Punctuation:
 An Essential Part of Writing
The Semicolon
 Use between closely related independent clauses not
joined with a coordinating conjunction
 Use between items in a series containing internal
punctuation
 Use between independent clauses linked with a
transitional expression
 accordingly, furthermore, moreover, similarly, also,
hence, namely, still, anyway, however, nevertheless,
then, besides, incidentally, next, thereafter, certainly,
indeed, nonetheless, therefore, consequently,
instead, now, thus, finally, likewise, otherwise,
undoubtedly, further, meanwhile
The Colon
:
 Use after an independent clause to
direct attention to a list, an
appositive, or a quotation
 Use between independent clauses if
the second summarizes or explains
the first
 Use with time, letter salutations, a
ratio, and between a title and subtitle
The Apostrophe
 Use to indicate that a noun is
possessive
 Use to indicate that an indefinite
pronoun is possessive
 Use to mark omissions in contractions
and numbers
 Do not use to form plurals of
numbers, letters, and abbreviations
Quotation Marks
 Use to enclose direct quotations
 Use single quotation marks to enclose
a quotation within a quotation
 Titles: short stories, songs, articles,
poems, episodes of TV and radio
programs, & chapters
End Marks:
 Period…use to end sentences and
with abbreviations
 Question mark… a direct question
should be followed by a question
mark
 Exclamation point…use with a word
group or sentence to express
exceptional feeling or provide
emphasis
The Dash
 To set off parenthetical material that
deserves emphasis
 To set off apposition that contains
commas
 To prepare a list, a restatement, an
amplification, or a dramatic shift in tone
or thought…Mary took a few steps back,
came running full speed, kicked a
mighty kick—and missed the ball.
Parentheses
 Use to enclose supplemental material
or afterthoughts…After taking her
vital signs (temperature, pulse, and
blood), the nurse made Becky feel as
comfortable as possible.
 Use to enclose letters or numbers
labeling items in a series
Brackets
 Use to enclose nay words or phrases
that you have inserted into an
otherwise word for word quotation
 Audubon reports that “if there are not
enough young to balance deaths, the
end of the species [California candor]
is inevitable.”
The Ellipsis Mark:
 Use to indicate that words have been
deleted from an otherwise word for
word quotation
The Slash
 Use to separate two or three lines of
poetry that have been run into your
text
 Use t o separate paired
terms…pass/fail…his/her
Italics (underlining):
 Use for titles of works…books,
magazines, newspapers, pamphlets,
long poems, plays, films, television
programs, radio programs, musical
compositions, choreographic works,
works of art, comic strips, electronic
databases, web sites, electronic games,
names of ships
 Use for foreign words used in an English
sentence