“Like it or not, punctuation is something you have to master(…)

Punctuation marks tell readers to pause or stop when you intend them to;
in partnership with the words you choose, they add meter and rhythm to
your writing and make it dance off the page; they help convey emotion
(...don't they? You bet!); they clarify your meaning. (What's your first
reaction to this sentence?: "While we were eating the cat on the table
jumped down." While we were eating the cat?! What a difference a
comma makes!: "While we were eating, the cat on the table jumped
down.")” by Marg Gilks ( 2007)

“Punctuation is a tool that the writers use to clarify and

enhance the meaning they want to get across” by Dan
Felgelson (2008)”
 Set of
symbols

Rhythm
and stress

Traffics signals
of language
 WHY DO WE
NEED
PUNCTUATION?

Coherence Start
To make it
and and
understandable
Cohesion End
Period
1. To end: • My name’s Beth and I was 18 in July.

• I keep reliving that moment. Over and over

2. To emphasize: again.

• etc., Dec., or p.m.

3. With • The coffee morning will be held on Thursday 15
abbreviations: Sept. in the Waterfront Restaurant.

4. With websites • www.oup.com

and email:
Question mark
1. To end: • Have you seen the film yet?

2. After a tag • You're French, aren't you?

question:
3. In direct • What if I said to you, "I don't love you any

question: more"?

4. To turn: • See you at 9pm?

5. To show • I think you said it would cost $10???

uncertainty:
 Exclamation mark
•
She shouted at him, "Go away! I hate you!"
1. To indicate • He exclaimed: "What a fantastic house you have !"
feelings: • "Shut up!"

• "Hi! What's new?"

2. Follows • "Oh! When are you going?"
interjections: • "Ouch! That hurt."

• What idiots we are! (We are such idiots.)

3. With non- • How pretty she looked in that dress! (She looked
question sentences: very pretty in that dress.)

• I met Katy yesterday. She is so gorgeous!!!

4. To show
reinforcement: • Remember, don't be late!!
Hyphen
• Race-horse (or racehorse)
1. To join words: • Pick-me-up

• A blue-eyed boy (but The boy was blue eyed.)

2. To make compound • The well-known actor (but The actor is well known.)
modifiers: • Their four-year-old son (but Their son is four years old.)

• All-inclusive
3. with certain prefixes • Ex-wife
(all-, ex-, and self-): • Self-control

• Twenty-one
4. To write numbers 21 • One hundred and sixty-five
to 99, and fractions: • Two-thirds

• They need to employ more full- and part-time staff. (not They need
5. With suspended to employ more full-time and part-time staff.)
• This rule applies only to 12 -, 13- and 14-year olds. (not This rule
compounds: applies only to 12-year olds, 13-year olds and 14-year olds.)
Dash • My brothers—Richard and John—are visiting
Hanoi. (Could use commas.)
1. To show a • In the 15th century—when of course nobody had
pause or break: electricity—water was often pumped by hand.(Could use
brackets.)

2. To show an • I attached the photo to my email—at least I hope I

afterthought: did!

3. To introduce a • There are three places I'll never forget—

list: Paris, Bangkok and Hanoi.

4. To show that • . (Typically used for offensive words.)

letters or words • I will look ––––– the children. (Typically used in
"missing word" questions.)
are missing:
 They are:

Round
brackets Square
() brackets [ ]

Mount Everest He told me a I appreciate it

(8,848 m) is the
highest mountain in The teacher(s) lie (looking at [the honor],
the world. my eyes), I but I refuse it
felt
disappointed
Apostrophe
e.g. He joined
Personal names
Charles’s army in
that end in –s 1642.

To show Plural nouns

e.g. The work is due
to start in two
possession that end in –s weeks’ time.

Plural nouns e.g. The children’s

that do not end father came round
in –s to see me
 pick ‘n’ mix -
short for pick and
mix
Letters
didn’t - short
To show for did not
omission
the Berlin Wall came
Numbers down in the autumn
of ’89
Quotation marks
1. In Direct speech

• ‘What time will he arrive?’ she asked.

2. With a word or phrase being discussed

• He called this phenomenon ‘the memory of water’.

• What does ‘integrated circuit’ mean?.
Single ‘ ’ or Double “ ”?

‘Homer always
thinks “ummm,
beer” and makes
me laugh’ Chris
said .
Asterisk
• Considerations on the Polish
To draw the Government*
• *It was written by Jean-Jacques
attention Rousseau in 1771.

• CEF* means Common European

To replace Framework,
omitted words
Bullet points
To catch the
interest

Some
guidelines

Have the
Use With capital W/o capital
Be short same
sparingly letters letters
begging

1.Teaching
2.Learning
For instance:

With capital letters:

The agenda for tonight is as follows:
 We will conduct an annual review of capital gains issues.

 The senior tax manager will talk about outstanding

inheritance tax issues.

Without capital letters:

Tonight's agenda includes:
 annual review of capital gains issues

 outstanding inheritance tax issues

Comma
• The school has a vegetable garden in
1.In list: which the children grow onions,
potatoes and carrots.

2.In direct • Steve replied, “no problem”

speech: • “I do not agree”, I replied.

3.To separate • I first saw her in paris, where I

clauses: lived in the early nineties.

4.Coordinating • He did not want to go, but he

conjuntion: went anyway.
 Colon
• There are three countries in North America:
1.list: Mexico, USA and Canada.

2.To emphasize an • There is one thing that we do not

item: accept: Stupidity.

• We had to cancel the party: too

3.Explanation:
many people were sick.

Semicolon
1.Independent • Josef likes coffee; Maria
clauses: likes tea.
Underline
1.To • Bread
indicate • Butter ( Do not forget the
emphasis: butter!)

2.To show • The film Avatar was really nice

emphasis:
Slash
1. “or”: • Dear Sir/Madam (Sir or Madam)

2.Day, month • It was invented on 11/30/2007

and year:

3. Website • http://www.unicor.edu.co/Education
addres:
Ellipsis mark
• “The film focused on the three
1.Missing English learners… studying at
words: University”

2.To indicate • She turned to James and said,

a pause: “Darling there is something… I
need to tell you”

Sentence/
Thought is
continuing
CORRECT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES: USE
(:,CAPITAL . “” ‘)

1. charles dickens wrote a tale of two cities little dorrit a

Christmas carol and “bleak house” amongst others

2. exams will take place this week monday tuesday before

break Thursday afternoon and friday in place of assembly

3. the guests arrived early lady ponsonby in diamonds and

a white fur coat lord picklenoze with a glamourous girl on
each arm mr carruthers with half the contents of a bottle of
whisky already under his belt and the
luscious honourable miss hilly flower in a very short very
shiny dress

4. The girls fur coats got soaked when it rained didnt it

1. Charles Dickens wrote: “ Tale of Two Cities”, “Little
Dorrit”, “A Christmas Carol” and “Bleak House”
amongst others.

2. Exams will take place this week: Monday, Tuesday before

break, Thursday afternoon, and Friday in place of assembly.

3. The guests arrived early: Lady Ponsonby in diamonds

and a white fur coat, Lord Picklenoze with a glamourous girl
on each arm, Mr Carruthers with half the contents of a
bottle of whisky, already under his belt, and the
luscious, honourable Miss Hilly Flower in a very short, very
shiny, dress.

4. The girls’ fur coats got soaked when it rained, didn’t it.