Semicolon
Use semicolon to separate items in a list, when some of those items
already contain commas.
Example: "I bought shiny, ripe apples; small, sweet, juicy grapes; and firm pears."
Reference: http://www.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Semicolons.html Spet 11.2012
Use
a semicolon between closely related independent clauses joined by a
coordinating conjunction if the clauses are already punctuated with commas or
if the clauses are lengthy.
Example : "Some people write with a word processor, typewriter,
or a computer; but others,
for different reasons, choose to write with a pen or pencil."
Reference: http://www.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Semicolons.html Spet 11.2012
Using a semicolon between independent clauses
linked with a transitional expression.
Example: "The five
nations respects the abilities of all its people; therefore, both women and men
participate in making tribal decisions."
Reference: http://www.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Semicolons.html Spet 11.2012
Use To announce, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a noun or noun
phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation.
Lists example: “We covered many of the fundamentals in our writing class: grammar,
punctuation, style, and voice.”
Noun/noun phrase
example: “My roommate gave me the
things I needed most: companionship and quiet.”
Quotation
example: Shakespeare said it best: “To
thine own self be true.”
Reference: http://www.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Semicolons.html Spet 11.2012
Colon
Use a colon to
separate titles and subtitles, to express time, to cite a law or biblical
passage, to end a salutation, to separate the place of publication and the publisher
in a bibliographic entry.
Example: Richard
Nixon: The Tarnished President
4:00 p.m.
Dear Rachel:
West, Gerald. How
to Write Best Sellers. New York: Henry James Publishing, 1973.
The point of
final game was 104:97
Use a colon to connect two sentences when the second
sentence summarizes, sharpens, or explains the first.
Example: “Religion and politics can be sensitive subjects:
many people hold opinionated views and are easily offended by other peoples'
remarks.”
Period [.]:
Use a period at the end of a sentence (The dog ran fast.), command (Hand in
your homework by Friday.), indirect question (The teacher asked why Frank was
late to school.), or for abbreviations (Mr. Smith went to Texas.).
Question Mark [?]:
Use a question mark at the
end of a question. (What are you doing?)
*Question words: Who, what,
where, when, how, whom, whose, and which
Exclamation Point [!]:
Use an exclamation point at the end of an empathic declaration, interjection,
or command. (Do it now! or What are you doing! Stop!)
Quotation Marks [“ ”]: Use
quotation marks to set off material that represents quoted or spoken language.
Quotation marks also set off the titles of things that do not normally stand by
themselves: short stories, poems, and articles. Use quotation marks to enclose
direct quotations. (My mother always said “Be careful what you wish for”)
Hyphen [-]:
Use a hyphen to join two or
more words serving as a single adjective before a noun (a one-way street), with
compound numbers (sixty-three), to divide words at the end of a line if
necessary, and with the prefixes (ex-husband).
What is the apostrophe? The apostrophe indicates that a
number or letter has been omitted. Moreover, apostrophes are also used to show
possession or ownership.
Commas
What is the comma? A comma is a punctuation mark used to indicate separation that in
spoken English is proved by a brief pause (or breathing space).
There are six rules for
using commas.
1.
Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, nor,
yet, for, so) that separates two independent clauses. For example: One of our teachers gave us a lot of homework for next
week, but he changes his mind and moves the due date.
2.
Use a comma after an introductory word, phrase, or clause that
comes before a main clause. For example: Strangely, no one has suggested
that Watergate gave us a "new Nixon."
3.
Use commas around words, phrases, and clauses in the middle of a
sentence when they aren't essential to the meaning of the sentence. For
example, this was not, in other words, an invisible 56 percent of
the population.
4.
Use commas between items in a series. For example: Three reasons
for the closing were insufficient enrollment, poor instructional
materials, and inadequate funds.
5.
Use commas before and after a quotation within a sentence. For
example: The band leader said, "Once the simple marching drill is
learned, we will work on more maneuvers."
6.
Use a comma before an afterthought or
contrasting element. For example: To understand a particular culture, we must
consider the society as a whole, not its individual parts.
There are some examples how to use them.
He is= he’s
Does not= doesn’t
There are some singular (not ending with –s)
Owner
|
Thing Owned
|
Correct Form
|
a child
|
shoes
|
a child’s shoes
|
anyone
|
idea
|
anyone’s idea
|
a person
|
incoming
|
a person’s income
|
Singular Nouns (ending with –s)
Owner
|
Thing Owned
|
Correct form
|
Chris Jones
|
dog
|
Chris Jones’ dog
|
James
|
room
|
James’ room
|
Plural Nouns (not ending with –s)
Owner
|
Thing Owner
|
Correct Form
|
people
|
beliefs
|
people’s belief
|
children
|
songs
|
Children’s songs
|
Plural Nouns
(ending with –s)
Owner
|
Thing Owned
|
Correct Form
|
Two weeks
|
vacation
|
two weeks’ vacation
|
ten dollars
|
worth
|
Ten dollars’ worth
|
students
|
addresses
|
Students’ addersses
|
