PUNCTUATION

PUNCTUATION
1. A comma(,)
- is used before the coordinating conjunctions AND, BUT, FOR, OR, NOR, SO, !T "hen the#
connect $ain c%ause.
- Or used to se&arate "ords or &hrases in a series.
- Or used after a "ord or &hrase occurring before the $ain c%ause.
- Or &%aced on both sides of a "ord or &hrase that interru&ts the $ain c%ause.
- Or nor$a%%# used to introduce direct 'uotations( co%ons are so$eti$es used "hen the 'uotation
is a for$a% state$ent and "hen the 'uotation a&&ears as an indented, sing%es&aced b%oc)
se&arate fro$ #our te*t. Direct 'uotations &resented in this for$ do not nor$a%%# ta)e in+erted
co$$as.,-./
- Or &%aced outside or inside 'uotation $ar)s.
0. A semicolon(;)
- is used before and a co$$a after conjuncti+e &hrases that connect $ain c%auses such as 1N
ADD1T1ON, FOR !2A345!, FOR 1NSTAN6!, 1N OT7!R 8ORDS, T7AT 1S, AS A R!SU5T, etc.
- Or used after ad+erbia% conjunctions that connect $ain c%auses such as T7!R!FOR!,
3OR!O9!R, 3!AN8715!, N!9!RT7!5!SS, T7US, 7!N6!, OT7!R81S!, 6ONS!:U!NT5,
FURT7!R3OR!
- Or used a%one bet"een $ain c%auses.
- Or used to se&arate %ong &hrases in a series.
- Or used bet"een $ain c%auses joined b# a coordinating conjunction if the c%auses contain
co$$as.
- Or &%aced outside the c%osing 'uotation $ar) "hen the# be%ong to #our sentence rather than the
'uoted $ateria%.
;. A colon(:)
- a%one can be used bet"een $ain c%auses, usua%%# "hen the second c%ause e*&%ains or c%arifies
the first.
- Or used to introduce "ords or &hrases e*&ressed in %ist for$.
- Or &%aced outside the c%osing 'uotation $ar) "hen the# be%ong to #our sentence rather than the
'uoted $ateria%.
<. An apostrophe(`)
- is used "ith singu%ar and &%ura% nouns to sho" &ossession.
- Or used "ith the &ossessi+e for$ of indefinite &ronouns.
- Or used "ith the %ast noun on%# in joint &ossessi+es.
- Or inc%uded "ith both nouns in se&arate &ossessi+es.
- Or occurs in the %ast "ord of a &ossessi+e co$&ound noun.
- Or "ith S, used to for$ the &%ura% of a %etter used as a "ord.
- Or used in a contraction ,shortened for$ of "ords/ to indicate the o$ission of a %etter.
=. A dash(_)
- can be used to e$&hasise &art of a sentence
- Or used to $ar) a sudden brea) in thought.
- Or used to e$&hasise re&etition.
- Or used to set a&art and e$&hasise interru&ting "ords in a sentence.
- Or used to set off a brief co$$ent on "hat &recedes.
Ms. L Th Ngoc Lan 1
PUNCTUATION
>. Parentheses( )
- can be used to set off additiona% or i%%ustrati+e "ords in a sentence.
- Or used to ac)no"%edge reference or authorit# for a state$ent.
- Or used to enc%ose directions.
- Or used to enc%ose figures or %etters for enu$eration "ithin a sentence.
- Or used to enc%ose a 'uestion $ar) to e*&ress doubt or an e*c%a$ation $ar) to sho" disbe%ief,
sarcas$ or sur&rise.
?. Brackets[ ]
- are used to set off editoria% corrections or inter&o%ations ,inserted "ords/ in 'uoted $ateria% and,
"hen necessar#, to re&%ace &arentheses $ar)s "ithin another set of &arentheses.
@. A hyphen()
- is used "hen a "ord is bro)en at the end of a %ine.
- Or used in "ords that effecti+e%# function as one.
- Or used after certain &refi*es.
A. Quotation marks ()
- :uotation $ar)s are used "hen #ou record "ordfor"ord "hat so$eone has said or "ritten.
- Or if a direct 'uotation is interru&ted, 'uotation $ar)s are &%aced around the 'uoted "ords on%#.
- Or if #ou are using sing%e in+erted co$$as, a 'uotation "ithin a 'uotation is enc%osed in doub%e
in+erted co$$as.
- Or 'uotation $ar)s are often used to signa% technica% ter$s and "ords used in so$e s&ecia%
sense.
- Or 'uotation $ar)s usua%%# enc%ose the fo%%o"ing tit%esB &arts or cha&ters of boo)s ,but not tit%es of
boo)s or &%a#s these are usua%%# under%ined in an essa#/, artic%es, essa#s, &oe$s, $ottoes, &aintings,
scu%&tures, na$es of shi&s, &%anes and trains.
1C. The ellipsis mark consists of three fu%% sto&s ,D/
- 1t is used to indicate that "ords ha+e been o$itted fro$ a direct 'uotation. The e%%i&sis is not
nor$a%%# used at the beginning of a 'uotationB a%% that is needed is the 'uotation $ar) before the first
'uoted "ord.
- Or the e%%i&sis $ar) is e*&ected "hen "ords are %eft out before the end and "hen the conc%uding
sentence is inco$&%ete.
- Note that three fu%% sto&s on%# are used, e+en at the end of a sentence "here an additiona% fu%%
sto& "ou%d be e*&ected.
11. A !ull stop(")
- is often used at the end of a co$&%ete sentence.
- Or used at the end of a shortened for$ of a "ord.
- Or &%aced outside or inside 'uotation $ar)s.
10. An e#clamation mark($)
- is often used after the "ord of an e*c%a$ation.
- Or &%aced inside or outside the c%osing 'uotation $ar), de&ending on "hether the 'uoted $ateria%
itse%f is e*c%a$ator#.
1;. A %uestion mark (&)
- is often used at the end of a 'uestion.
Ms. L Th Ngoc Lan 2
PUNCTUATION
- Or &%aced inside or outside the c%osing 'uotation $ar), de&ending on "hether the 'uoted $ateria%
itse%f is a 'uestion.
Ms. L Th Ngoc Lan 3