indirect quotation gives someone's message without using the person's exact words. Use single quotation marks to close off a quotation inside a quotation.
Direct Quote: Nancy said, “I am waiting for Henry to arrive.”
Indirect Quote: Henry said that he is going to be late to the meeting.
Quote inside a Quote: The teacher asked, “Has everyone read ‘The Gift of the Magi’?”

Discuss apostrophes and give examples of their use in a sentence.
An apostrophe is used to show possession or the deletion of letters in contractions. An apostrophe is not needed with the possessive pronouns his, hers, its, ours, theirs, whose, and yours.
 

Singular Nouns: David’s car | a book’s theme | my brother’s board game
Plural Nouns with -s: the scissors’ handle | boys’ basketball
Plural Nouns without -s: Men’s department | the people’s adventure

Discuss the rules for using other punctuation marks with quotation marks.
Periods and commas are put inside quotation marks. Colons and semicolons are put outside the quotation marks. Question marks and exclamation points are placed inside quotation marks when they are part of a quote. When the question or exclamation mark goes with the whole sentence, the mark is left outside of the quotation marks.

Examples:
Period and comma: We read “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Skylight Room,” and “The Cactus.”
Semicolon: They watched “The Nutcracker”; then, they went home.

Exclamation mark that is a part of a quote: The crowd cheered, “Victory!”
Question mark that goes with the whole sentence: Is your favorite short story “The Tell-Tale Heart”?

Discuss the rule for capitalizing the first word in a sentence and direct quote, the rule for capitalizing proper nouns and adjectives that come from proper nouns, and the rule for capitalizing the names of days, months, and holidays.
1. Capitalize the first word of a sentence and the first word in a direct quotation
Examples:
First Word: Football is my favorite sport.
Direct Quote: She asked, “What is your name?”

2. Capitalize proper nouns and adjectives that come from proper nouns

Examples:
Proper Noun: My parents are from Europe.
Adjective from Proper Noun: My father is British, and my mother is Italian.

3. Capitalize the names of days, months, and holidays

Examples:
Day: Everyone needs to be here on Wednesday.
Month: I am so excited for December.
Holiday: Independence Day comes every July.

Discuss hyphens and give examples of their use in a sentence.
The hyphen is used to separate compound words. The following are the rules for hyphens:

1. Compound numbers come with a hyphen
Example: This team needs twenty-five points to win the game.

2. Fractions need a hyphen if they are used as an adjective
Correct: The recipe says that we need a three-fourths cup of butter.
Incorrect: One-fourth of the road is under construction.

3. Compound words used as adjectives that come before a noun need a hyphen
Correct: The well-fed dog took a nap.
Incorrect: The dog was well-fed for his nap.

4. To avoid confusion with some words, use a hyphen
Examples: semi-irresponsible | Re-collect |Re-claim
Note: This is not a complete set of the rules for hyphens. A dictionary is the best tool for knowing if a compound word needs a hyphen.

Discuss the rule for capitalizing names on a compass for specific areas and the rule for capitalizing the first letter of each word in a title.

1. Capitalize the names on a compass for specific areas, not when they give direction
Examples:
Specific Area: James is from the West.
Direction: After three miles, turn south toward the highway.

2. Capitalize the first letter of each word in a title (Note: Articles, Prepositions, and Conjunctions are not capitalized.)
Examples:
Titles: Romeo and Juliet is a beautiful drama on love.
Incorrect: The Taming Of The Shrew is my favorite. (Remember that prepositions and articles are not capitalized.)

Note: Books, movies, plays (more than one act), newspapers, magazines, and long musical pieces are put in italics. The two examples of Shakespeare’s plays are underlined to show their use as an example.
English Expression and Writing – Punctuation and Mechanics

Discuss the rule for end punctuation with declarative and imperative sentences and the use of periods for abbreviations.
English Expression and Writing – Punctuation and Mechanics
 

Declarative Sentence
A declarative sentence gives information or makes a statement.
Examples: I can fly a kite. | The plane left two hours ago.
 

Imperative Sentence
An imperative sentence gives an order or command.
Examples: You are coming with me. | Bring me that note.
 

Periods for Abbreviations
Examples: 3 P.M. | 2 A.M. | Mr. Jones | Mrs. Stevens | Dr. Smith | Bill Jr. | Pennsylvania Ave.
Note: an abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase.