ENG0300 - BRYANT

Punctuation review
 COMMAS

• Use a comma:
• to separate words in a series
• to separate independent clauses in a compound sentence. Use the comma BEFORE the
FANBOYS.
• after an introductory phrase or clause in a sentence.
• to set off appositives. For example: The Rams, our school’s football team, won their game
at Farrington Field. (you can take out the appositive and the sentence still is true, so you can
separate it with commas).
• for direct address in a sentence. For example: Why did you do that, Billy Bob?
• in non-restrictive clauses (remember non-restrictive means non-essential – that means you
can take it out without changing the meaning). For example: Billy Bob, who wore a cap,
arrived late to class.
• in dates, addresses, titles, and other things such as these.
 SEMI-COLONS
• Use a semi-colon:
• To separate independent clauses in a compound sentence (it takes the place of a comma plus
a FANBOYS.
• In a series list if the items are more than a word. For example: My favorite vacations were
spent as follows: traveling to and exploring the Grand Canyon; kayaking down the
Mississippi River in Autumn; working for Habitat for Humanity and building a house for a
homeless man.
• For example: I have lived in Boston, Massachusetts; Valdosta, Georgia; Reno, Nevada;
Tampa, Florida; Asheville, North Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia, in addition to Texas.
• With conjunctive adverbs (those fancy words) like however, furthermore, moreover,
nonetheless, therefore. For example: I understand what you are saying perfectly; therefore,
there is absolutely no reason to yell.
 COLONS
• Use a colon:
• Before a list. For example: These are the things you must take camping: tent, food, water,
toilet paper, and a slingshot to kill bears.
• To introduce an example or explanation. For example, The main problem we all have is this:
failing to study enough.
• In a compound sentence, you can use a colon instead of a comma or semi-colon if the
second sentence explains the first. For example: The main problem we all have is this: we
fail to study enough.
• In a salutation of a letter or email when it’s formal. For example:
• Dear Dr. Smith:
• There are other rules, but these are the ones you will encounter most frequently.
 APOSTROPHES
Use apostrophes
• In contractions to show an omitted letter when you combine words. For example: I do not want you
to go becomes I don’t want you to go. It is very important to remember this rule. If you write with a
lot of contractions and forget the apostrophe, that is considered careless or poor writing and will
count off against you on the WritePlacer essay.

To show possession/ownership. For example: The girl’s backpack was heavy. If it is more than one
girl, it would be written as The girls’ backpacks were heavy.
In proper nouns (names), the rule becomes confusing. Normally, most people believe that if your name
ends in ‘s,’ it depends on how it’s said. For example, my son Chris would be written as “Chris’s
backpack” because that is how it is said. If your name was Stevens, it would probably be written as
‘Stevens’ because you wouldn’t say “Stevenses.” I will explain this, and it will make sense when you
hear it. Just remember that normally, if a word is singular, you add ‘s to make it possessive. If it’s
plural and ends in s, you just add an apostrophe to make it possessive. Cat’s vs. cats’

• DO NOT USE AN ‘S TO MAKE WORDS PLURAL OR JUST PUT AN ‘S ON RANDOM WORDS

LIKE WANT’S -- IT’S A BAD HABIT! STOPPPPPPP!
 APOSTROPHES (CONTINUED)
• There are words called possessive pronouns that are already showing ownership and do not
require an ‘s. For example:
• Its, hers, ours, theirs, his (the most confusing is the word its because people often mistake it’s for
a possessive word, but it is a contraction that means ‘it is’
 ELLIPSIS (PLURAL IS ELLIPSES)
Use an ellipsis
• to show an omission in a quotation
• To show there is more to come or something left unsaid at the end of a sentence. It is only
three dots. If it ends a sentence, it is 4. IT IS NOT 10 OR 12 DOTS!

• HINT: DO NOT DO THIS VERY OFTEN.

 DASH
• There are several kinds. You will use most often what is called an “em dash.”
• It is used for emphasis, to show an interruption in thought, and, generally speaking, for
literary purposes. For example:
• Aunt Mary – what a crazy lady – showed up yesterday at our house.
• Aunt Mary showed up yesterday – was that a disaster!

• Another kind – an en dash – is usually called a hyphen, and it is used to hyphenate words.
For example: Everything right now is pumpkin-scented.
• Or Soon we will be having our one-on-one grading conferences.
 THERE ARE OTHERS…
• Parentheses, Brackets, Periods, question marks, quotation marks, tildes and accent marks in
words from other languages besides English, etc.

IF YOU MADE IT THIS FAR, CONGRATULATIONS! If you are

confused, just go back and make sure you understand these REALLY WELL!

COMMAS
SEMI-COLONS
COLONS
APOSTROPHES