| Quick Punctuation Table | |
|---|---|
| Apostrophes in
contractions In possessives |
They mark where letters are missing BUT
avoid contractions in clear writing. A singular noun - add apostrophe and s Ex: Tonys book A singular noun ending in s - add apostrophe and s Ex: Loiss father A plural noun ending in s add only the apostrophe. Ex: All of the students parents |
| Colons Semi-colons |
Use after an independent clause (one that can
stand alone) to introduce a list or explanation. Use to join two independent clauses of a compound sentence instead of a conjunction (but, and, or). It is better to make two sentences. |
| Commas | Use commas to separate
|
| Quotation marks | Use to indicate someone elses words. The
period falls INSIDE the quotation marks. Use to single out a particular word or phrase that is used out of context, such as a casual expression. The period is OUTSIDE the quotation marks. When you must use quotation marks within quotation marks, the inside quotation marks are single. Use to indicate the title of a short story, play, or chapter of a book. The title of a book or film is put in italics or underlined. |