i.e.

means "that is" 

it's from the latin "id est" 
I like to eat vegetables (i.e. I enjoy their taste) 

e.g. means "for example" 

it's from the latin "exempli gratia" 
I like to eat vegetables (e.g. carrots and broccoli)

The abbreviations e.g. (from the Latin exempli gratia) and i.e. (from the Latin id est)

are often confused. This is because they are both used to introduce some clarification of
something previously mentioned.
e.g.
The abbreviation e.g. is used to provide an example:

Examples:

 The buffet provided excellent variety, e.g., vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups,
Italian and French breads, and numerous sweets.   
(e.g. = for example)

 He was the school champion of many activities (e.g., chess, badminton, 110m hurdles,
and high jump).    
(e.g. = for example)
i.e.
The abbreviation i.e. is used to restate an idea more clearly or offer more information.

HYPHEN
 A hyphen is used to
1. Join words that together form a compound adjective placed before a noun.
 I have one sixteen-year-old student.
 Michael Jackson had a very high-profile court case.
2. Write out numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine.
 Seventy-five students turned in an essay.
3. Show a word break at the end of a line.
 Only break between syllables. Ex: stu-dent
Ellipses . . .

• Use ellipses to indicate that info has been left out in a quotation.

 Original Passage: I knew that the places I wanted to go on vacation, such as Hawaii or Jamaica, I
couldn’t afford. -Ms. Pickett
 Ms. Pickett told us, “I knew that the places I wanted to go on vacation . . . I couldn’t afford.”
NOTE: When using ellipses, leave a space before and after each period.

Parenthesis ( )

• Use parenthesis to set off extra information that is not essential.

 My dog’s favorite toy (a stuffed alligator) is lying out in the yard.

 You should generally avoid using parenthesis in academic writing.
Dashes —

1. A dash is created by hitting the hyphen key twice.

2. Do not put extra space around a dash.
3. Use a dash to set off words for emphasis or to indicate a pause.
 The final exam—worth 15% of your final grade—will be next Thursday.
 There will be no make up exam—no exceptions—for this course.

A hyphen is used to divide or join words. Hyphens are also used to create new words.

To divide a word at the end of a line: 

In the days of typewriters, hyphen was used to divide a word when one ran out of room at
the end of a line. During the age of computer word processing, manually dividing a word at
the end of a line is no longer needed. However, if you must divide a word at the end of a
line, the word may be divided only between syllables. Never divide one-syllable words and
contractions such as haven't, shouldn't.

In compound words: 
A hyphen is used to make some compound words.
Example: Matt was not well-known, even though he climbed Mt. Everest.

In fractions: 
A hyphen is used between the numbers in a fraction.
Example: Jake ate three-quarters of a large pizza!

To form an adjective: 
The hyphen is used to join two or more words which work together to form a single
adjective before a noun.
Examples:
The nine-year-old boy was injured. 
The injured woman is thirty-five years old.

To create new words: 

A hyphen is used to form new words beginning with the prefixes self, ex, great, all, and
half. A hyphen is also used with suffixes such as free and elect.
Examples: great-grandfather, half-baked, all-purpose, self-esteem, sugar-free, president-
elect

RULES FOR DASH USAGE

A dash (—) is used to emphasis what follows. Dashes should be used sparingly — no more
than one or two per paragraph.

 Use a dash to change topic or structure

Example: This is very important — are you listening to me?
 Use a dash if the information that follows is surprising and unexpected.
Example: We went shopping in Hollywood — and met Tom Hanks.
 Use dashes in a dialog to show hesitation.
Example: I—I—I don't know.
 Use a dash to summarize or to communicate additional information.
Example: Jack, Jill, Sally, Molly and I — we all were taken aback.
 Use a dash to enclose emphasized additional information which interrupts the normal
progression of the sentence.
Example: He wanted us—Jill, Betsy and me—to meet his family.
Answers KEY
1. man's, wasn't
2. mother's
3. shouldn't, sister's
4. secretary's
5. Marie's
6. snowstorm's, didn't
7. Kyle's, aren't
8. Mandy's, couldn't
9. students', teacher's
10. actress's, wasn't
11. Everything—the dresser, bed, tables, and your desk—needs to be moved before we can paint.
12. At seventy-nine, Mr. Perkins is extraordinarily active.
13. We made it to the top of the mountain—the view was spectacular!
14. My brothers-in-law are the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet.
15. It is said that possession is nine-tenths of the law.
16. One hundred fifty-five people filed into the courthouse to view the arraignments.
17. Denny was asked to re-glue the eyes onto his puppet's face, as they had fallen off.
18. Mary said her ex-sister-in-law would always be a part of the family.
19. Jayne loves playing with her daddy's old jack-in-the-box that her grandma brought.
20. Some old movie theme songs—M*A*S*H, The Pink Panther, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The
Wizard of Oz—are classics that will live on for all time.

1. Her father-in-law lives in Florida.
2. The depth of her depression was unfathomable to her friends.
3. I am still on good terms with my ex-supervisor.
4. Cindy is proud of her Japanese-American heritage.
5. Rhonda's brother was a well-known restaurateur.
6. nine-twelfths
7. one-fourth
8. five hundred forty-three
9. three thousand four hundred fifty-five
10. twelve
NAME: _____________ SECTION:_____________ DATE:__________

PART I -DIRECTIONS: Place apostrophes where they belong in the following

sentences.
1. The mans rake wasnt left in the leaf pile.
2. My mothers tablecloth was stained with grease.
3. You shouldnt pull your sisters hair.
4. The secretarys phone rang off the hook all morning.
5. Maries umbrella was blown inside out.
6. The snowstorms forecast didnt keep us out of school.
7. Kyles pep talks are always the best arent they?
8. Mandys parents grounded her, so she couldnt go to the concert with me.
9. There was a huge pile of students papers on the teachers desk.
10. That actresss British accent wasnt very good.
PART II- Determine where hyphens or dashes should be appropriately placed in the
following sentences.

11. Everything the dresser, bed, tables, and your desk needs to be moved before we can paint.
12. At seventy nine, Mr. Perkins is extraordinarily active.
13. We made it to the top of the mountain the view was spectacular!
14. My brothers in law are the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet.
15. It is said that possession is nine tenths of the law.
16. One hundred fifty five people filed into the courthouse to view the arraignments.
17. Denny was asked to reglue the eyes onto his puppet's face, as they had fallen off.
18. Mary said her ex sister in law would always be a part of the family.
19. Jayne loves playing with her daddy's old jack in the box that her grandma brought.
20. Some old movie theme songs M*A*S*H, The Pink Panther, 2001: A Space Odyssey, andThe
Wizard of Oz are classics that will live on for all time.

PART III- Hyphens Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence.

1. Her father-in-law / father in law lives in Florida.

2. The depth of her depression was unfathomable / un-fathomable to her friends.
3. I am still on good terms with my exsupervisor / ex-supervisor.
4. Cindy is proud of her Japanese-American / Japanese American heritage.
5. Rhonda's brother was a well-known / well known restaurateur.
  Write out the numbers listed below, using hyphens when necessary.

6.

7.
8. 543
9. 3,455
10. 12

PART IV- Follow the directions to write and punctuate sentences correctly.

1. Write a sentence containing a word that requires a hyphen.

2. Write a sentence that requires dashes and contains at least one word that needs a hyphen.
3. Write a sentence that requires parentheses and contains a word that needs a hyphen.
4. Write a sentence that requires dashes and contains a word that needs a hyphen.
The dash and the hyphen are like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito: confused so often
they are taken for each other. But like these two fine actors, the dash and the hyphen are not the
same, no sireee.

 A hyphen is one click on the keyboard: -

 A dash is two clicks on the keyboard: —
 An ellipsis is three spaced periods: …

Therefore, the dash is twice as long as the hyphen. That's not all; the dash and hyphen have
totally different uses. Not to mention the ellipsis.
The Dash: Long and Lean
Basically, the dash is used to show emphasis. Here's how:

 Use a dash to show a sudden change of thought.

 Example: An archaeologist—of course I don't mean you—is a person whose career lies in
ruins.

 Use a dash before a summary of what is stated in the sentence.

 Example: Avoiding work, getting liposuction, becoming a finalist in the George Hamilton
Cocoa Butter Open—everything depends on that trust fund.

The Hyphen: Short and Sweet

The hyphen, in contrast, is used to show a break in words.

 Use a hyphen to show a word break at the end of a line.

 Example: When you finish The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style, Sec-
 ond Edition, your written work will be as sharp as your appearance.

Strictly Speaking
You could make it through life fine and dandy without a dash, but you'd be the poorer for it. Like
argyle socks, the dash shows flair and style. It creates rhythm and emphasis in your writing.

 Use a hyphen in certain compound nouns.

 Example: great-grandmother

 Use hyphens in fractions and in compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine.

 Examples: one-half, sixty-six

The Ellipsis: Dot, Dot, Dot

The ellipsis, in contrast, indicates a break in continuity.
Danger, Will Robinson
Don't use an ellipsis to show that words have been omitted from the beginning of a sentence.
Just omit the words and keep right on going.

 Use an ellipsis to show that you have deleted words or sentences from a passage you are
quoting.

 Example: Abraham Lincoln said: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth … a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.”

 Use an ellipsis to show a pause or interruption.

 Example: “No,” I said. “I … I need my space.”

TEST YOURSELF: 
Can you tell which of the following sentences need a comma before a coordinating conjunction?

1. The ice storm last week caused many tree limbs to fall on power lines and many people were
without electricity for days.
2. The ice storm last week caused many tree limbs to fall on power lines and left many people
without electricity for days.
3. Many companies are hiring chief information officers to oversee their information technology
systems for only a specialist can keep pace with the rapid changes in technology.
4. Shaniqua may stay on campus for the weekend or she may decide to go home to see her high
school friends.
5. Shaniqua may stay on campus for the weekend or may go home to see her high school friends.
6. We knew the roads were becoming treacherous yet we dreaded having to announce that schools
would be closed the next day.
7. We knew the roads were becoming treacherous yet dreaded having to announce that schools
would be closed the next day.
8. Look around for any evidence that might reveal the identity of the intruder and carefully place
that evidence in a plastic bag so it can be examined closely at headquarters.

ANSWERS:

1. [The ice storm last week caused many tree limbs to fall on power lines], and [many people were
without electricity for days].
2. no comma
3. [Many companies are hiring chief information officers to oversee their information technology
systems], for [only a specialist can keep pace with the rapid changes in technology].
4. [Shaniqua may stay on campus for the weekend], or [she may decide to go home to see her high
school friends].
5. no comma
6. [We knew the roads were becoming treacherous], yet [we dreaded having to announce that
schools would be closed the next day].
7. no comma
8. [Look around for any evidence that might reveal the identity of the intruder], and [carefully place
that evidence in a plastic bag so it can be examined closely at headquarters]. [Note: both
independent clauses have the understood subject "you."]

Whether it is correct to use a comma before a coordinating conjunction ("and", "but", "or",
"nor", "for", "yet", "so") depends on the situation. There are three primary uses of
conjunctions:

1. When a coordinating conjunction is used to connect two independent clauses, a

comma isalways used. Examples:
 I hit my brother with a stick, and he cried.
 The rain stopped, and the sun came out again.
 Should I eat dinner, or should I play a game?
2. When a coordinating conjunction is used to connect a dependent clause, a comma
is neverused. This includes both of your given examples. Other examples:
 The boy ran to his room and cried.
 Frank is a healthy and active child.
 Should I eat dinner or play a game?
3. When a coordinating conjunction is used to connect three or more items or clauses, a
comma is optional (though I personally prefer to use one). Examples:
 I bought cheese, crackers, and drinks at the store.
 Should I eat dinner, play a game, or go to the store?