GRAMMAR, MECHANICS

& USAGE REVIEW

PART 3 OF 3
PUNCTUATION

Lesson Objectives:
Demonstrate an understanding of and be able to
properly use the following:

Period
Exclamation Point
Colon & Semicolon
Comma
Dash & Hyphen
Quotation Mark

Punctuation
The purpose of punctuation is
to help the reader negotiate
your written words. Proper
use keeps the reader from
losing track of your meaning.

Periods, Question Marks &

Exclamation Points

Periods Use to end any sentence

that is not a question and with
certain abbreviations.

Question Marks Use after any

direct question that requires an
answer.

Exclamation Points Use after highly

emotional language. Seldom used in
business.

Colon
Use after the salutation in a business
letter.
Use at the end of a sentence or phrase
introducing a list or quotation.
Use to separate the main independent
clause and another sentence element
that explains, illustrates or amplifies
the first.

Colon - Examples
Our findings included the three
most critical problems: insufficient
capital, incompetent management,
and inappropriate location.
Management was unprepared for
the union demands: this fact alone
accounts for their arguing into the
night.

Colon - Examples
No colon is required when the list,
quotation, or idea is a direct object of the
verb or preposition. This applies whether
the list is set off or run in:
We are able to supply
staples
wood screws
nails
If the sentence reads We are able to
supply the following: a colon is required.

Semicolon
I have grown fond of semicolons in recent years.
. . . It is almost always a greater
pleasure to come across a semicolon than a
period. The period tells you that that is that;
if you didn't get all the meaning you wanted or
expected, anyway you got all the writer
intended to parcel out and now you have to move
along. But with a semicolon there you
get a pleasant little feeling of expectancy; there is
more to come; read on; it will get
clearer.
__ Lewis Thomas

Semicolon
Three main uses:
Separate two closely related independent
clauses.
Use instead of a comma when the items in a
series have commas within them
Use to separate independent clauses when the
second one begins with a conjunctive adverb
such as however, therefore, or nonetheless or a
phrase such as for example or in that case

Semicolon - Examples
The outline for the report is due within a
week; the report itself is due at the end of the
month.
Our previous meetings were July 9, 2014;
July 16, 2014; and July 22, 2014.

His test scores were low; however, he brings

significant experience to the position.

Comma
Use a comma to separate
items in a series.
He hit the ball, dropped
the bat, and ran to first
base.

Comma
Use a comma to separate
independent clauses that are
joined by a coordinating
conjunction (and, but, or or):
She spoke to the sales staff,
and he spoke to the production
staff.

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

Comma
Use a comma to set off parenthetical
elements:
Conley, a freelance designer, also
produces websites for several
nonprofit corporations.

Comma
Commas are used between
adjectives modifying the same
noun:

She left Monday for a long,

difficult recruiting trip.

Dashes

Use dashes to surround a comment that is a

sudden turn in thought:
Membership in the IBSA-its expensive but
worth it-may be obtained by applying to our
New York Office.
A dash separates and emphasizes words,
phrases, and clauses more strongly than
commas or parentheses can;
a hyphen ties two words so tightly that they
almost become one word.

Dashes
Dashes can be used to emphasize
a parenthetical word or phrase:

Third quarter profits-in excess of

$2 million-are up sharply.

Dashes
Use dashes to set off a phrase that
contains commas:
All four of them-Jeff, David,
Maria, and Brett- did well in
college.

Hyphens
Hyphens are used to separate parts
of compound words beginning with
such prefixes as:
self, ex, quasi, and all
Examples: Self-assured, allimportant, and quasi-official.

Hyphens
Use hyphens in some
types of spelled-out
numbers and fractions:
twenty-one
Ninety-nine
Two-thirds
One-Sixth

Hyphens
Use in some compound
nouns & adjectives:
Secretary-treasurer
City-state
Interest-bearing
Well-informed

Hyphens
Use to divide words at the
end of a typed line:
Isabella and Ronald sincerely believed they were
correct.

Hyphens

Tips on dividing words at the end of

a typed line:
1. Dont divide one-syllable words
2. Divide words between syllables
3. Make sure at least 3 letters are
moved to the second line
4. Divide between double lettersunless the word ends in double
letters.

Quotation Marks
Use quotation marks to surround
words that are repeated exactly as
they were said or written:

The letter ended by saying, The

assumption of your lease is now
complete.

Quotation Marks
Use to indicate special treatment
for words or phrases:
Our management team spends
more time complaining than
working.

Quotation Marks
Use to set off the title of a
newspaper story, magazine
article, or book chapter:

You should read Legal

Aspects of the Collection
Letter in Todays Credit.

Quotation Marks
Use when you are defining a
word:
The abbreviation etc. means
and so forth.

Quotation Marks
Examples using the question mark:
Quotation is a question:
All class we wondered, How many
more slides are there?

Entire sentence is a question:

What did Jim mean by You will hear
from me?

Quotation Marks
Use of the single quotation mark:
Only use for quotes within quotes:
Baldev encouraged the team by
saying Weve all seen the results to
date, but you need to read Strategic
Outcomes to turn this around.

Quotation Marks
Hints for usage:
1. When the quoted material is a
complete sentence, the first
word is capitalized.
2. The final comma or period
goes inside the closing
quotation marks.

THE END?