ENGLISH PUNCTUATION

The purpose of English punctuation (or punctuation of any language) is to make clear the reading of written communication.

In a sense, punctuation helps put into writing that which we do naturally when we speak.

In other words, we pause, we breathe, we get excited and angry, we communicate with whole sentences and we ask questions as we speak -- all of which and more is communicated in the written word through the use of punctuation.

Sadly, for the learner of English punctuation, there is no direct correspondence between phrases and commas, or voice drops and periods.

Question marks, for instance, can tell you that an answer is expected, but they do not tell us how to read the question. There are three different intonation patterns to questions (voice rise, voice fall and voice level) which precede question marks.

Some of the English punctuation ‘rules’ can be considered more a matter of style than grammar; however, many rules do exist and should be understood by the learner of the language.

Learn the rules of English punctuation.

Remember to place a full stop at the end of each sentence. The following lists some of the most common English punctuation; I recommend you print it out to use as a quick and ready reference.

Full stop or period = (.)

• All statements are followed by a full stop. Full stops come at the end of a complete thought.

• Most abbreviations are followed by periods, (Mr., Mrs., Dr.) some, however, now consider this use optional (I still use it and recommend my students do too). An abbreviation is a short way of writing something. Abbreviations follow standard forms; there is no 'inventing' them. Some short forms, like TV and UN are not abbreviations at all. They are pronounced as they are written and they are not followed by full stops. When an abbreviation occurs at the end of a sentence a closing period is required (DEA, TWA, RAF).

• A full stop, not a comma, separates the two parts of a decimal in English punctuation (e.g. 23.16 and is read twenty-three point sixteen.)

Comma = (,)

• Commas follow “Yes”, or “No”, at the beginning of a short response.

• We use a comma between adjectives in a series (a large, black sedan). When two or more adjectives precede a noun, comma's are not usually necessary (a gloomy wet day.)

• In compound sentences before the connectors. (I know him, and he knows me) However, this usage is becoming dated and out of style.

• Commas separate street from city and city from state when no prepositions are used. (I live in Main Street, Lansing, Michigan).

• Commas are used to separate three or more sentence parts in a series of actions when the same subject is used. (e.g. he catches the ball, turns to shoot, and scores the game winning basket. There is only one subject here (he) and three verbs in a series.)

• In direct quotation a comma separates the introductory statement from the actual words of the speaker (e.g. he says, “Is that Mr. Brown?”)

• Commas separate numbers into groups of thousands NOT periods. (e.g. there are 200,000,000 internet users in the United States.)

• When we directly address one person by name, the addressee’s name is separated by a comma or commas. (e.g. “You know, Mr. Lincoln, we met a year ago.”)

• Commas precede question tags (e.g. You are not Greek, are you?)

• Commas not exclamation marks are placed after a mild exclamation, such as “oh”, or “well”. (e.g. Well, let’s go. “Oh, it that so?”)

• Commas are used to set off an apposition. Both commas need to be included. (e.g. Dr. Johnson and his friend, Dr. Wright, went fishing.)

• The words: hence, therefore, for example, for instance, consequently, as it were, moreover, on the other hand, on the contrary, in the first place, etc. are usually placed between commas.

• After introductory adverbial phrases or clauses whenever there is a possibility of misreading (e.g.) When the house is ready for habitation, I'll let you know.

• Non-defining clauses are always set off from the rest of the sentence by commas. (e.g. Jarl, who came from Iceland a year ago, is the best student in the class).

• Using a comma to separate a conditional clause coming at the beginning of a sentence is now optional. (e.g. If it rains, (optional) the show will be canceled.)

To learn more about English punctuation click on the preceding link. You will go to a page which teaches proper apostrophe use.