English for Careers

English for Careers Chapter 11 Mastering the Fine Points of Punctuation

Your goals for Chapter 11 Properly punctuate sentences using: quotation marks italics and underlining the hyphen italics the apostrophe

Use QUOTATION MARKS when quoting someone’s exact words: Place the marks at the beginning and end of the quotation: Mark Twain said, “Nothing is ours but our language, our phrasing. If a man takes that from me (knowingly, purposely) he is a thief.”

Do not use quotation marks when paraphrasing: A paraphrase summarizes the words of someone, but is not a direct quotation. Mark Twain said using someone’s phrasing without acknowledgement is being a thief.

Place QUOTATION MARKS outside of a period or comma, but inside a colon or semicolon. “To find yourself, think for yourself,” Socrates said. Three philosophers are included in “Great Ancient Sages” : Socrates, Plato, and Confucius.

With a question or exclamation mark, where you place quotation marks varies. Mahatma Ghandi said, “ Could there be a greater proof of our cowardice than fighting amongst ourselves?” (question mark applies only to quote) Did you know Ghandi said, “ Could there be a greater proof of our cowardice than fighting amongst ourselves”? (question mark applies to entire sentence, not just quote)

Use quotation marks for titles of subdivisions of published works (articles, chapters). The article, “Eat Less, Live Longer” appeared in yesterday’s newspaper. Please read “Chapter 12: The Technology Boom” for tomorrow’s class.

Also use quotation marks for names of short works, (poems, songs, and lectures). My favorite Beatle’s song is “Yesterday.” When you feel down, read Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, “Cheerfulness Taught by Reason.”

Use italics or underline: To indicate full-length published works—books, magazines, newspapers, films, plays, and shows. We read The Catcher in the Rye in high school English class. In handwriting, use an underline.

Use italics or underline: To emphasize a word or expression or to show that a word is used where it might seem out of place. Marie wrote massageinstead of message. Use an underline in handwriting.

The hyphen (-) is used to form compound words: Compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are spelled with a hyphen. Self words are hyphenated except for selfsame. self-conscious self-respect Hyphenate ex when it means former ex-president ex-husband

Some compound adjectives require a hyphen: If it is a permanent compound, it will be shown in the dictionary. These statistics are up-to-date.

If an adjective is more than one word (compound), it has a hyphen if shown in the dictionary OR if it precedes the noun being modified. hard-working, up-to-date, government-owned, tax-exempt

Use a hyphen when the adjective precedes the noun being modified. The actor has a five-year contract with the network. He is a short-tempered person.

When the compound adjective follows the noun, the part of speech often changes; it is no longer a compound adjective. The contract was for five years. He has a short temper.

Sometimes a hyphen is needed to avoid confusion: If a prefix ending in e (such as re, de, or pre) might be confusing use a hyphen Recover (to get better) Re-cover (to cover again)

Most pre, re, and de words do not require hyphens, except sometimes if the main word begins with e: preheat replay re-elect deselect

If a proper noun follows a prefix, use a hyphen: anti-American ex-President of the United States pre-Columbian Age

When non, over, under, semi, or sub is a prefix, write the word without a space or hyphen. nonfat overestimated underachiever semiconductor subcontractor

If the first word of the compound expression ends with ly, the hyphen is usually not required. fashionably dressed man reasonably priced furniture officially sanctioned rules

If the ly word is an adjective, do use the hyphen. friendly-looking girl outlandishly-concocted story freshly-squeezed orange juice

No hyphen is required when the word is a well-established compound noun functioning as an adjective: A high school student found the social security check. The firm’s junior partner takes his children to the child care center.

Use a hyphen to divide words at the end of a line. Divide words between syllables. cat.a.log But avoid distracting the reader with amusing or confusing divisions: Please send me your cat- alog. Finally, he abandoned his pet- ulant attitude.

The APOSTROPHE makes a noun possessive. First decide whether it should be singular or plural. Singular: place the apostrophe before the s George’s dog is a great pet. Plural: place the apostrophe after the s: The Smiths’ dog is a great pet.

Possessive plural nouns ending with s add an apostrophe only. Two days’ work is required. Nurses’ uniforms are often white. The students’ books are new. Ten minutes’ notice is enough.

Possessive plural nouns not ending with s add ‘s. Men’s clothing is expensive. The alumni’s party is Tuesday. The children’s toys are new.

Also use apostrophes to form CONTRACTIONS. Place the apostrophe where letters were removed. You’re doing well. (omitted a) I’ve caught a cold. (omitted ha) That’s the idea. (omitted i) We’re leaving on Tuesday. (omitted a)

Indefinite pronouns may be possessives or contractions. Possessive It is anyone’s guess. No one’s back hurts. It is everybody’s job. Contraction No one’s back here. Everybody’s going. Something’s wrong.

Do Not use apostrophes with: The plural of numbers The temperature is in the 90s. There are several 8s in my address. The plural of capital letter abbreviations The hospital hired two MDs today. Do you know where the YMCAs are?

DO use apostrophes… For various symbols in statistical reports and forms feet - 4’ minutes - 30’ When omitting the century for years of graduation and decades The Class of ’95 had a reunion in 2000. I’ve always enjoyed music of the ’60s.

DO use apostrophes… With the plural of a lower case letter: There are four i’s in Mississippi. With possessive abbreviations The PTA’s status is strong. With plurals of lower case abbreviations if it improves clarity The secretary received two rsvp’s this morning.

Checkpoint You are now familiar with the fine points of using quotation marks, italics and underlining, the hyphen, and the apostrophe.

English for Careers