Marks of Punctuation

1. Marks of Punctuation

2. The Apostrophe ‘ • Rule #1: • The Apostrophe expresses possession. • For example: • Bobby’s car was under a snow bank. • Rule #2: • The Apostrophe expresses a contraction. • For example: • Bobby can’t go to school today because of his car.

3. [The Bracket] • The bracket is for inserting clarifying information into a published quotation. • For example: • Dr. Blockenfeffer said, “He [the patient] will need to receive a brain transplant.”

4. The Colon: • The colon, according to the Modern Language Association, is for presenting information. A complete sentence must come before a colon. • For example: • There are many reasons why Bobby was late: his penguin stole from him, his alligator was mean, and his elephant ate his penguin.

5. The Dash-- • The dash follows the same rules as the comma. • For example: • Bobby--a professional ice dancer—performed in “Disney on Ice.”

6. The Ellipsis… • The ellipsis is for omitting an unnecessary section of a published quotation. • For example: • Dr. Blockenfeffer said, “The patients diagnosis…was excessive candy consumption.”

7. The Question Mark? • Rule: Expresses an inquiry • For example: • Why did Bobby Blockenfeffer take the penguin’s wallet? Better yet, why did the penguin have a wallet?

8. The Exclamation Point! • Rule: Expresses an exclamation • For example: • Bobby is a trouble maker!

9. The-Hyphen • Rule: The hyphen is used to connect words • For example: • Bobby’s wife’s name is, of course, • Squeeegy Beckenheim-Blockenfeffer.

10. The semi-colon; • Rule: The semi-colon combines two complete sentences when they are closely related. • For example: • Bobby angered the elephant; he ate all the extra peanuts.

11. “Quotation Marks” • Rule: Quotation marks express someone else’s words or character dialogue. • For example: • Bobby said, “I can’t hear you!” • Rule: Quotation marks express a word being used as a word • The word “ubiquitous” is everywhere.

12. ‘Single Quotation Marks’ • Rule: Use single quotation marks when there is dialogue within a quotation. • For example: • On page seven the narrator states, “Bobby jumped up and said, ‘Never have I been so insulted!’”

13. The/Slash • Rule: The slash indicates “or” • For example: • The penguin was moved to a different habitat. He/She was mad.

14. (Parentheses) • Sets off parenthetical phrases • Ex: • The girl (the one in the sweater) went to the store.

15. The Comma ,

16. 1. Dates • For example: April 9, 1980

17. 2. Numbers • For example: 1,000,000

18. 3. Giving Direct Address • For example: Mr. Blockenfeffer, you are actually part elephant. The doctor is concerned.

19. 4. To separate a list of nouns • For example: Elephants like peanuts, orange peels, and long walks on the beach.

20. 5. Before a coordinating conjunction only when combining two complete sentences • For example: Bobby Blockenfeffer went to the mall, and he bought a barrel of peanuts.

21. 6. After an introductory phrase • For example: After we go to the elephant museum, we are going to go to the zoo.

22. 7. To set off a parenthetical phrase • For example: • Elephants, who can remember anything, are excellent tax advisors.

23. 8. To set off quotations • For example: • Mr. Blockenfeffer said, “The elephant yelled at me.”

24. 9. To set off a list of adjectives –more than two • For example: • The large, intelligent, and brave elephant saved the tiny kitten from the tiger.