The Comma

2. The Comma • Use a comma between the day and year in a date. December 7, 1941 • Use a comma between words in a series Language arts is challenging, enjoyable, and necessary. • Use a comma before a conjunction when it joins two simple sentences. Alana wanted to eat at Red Lobster, but I wanted to eat at Olive Garden.

3. The Comma (continued) • Use a comma to set off “yes” and “no” at the beginning of a sentence, or to set off extra information. Yes, it is always a matter, of course, of preparation and attitude. • Use a comma between the name of a city and the name of a state or country. Also use a comma to set off a state or country from the rest of the sentence. ~ Atlanta, Georgia ~ Milan, Italy is sometimes called the Fashion Capital of the World • Use a comma to set off the name of a person being spoken to . Ms. Arpante, which brand of jeans do you prefer?

4. The Comma (the conclusion) • Use a comma between a quotation and the rest of the sentence unless a question mark or exclamation point is needed. “The concert does not end until late in the evening,” Javone explained. • Use a comma when re-naming a noun. ~ Ms. Arpante, my teacher, is an unpredictable woman. ~ The insect, an ugly cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table.

5. The Period • Use a period after a sentence that is a statement or command. Floyd Middle School is in Mableton, Georgia. • Use a period after an abbreviation. Dr. Bynum is the principal of Floyd Middle School. • Use a period after an initial. J.K. Rowling is the renowned author of the Harry Potter series.

6. The Apostrophe • Use an apostrophe to show that one or more letters have been left out of a word. Don’t, I’ll, Can’t **8th grade disclaimer – use as few contractions as possible!** • Add an apostrophe and “s” to single nouns to show ownership. Ms. Arpante’s car is metallic blue. • Add an apostrophe to plural nouns ending in “s” to show ownership. I enjoyed seeing the students’ achievement this year.

7. TheSemicolon • The semicolon is used in a compound sentence between two related simple sentences that are not joined by a conjunction. Amanda ate barbequed hot dogs; she got ill. • The semicolon is used to connect two or more sentences with a semicolon plus a conjunctive adverb. Amanda knew she would become ill if she ate barbequed hot dogs; however, she consumed two anyway.

8. TheColon • Use a colon after the greeting of a business letter. To whom it may concern: • Use a colon at the beginning of a list of things in a sentence. Please complete the following: Smile, laugh, and clap. • Use a colon to separate hours and minutes when writing times. At the tone, the time will be 1:23 PM.

9. TheHyphen • The hyphen is used at the end of a line when a word is broken and is continued on the next line. **8th grade disclaimer – avoid this practice. Simply bring the entire word to the next line. • The hyphen is also used to divide syllables. com – pu – ter • The hyphen is sometimes used to connect two or more words when they represent one idea. ~light-year ~ hyper-tension

10. TheParentheses • Parentheses enclose parts of a sentence that could be left out, such as explanations or comments. The boy finally answered (after taking several minutes to contemplate) that he did not take the books without permission.

11. The Quotation Mark • Use quotation marks before and after a quotation. "You can bring the work tomorrow," she replied. The Question Mark • Use a question mark after a sentence that asks a question. What time should we leave for the airport?

12. The Exclamation Point • Use an exclamation point after a sentence or a quotation that shows strong feeling. Be careful not to use it too much! **8th grade disclaimer – Do not use explanation points in formal written expression in my class, please.**