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Learn how to correctly use commas, colons, semicolons, quotation marks, and apostrophes in your English writing. Improve your sentence combining techniques and fix run-on sentences. Includes examples and explanations.
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State Standards • 0601.1.4 Demonstrate the correct use of commas (including after introductory words, to set off appositives and interrupters, before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses to form compound sentences), colons (including business letters, preceding a list of items), semicolons (including combining sentences), quotation marks (including explanatory material within the quote, proper use with end marks), and apostrophes (including forming singular and plural possessives). • 0601.1.7 Identify within context a variety of appropriate sentence-combining techniques (i.e., comma used with coordinating conjunctions, introductory words, appositives, interrupters). • 0601.1.8 Select the most appropriate method to correct a run-on sentence (i.e., conjunctions, semicolons, and periods to join or separate elements).
Commas • Comma – signals a pause between parts of a sentence. • Use a comma after the greeting and closing in a friendly letter. Ex. Dear Simon, Your friend, • Use a comma to separate the day and year in a date or the city and state in an address. Ex. May 19, 1999 Bean Station, TN • Use commas to separate words or numbers in a series. Ex. Bring apples, oranges, and bananas.
Commas • Use a comma after introductory wordsorto set off a noun in a direct address . Ex. Are you ready for the trip, Karen? Karen, are you ready for the trip? • Use a comma to set off an appositive or an interrupter. Ex. Simon, my friend, is pretty smart. We will, however, return.
Commas • Use a comma before the conjunction in a compound sentence. Ex. You can play on offense, or you can play on defense. • Use a comma after a dependent clause that comes before the independent clause in a complex sentence. Ex. If we win this game, we will be the champions.
Semi-Colon • Use a semi-colon to separate two parts of a compound sentence when they are not connected by a conjunction. Ex. Jason scored a goal; he is a talented player. We are careful to avoid injuries; we wear protective gear.
Colons • Use a colon to separate the hour and the minute in time. Ex. Lunch is at 12:30. • Use a colon after the greeting of a business letter. Ex. To whom it may concern: • Use a colon to introduce a list of items that ends a sentence. Ex. Sue had three things for lunch: a salad, pizza, and juice.
Hyphen • Use a hyphen to show the division of a word at the end of a line. Ex. Every year in June my family goes camp-ing. • Use a hyphen in numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine. Ex. Thirty-six • Use a hyphen in compound words. Ex. Great-grandfather Up-to-date maps
Quotation Marks • Quotation marks are used before and after the words of a direct quotation. Ex. “I love English,” said Randall. • Put quotation marks around the titles of short stories, essays, articles, songs, poems, and chapters in a book. Ex. “The Gift of the Magi” “Rocky Top” “Chapter 1: Writing a Sentence”
Apostrophes • Use an apostrophe to form the possessive form of nouns. Ex. Mother’s Mothers’ • Use an apostrophe to form contractions. Ex. Isn’t doesn’t you’re
Titles of Works • Capitalize the first, last, and each important word in the title of a book, magazine, or newspaper. Ex. To Kill a Mockingbird Teen Beat • Underline or put in italics the titles of books, magazines, plays, movies, television shows, or newspapers. Ex. To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird