PUNCTUATION RULES
The word Punctuation, derived from the Latin word Punctun, a point, means the right use of putting in Points or Stops in writing.
Proper Punctuation is very important and can make all the difference between communicating your message and creating a communication gap. It serves the purpose of improving the clarity of a sentence (through the use of a full stop, comma, colon, semi-colon and brackets), indicating words that are not a statement (question mark, exclamation mark, quotation mark), showing how words relate to one another (apostrophe, hyphen) and indicating that a group of letters is an abbreviation (full stop) or that letters are missing (apostrophe).
History records that improper punctuation has even made the difference between life and death.
The following are the principle Punctuation marks:
FULL STOP (.):- The Full Stop is also referred to as a period or point or full point. The primary use of this punctuation mark ( . ) is to make the end of a declarative sentence (one that states a fact) or an imperative sentence (one that gives a command or states a request).
Examples:
Declarative sentence:
• People stopped visiting theatres after the rates were nearly doubled.
• Nell was dead. • England formed an alliance with Germany.
Imperative Sentence:
• Please pass me the salt.
Full Stops are also used in few abbreviations: Sept., i.e., etc. and et al. among others.
The Full Stop can be used in abbreviation, but this practice is omitted in modern style.
Examples:
• He has completed M.A.
• The U.N.O is not responsible for this kind of crime against humankind.
If a sentence ends with a question mark or an exclamation mark, one does not use a Full Stop after this, as the question mark or the exclamation mark already contains a Full Stop within itself.
The Comma ( , ) is meant to add detail to the structure of sentences and to make their meaning clear by indicating words that either do or do not belong together. The Comma usually represents the natural break and pauses that a person makes while speaking and it operates at phrase level and word level.
Phrase level:
A Comma should be used to make off parts of a sentence that are separated by conjunctions (and, but, yet, etc.). The use of a Comma is particularly important when there is a change in or a repetition of the subject.
Example:
• He was a habitual liar, which is why people never believed what he said.
Word level:
A Comma is almost always used to separate adjectives having the same range of reference coming before a noun.
Examples:
• It was dark, cold, moonless night.
• Adolph Hitler was a ruthless, power-hungry, maniacal person.
Between a pair of adjectives, the comma can be replaced by and to impart a stronger effect.
Example:
• Adolph Hitler was a ruthless and power-hungry, maniacal person.
When the adjectives have a different range of reference (e.g., size and color) or when the last adjective has a closer relation to the noun, the comma is omitted.
Examples:
• He wore a loose khaki uniform. • He was a crazy old man.
Commas are used to separate items in a list or sequence.
Example:
• The guests were served biscuits, pastries, pea-nuts, and tea.
In the above example, a comma has been used before the word and, which few authorities believe is unnecessary and should therefore be avoided. In many cases, however, a comma before the word and helps ensure clarity. Whether to use a comma before the word and or not would therefore depend upon the structure of the sentence.
However, the comma must be left out between nouns that occur together in the same grammatical role in a sentence (termed apposition).
Example:
• His son Ajay went on to become a pilot.
But a comma needs to be used when the noun is an additional piece of information that could be deleted from a sentence without affecting the meaning.
Example:
• His son, Ajay, went on to become a pilot. • His son went on to become a pilot.
Summary The Comma is used
a. To separate the series of words in the same construction:
Examples:
• England, Italy, Germany and Spain formed an alliance.
• He lost lands, money, reputation and friends.
b. To separate each pair of words connected by and:
Examples:
• We should be devout and humble, cheerful and serene.
• High and low, rich and poor, wise and fool, must all die.
NOTE:
A Comma is generally not used before the word preceded by and.
c. To mark off a noun or phrase in Apposition:
Examples:
• Paul, the apostle, was beheaded in the reign of Nero.
• Milton, the great English, poet was blind.
• Pandit Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, died in 1964.
d. To mark off words used in addressing people:
Examples:
• Come into the garden, Maud. • How are you Mohan?
• Lord of this universe, shield us and guide us.
NOTE: But when the words are emphatic, we ought to use the Note of Exclamation.
Example:
• Monster! By thee my child is devoured.
e. To mark of two or more adjectives or adverbs coming together:
Examples:
• The girl, beautiful and intelligent, did not turn up for the examinations.
• Then, at length, tardy justice was done to the memory of Oliver.
f. To mark of the direct quotation from the rest of the sentence:
Examples: • ‘Exactly so’, said Alice. • He said to his disciples, “Watch and pray”.
• “Go then”, said the Minister.
Semicolon is one of the trickiest signs to use for writers, which is why you will find its usage the least. However if properly used, the it can be one of the most useful and significant punctuation marks.
The Semicolon ( ; ) is basically a Punctuation mark that indicates a more pronounced pause than that indicated by a Comma but less important than that of a Full Stop. In essence, it divides two parts of a sentence that balances each other, and could stand independently too.
For instance, consider this sentence.
• He seemed in a foul mood. So, I fled the scene.
The above two sentences make perfect sense by themselves. However, we could use a Semicolon to join these conveniently.
• He seemed in a foul mood; so, I fled the scene.
The Semicolon can also be used to replace a Comma in a sentence in order to indicate a stronger division. However, it cannot be used if two thoughts are not connected in some way or the other. It also cannot be employed if one of the sentences is not a complete one in itself.
This sign represents a pause of greater importance than that shown by the Comma.
a. Semicolon is used to separate the clauses of Compound sentence, when they contain a comma.
Example:
• He was brave, large hearted man; we all respected him.
b. Semicolon is used to separate the series of loosely related clauses.
Examples:
• Her court was pure; her life serene. • God gave her peace; her land reposed.
• Today we love what tomorrow we hate; today we seek what tomorrow we shun.
Unlike its cousin-the semicolon, the Colon ( : ) is used more often in formal print, but not as frequently in daily writing. The Colon is a Punctuation mark that is used to precede a list of items, a quotation or an expansion or explanation. While a semicolon links two balanced statements, this punctuation mark flows conveniently from the first statement to the second. Usually, it links a general or introductory statement to an example, or a cause to an effect or a premise with a conclusion.
For Example, consider the following sentence:
• The tour operator said his package included: to and fro air fair, a complimentary drink on arrival, breakfast, evening snacks and dinner, hotel accommodation.
It is used sometimes to indicate more emphasis in indirect speech.
Example:
• The madman screamed: “I am not mad! The voice of God commanded me to slay.”
Besides, in American English, it is used in the initial greeting of a letter.
Example: • Dear Mr. Anil:
However, in British or Indian English, a Comma is used: • Dear Mr. Anil,
But by far, the most common use of a Colon is to indicate to the reader that a list of items follows:
Example: • The schoolchildren were told to bring the following items for the picnic: a torch, a sleeping bag, two sets of night clothes, three panties/underwear, water bottle, three hankies and a lunch box.
There are other uses of a Colon too.
It is used to divide the title of the book from the subtitle.
Example:
• Communication: Oral Communication
It is used to make a difference between the hours and minutes when writing the time.
Example: • Now the time is: 02: 25 pm
It is used in differentiating the chapter and verse in the Bible or The Bhagavad-Gita and other similar instances.
Example: • Bible: The Book of Nehemiah
Colon is used to introduce a quotation.
Examples:
• Bacon says: “Reading makes full man, writing an exact man, speaking a ready man”
Before enumeration:
Examples:
• the principle parts of English are: present tense, past tense and past participle.
• The three students who came to the seminar are: Clinton, Bush and Maud.
Between sentences grammatically independent but closely connected in sense:
Examples: • Study to acquire the habit of thinking: No study is more important.
A Question Mark ( ? ) is mainly used to indicate a direct question.
Example: • Are you reading this book? • Have you completed your exercises?
• What is your name? • What is your native?
• Are you ready? • Why is the train coming late?
It can also be used in a sentence that ends with a question.
Example: • You are involved in crime too, aren’t you?
It is sometimes also used when a question is worded like a statement.
Example: • I wonder if it’s worth calling him?
In instances where there is doubt or uncertainty about a name, date or word,it is used to indicate this.
Example: • Mullah Nasruddin (? 1208-1284) was one of the world’s most loved tricksters.
The Question mark, preceding the year of birth indicates that Mullah Nasruddin’s year of birth is uncertain.
And although it may seem like an error, a series of questions that are not complete should have this mark after each fragment.
Example:
• Can you believe that he is an inveterate liar? Or that he is not working? Or that he had never taken up a job in the first place? Or that he never ever has any money?
However, question marks should not be used in few situations where it may seem that the use is required. The exceptions include indirect questions, where the question is reported rather than directly expressed.
Example: • He inquired what time it was.
Rhetorical questions (a question asked for effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information) also may not require this Mark.
• Why ducks sleep on one leg. • How the tiger got its stripes.
Rhetorical questions do not require this Mark since they are simply meant for effect and do not call for an answer.
The Exclamation Mark ( ! ) is simply a punctuation mark that indicates an exclamation. The statement could also be one expressing shock or surprise. In essence, this mark indicates in writing what one would verbally say by shouting or speaking strongly, either to attract attention or to emphasis a point. There are quite a few ways to use this mark. For instance, a parents warning the child and trying to enforce discipline might say:
• Behave yourself!
Or you could indicate the expression of a strong feeling of surprise, absurdity, approval, disapproval, regret and a host of other emotions.
• What a terrible thing to do! • How crazy of him to have done such a thing!
• Where the hell is he?!
In the above examples, words like how or what precede the sentence. The last sentence is preceded by where, and ends with a question mark as well as an exclamation mark, which is one of the rare usages. Such a sentence denotes both the element of questioning and of surprise.
You could also use this Mark to express a wish or a felling of regret.
• The kids would have loved to tag along! • If only you had informed me in advance!
A note of caution, though, is that in day-to-day writing, this mark is used sparingly. Using it too often detracts from proper usage. Besides, it will be counterproductive to attempt adding a false sense of drama or excitement to a style of writing that is routine, unexciting or prosaic.
The Quotation Mark ( “…”) & ( ‘…’) is also called an Inverted Comma. It consists of the double and the single quotation marks as shown above. This mark is used either to mark the beginning and the end of quotation or title or to indicate slang usage or words that are jargon.
The most common use is to tell the reader the exact words spoken by a person, which is called direct quotation.
For Example:
• He told me, “I will come to work an hour late today”.
The above sentence is direct quote. As an indirect quote, it would be stated in this way.
• He told me that he would come to work an hour late today.
In the above example, the quotation marks are not used since it is an indirect statement. Although both sentences convey exactly the same meaning, in the first instance it is said that the person quoted has spoken directly.
In common writing, only the double quotation marks is used. However, in the print media, both the double and single quotation marks are used depending upon the context in which they are used.
The usage in Britain and America differs, but we shall restrict ourselves to one kind only. Single quotes are usually used to indicate a quote with a quote or to indicate that the person quoted has expressed a sentiment mentally rather than verbally.
For instance:
• “Seethe told, ‘why should I help you out,’” Rajesh informed Hamish.
In the above sentence, Rajesh speaks directly to Hamish and tell him what Seethe told him. Therefore, Seethe’s directly quoted words are used in single quotation marks.
The simple rule of thump is that if the direct quotes are in double quotation marks, any quote within this quote will be in single quotation marks.
The rule will also apply vice versa, i.e., a direct quote in single quotation marks that includes another quote within would then have the inclusive quote in double quotation marks.
The common error made with quotation marks is that users tend to put the punctuation marks after closing the quotes.
Example: . He was furious and told me, “Get lost”!
The above sentence with the punctuation marks is incorrect. The correct usage would be with the exclamation mark coming before the quotes are closed.
. He was furious and told me, “Get lost!”
The only time one could use the punctuation mark after the quotes is when the quote is incomplete.
. Gila was furious and swore that she would get even with me “at all cost”.
In this example, Gila’s words have not been quoted directly or completely. Just few of her words have been quoted word for word and are indicated in double quotes. In such instances, closing the double quote after the punctuation mark would be incorrect. The above rules reflect the usual usage.
When quoted words are broken up or interrupted by reporting verb such as say, said, told, informed etc., the quotation marks would be given in this manner.
• “What I would love to have,” Ram told Seta, “is a steaming hot cup of coffee.”
In this instance, note the usage of the commas before closing the first double quote and after Seta, since both sentences connect the same thought. However, if they were two independent thoughts, the sentence would be written in this manner.
Example: • “There was something that I would love to have,” Ram told Seta. “And that is steaming hot cup of coffee.”
The beauty of the above example, though, lies in the fact that it could be used following the rules of the previous example and would still not read amiss, purely because the conjunctive word and has been used.
• “There was something that I would love to have,” Ram told Seta, “and that is steaming hot cup of coffee.”
Another rule to remember with quotes (which is a common error even media pundits and editors make) is that when a person is speaking and it runs several paragraphs, successive paragraphs will all have the opening mark, but the closing mark will only be used in the last paragraph. Closing the mark after each paragraph when the same person is speaking is incorrect and will create confusion in the reader’s mind whether the same person is speaking or different persons have been quoted.
Single or double marks are also used to indicate the title of a movie, book, article, poem, serial, etc. In such instances, there is no fixed rule and depending on personal preference or an in-house style, single or double marks mat be used.
However, there are many who prefer not to use these marks to indicate titles and instead use italics for this purpose.
Single or double marks are also used when indicating slang terms and jargon or words from other languages other than English.
A Hyphen (-) is a sign that is used to join words to indicate that they have a combined meaning or that they are grammatically linked, or to indicate a word that has been split up at the end of the line. In print, this mark is half the length of a dash. In actual writing, though, there is a little noticeable difference between a Dash and a Hyphen. However, the purpose of both these signs is exactly the opposite.
The dash is used to separate words or a group of words, while this mark is used to link words or parts of words. This is used to join two or more words in order to form a single word (called a compound word):
• Good-for-nothing • Free-for-all • Sweet-and-sour
• Multi-purpose • Passer-by, man-of-war , jack-of-all-trades etc…
• Passers-by should be kept away from this function.
Or to join words that have a grammatical relationship which form a compound:
• Point-blank • Load-bearing
However, even at the end of sentences, always avoid hyphening acronyms, numbers, contractions and internet or email addresses.
The Apostrophe ( ’ ) I a punctuation mark that is used to indicate either possession (e.g., Rajah’s book) or the omission of letters or numbers (e.g., can’t, August ’04).
This is used more in Contractions.
Singular nouns indicate the possessive by adding ‘s:
• The tiger’s roar – indicating one tiger
Plural nouns indicate the possessive by adding this mark after the s’:
• The tigers’ roar- indicating more than one tiger
If the plural noun ends in an alphabet other than s, the possessive is indicated by adding ‘s:
• The kitten’s meowing – indicating more than one cat
While this mark has a specific use, many misuse it more often. For instance, ordinary plural words do not need this mark, many end up using it here.
Examples:
• Price’s • Worry’s • Movie’s
The correct usage with these plural forms would read:
• Prices • Worries • Movies
This is also used in contractions (can’t for can not), which is where people also tend to get confused.
The most common confusion is with the possessive whose with who’s.
Who’s is simply a contraction of who is.
Example: • Who’s fault is it?
The above sentence is incorrect. The correct usage is: • Whose fault is it?
Another problem the users face is with names that end with an s.
Example: • Thomas • Charles • Vilas • Ulnas
The confusion here has much to do with the awkward sound that results. In such cases, you could either write the names:
• Thomas’ or Thomas’s • Charles’ or Charles’s
• Vilas’ or Vilas’s • Ulnas’ or Ulnas’s
However, it is preferable to use the second option in such cases.
Apostrophes should not be used in the pronouns hers, its, ours, yours and theirs.
This would be incorrect way to end the letter: • Your’s truly
The correct way would be: • Yours truly
Likewise, watch out for: it’s and its
Its (without an apostrophe) is a possessive that denotes belonging to it.
Example: • The dog is expecting its dinner.
It’s (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of it is.
Example: • The dog is expecting it’s dinner.
A Dash ( - ) allows a writer to introduce informality in writing or to add emphasis, by allowing a sudden change in thought or tone.
For example: • Let us go to the market and do some shopping. I’ve run out of hankies and could do with a set of new-oops! I just recalled- today is Monday and the markets this side of the town are closed.
This sign indicates to readers that the speaker’s train of thought has been suddenly interrupted by something important that he’s just recalled.
In published writing, there are two kinds: the shorter one is called en-dash. And the longer one is called em-dash. Most word-processing programmes can distinguish between the two lengths. But in day-to-day writing no such distinction is made. Even many DTP (desk top publishing) houses and editorial persons do not know the difference.
In printing, the en-dash has certain specific uses (e.g., to indicate a range of numbers or dates, as in 1935037), whereas the em-dash is the one that is generally used to serve the purpose of regulation.
A pair of dashes is used to indicate asides and parentheses, which indicates a more distinct break than would be possible with commas:
• He was an excellent writer-although he had never gone to school-and had learnt the three R’s at home.
As a general rule, when the em-dash is used (as in the above example) there is no space between the dash and the words. However, if an en-dash is used, a single character space is left on either side. For instance, the same sentence would appear this way with en-dash.
• He was an excellent writer - although he had never gone to school - and had learnt the three R’s at home.
Although in many cases a colon could be used to punctuate a sentence and achieve the same effect, in general it is better to reserve the colon for formal writing.
Parentheses (…). The Brackets that are almost always used in writing are the round Brackets or Parentheses (…).
Round Brackets are used when the writer wants to indicate explanations and additional information or commends.
• Hamish was upset with Deepak and felt like giving him a piece of his mind (to cut him down to size) in the presence of the others. However, he refrained from doing so (he did not wish to precipitate matters).
Or they are used to show optional words that imply doubt or caution:
• There are many (hidden) dangers on the road ahead, and he knew this for sure.
The round brackets are also used to give statistical information or reference.
• The Second World War (1939-1945) was the bloodiest conflict in human history.
Square brackets […] are used very rarely. The usage is restricted to occasions when some additional information has been provided, often by some one other than the writer (usually an editor) of the original text, to clarify an obscure point or to add extra information that facilitates better understanding or ease of reading.
• Anil Ambani claims that Ambani brothers are not inheritors [of Dhirubhai Ambani’s legacy] but partners.
Parentheses are used to separate from main part of the sentence, a phrase or a clause which does not grammatically belong to it.
Examples: • He gained from heaven (it was all he wished) a friend.
• He gave me his book (Born to win) two days back.
These are the most common Punctuation signs that new English readers would encounter on the highway to mastering English. Once you master the usage of these Punctuation marks, the written words would flow faster and more easily.
