We will go through each of the punctuation marks and address common mistakes. It is true that language is dynamic, so conventional rules about grammar and punctuation change all the time. Lewis thomass classic notes on punctuation stephen. Use of numbers like this in sentences may vary for different citation styles. Notes on punctuation by lewis thomas there are no precise rules about punctuation fowler lays out some general advice as best he can under the complex circumstances of english prose he points out, for example, that we possess only four stops the comma, the semicolon, the colon and the period the question mark and exclamation point are not. For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums. Commas are used to separate contrasting elements in a sentence. No one has conferred upon them more dignity and delight than the great physician, etymologist, poet, and essayist lewis thomas november 25, 19december 3, 1993 in his essay notes on punctuation, included in the medusa and the snail. Answer the following questions after youve read it. Punctuation revision for gcse and functional skills english.
Punctuating dialogue and direct quotations dozen rules. If youre having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, wed love to hear from you. Notes for readers in the english grammar, punctuation and spelling tests page. Im sure that says something, either positive or negative, about my personality, but ill leave those speculations to you. Use quotation marks to begin and end a direct quotation. Many a people, even by the end of their undergraduate careers, dont know the difference between a colon and a semicolon. Shared possessives possession is shared by more than one noun take an apostrophe and s on the last noun only, unless the nouns do not share.
A group of words with a subject and a verb that expresses a complete idea can be a sentence on its own. In this short skit, comedian victor borge illustrates just how prevalent punctuation is or should be in language. In our writing, we use punctuation to show pauses and emphasis. Punctuation, which is one of the foundations of language, gives language meaning and direction.
Usage basic punctuation rules utah valley state college writing center correct punctuation is essential for clear and effective writing. Punctuation shows how the sentence should be read and makes the meaning clear. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction to connect two independent clauses. Here are a few tips concerning the purposes and proper uses of different punctuation marks the fragments and runons handout provides more information.
Lewis thomas brings this vital ingredient of language to the. Illustrated worksheet on punctuation marks in english. I said, the fable by james thurber will surprise you. Each punctuation teaching lesson includes student materials punctuation doodle notes, reference guides, punctuation assessments, and. Below is a discussion on the uses of different punctuation marks such as the comma, apostrophe, semicolon, colon, hyphen, quotation, and ellipses.
Its better to err by omission than to include superfluous, even confusing apostrophes, commas and other marks. If you learned english under the british system, be careful when checking your usage. Is this the first time youve seen someone having fun with punctuation. Summary of punctuation marks punctuation marks are used to make the writers meaning clear to the reader. King fred had a party at greystone palace on sunday afternoon. While using english punctuation appropriately may help your writing to flow more smoothly, dont overdo it. If a plural noun does not end in s, add an apostrophe and s. Notes on punctuation by lewis thomas read the article above. It follows my love of sarcasm that i should have loved this piece because it is almost entirely sarcasm. If you have trouble using punctuation in combining clauses, ask for material related to.
Does lewis thomas seem to be having fun while hes writing. Over 500 practice questions to further help you brush up on algebra i. The following list contains some of the most critical punctuation rules. Basic manual of style the random house college dictionary a. Make a brief interruption within a sentence or a parenthetical phrase. Lewis thomas notes on punctuation sarcasm is something that ive always appreciated in writing. Do not use quotation marks to set off an indirect quotation. Capitalization and punctuation rules mesa, arizona. If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. Act grammar and punctuation notes the comma, barrons pp. When we speak, we can pause or emphasize certain words and phrases to help people understand what we are saying. Academics are often accused of being pedantic about grammar, spelling and punctuation, but all these seemingly endless rules are actually about effective communication expressing yourself clearly, accurately and precisely.
Separate independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction coordinating conjunctions. This punctuation teaching unit includes four different mini punctuation units. Punctuation 1 grammatical construction of the sentence 2 types of clause 3 grammar. This document should only be used as a reference and should not replace assignment. The webs most comprehensive guide to american punctuation. My family went to see the live taping of ru pauls drag race, but i stayed home with the flu. Punctuation marks help the reader understand what we mean. Johnny asked mewith a straight face, i might addif he could borrow the car for the weekend. Sentences are the building blocks used to construct written accounts. Commas commas are used to separate parts of a sentence. Good punctuation makes a sentence clear and easy to read and understand, because it shows the grammatical structure of the text, its meaning, and often the relationship. Grammar, spelling and punctuation university of kent. There are no precise rules about punctuation fowler lays out some general advice as best he can under the complex circumstances of english prose he.
Punctuation marks are used to make the writers meaning clear to the reader. A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists. In spoken english, most people tend to follow to be verbs with object pronouns. Although there is a certain overlap among the various kinds of markings, punctuation proper should be distinguished from. Note that commas and periods go within quotation marks, but semicolons and. As a current student on this bumpy collegiate pathway, i stumbled upon course hero, where i can find study resources for. Lewis thomass classic notes on punctuation december 28, 2014 december 29, 2014 stephen hicks 0 comments lewis thomas.
Separate the quoted material from the dialogue tag by commas. Capitalization and punctuation rules capital letters always use a capital letter for the first word of a sentence thank you for the letter. For punctuation concerns related to referencing, please ask a writing consultant for material specifically on how to reference. More notes of a biology watcher public library the altogether scrumptious 1979 collection that. Punctuation is the system of signs or symbols given to a reader to show how a sentence is constructed and how it should be read. Identify common punctuation marks and their rules for correct usage.
They are signals that tell the reader how to go about actually reading a piece of writing. Summary of punctuation marks everett community college. Since we would be returning late anyway, we stayed to watch the sunset. A comma can appear before a that clause when it is the second comma of a pair before and after extra information inserted as a nonrestrictive phrase. Correct punctuation is essential for clear and effective writing. It is we who are responsible for the decision to downsize.