CC Punctuation

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air.

“Why?” asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly
punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

“I’m a panda,” he says, at the door. “Look it up.”

The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation.

“Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

Remember that there can be many correct ways to punctuate a passage, but there are also quite a few wrong ones.

Version 1.2
1. Comma (,)
A comma in writing is like a pause inside a sentence when speaking. We use commas inside sentences. Commas separate parts of a sentence into logical
elements. Commas have no meaning, but they help us to see the structure and therefore the meaning of the sentence. This is a commonly used
punctuation mark. There are several instances where you might use a comma:

1.1 Use the comma when denoting an appositive, or a break within a sentence that supplements and adds information to the subject.
• Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, is the developer of the operating system known as Windows.

1.2 Use the comma when denoting a series. This is a set of three or more list items within a sentence. To save space in newspapers, some
writers may omit the last comma.
• The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.
• The computer store was filled with video games, computer hardware and other electronic paraphernalia.

1.3 Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjectives or adverbs describing it. This is somewhat similar to a series, except that it is
incorrect to place a comma after the final adjective or adverb.
• INCORRECT - The powerful, resonating, sound caught our attention.
• CORRECT - The powerful, resonating sound caught our attention.
• INCORRECT - He bought an old, red, open-top, Volkswagen.
• CORRECT - He bought an old, red, open-top Volkswagen.

1.4 Use a comma when referring to a city and state. It is also necessary to use a comma to separate the city and state from the rest of the
sentence.
• I am originally from Freehold, NJ.
• Los Angeles, CA, is one of the largest cities in the United States.

1.5 Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence. An introductory phrase briefly introduces the sentence, but
is not part of the sentence's subject or predicate,1 and it therefore should be separated from the main clause by a comma.
• After the show, John and I went out to dinner.
• On the back of my couch, my cat's claws have slowly been carving a large hole.

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The predicate is the part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject.

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 1.6 Use the comma to separate two independent clauses. Having two independent clauses in a sentence simply means that you can split the
sentence into two. If your sentence contains two independent clauses that are separated by a conjunction (such as and, as, but, for, nor, so, or
yet), place a comma before the conjunction.

• Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.

• Water bills usually rise during the summer, as people are thirstier during hot and humid days.

1.7 Use a comma when making a direct address. When calling one's attention by name, separate the person's name and the rest of the statement
with a comma. Note that this kind of comma is used rarely in writing, because this is something that we do normally while speaking.
• Amber, could you come here for a moment?

1.8 Use a comma to separate direct quotations. A comma should come after the last word before a quotation that is being introduced. It is not
necessary to use a comma in an indirect quote. A comma is usually not necessary if you are not quoting an entire statement.
• While I was at his house, John asked me if I wanted anything to eat. (An indirect quotation that does not require a comma.)
• While I was at his house, John asked, "Do you want anything to eat?" (A direct quotation.)2
• According to the client, the lawyer was "lazy and incompetent." (A partial direct quotation that does not require a comma.)

1.9 Use a comma for numbers over 999. (In English, commas separate thousands and full stops separate decimals.)
• 1,000 (one thousand)
• 1,569
• €73,050.75
• 2,000,000
• 3,400,500

1.10 Use a comma for addresses, some dates, and titles following a name.
• 911 Avenue Mansion, Petchburi Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
• November 4, 1948 (but 4 November 1948)3
• Fred Ling, Professor of English

1.11 Use commas for parenthetical elements. A parenthetical element is any part of a sentence that can be removed without changing the real
meaning of the sentence.4

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Colons can also be used for direct quotations. See page 6.
3
The Associated Press’ Stylebook and Libel Manual has the following to say concerning dates: “Always use Arabic figures, without st, nd, rd or th.”

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 • John Geton, who is the chairman of the company, is quite old.
• Andrew, my wife's brother, cannot come.
• The objective, to find peace in both countries, is hard to reach.

1.12 Sentence adverbs (words like however, unfortunately, surprisingly that modify a whole sentence) often require one or two commas,
depending on their position in the sentence.
• However, Anthony did arrive.
• Anthony, however, did arrive.
• We were, unfortunately, too late.
• He had, not surprisingly, lost his temper.

Dear Jack, Dear Jack,

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are
generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you
admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for
other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever
when we’re apart. I can be forever happy  will you let me
be yours?
Jill
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are
generous, kind, thoughtful, people, who are not like you.
Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me.
For other men I yearn! For you I have no feelings
whatsoever. When we’re apart I can be forever happy. Will
you let me be?
Yours,
Jill

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Additionally, a parenthetical element is any sentence element that interrupts the forward movement of a clause.

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2. Semicolon (;)
We sometimes use a semicolon instead of a full stop. This is to separate sentences that are grammatically independent but that have a closely connected
meaning.

2.1 Use a semicolon to separate two related but independent clauses. Note that, if the two clauses are very wordy or complex, it is better to
use a full stop instead.
• People continue to worry about the future; our failure to conserve resources has put the world at risk.
• Josef likes coffee; Mary likes tea.
• Tara is a good speaker; she speaks very clearly.
• You did your best; now let's hope you pass the exam.
• Ram wants to go out; Anthony wants to stay home.

2.2 Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items, especially those that contain commas.
• I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend, Jane; and her best friend, Jenna.
• ABC Investments has offices in five locations: Kensington, London; Brighton &5 Hove; and Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester.
• Rental cars must be returned on time; with a full tank of petrol; in undamaged condition; and at the same location as they were collected
from.

3. Colon (:)
The colon has multiple uses.

3.1 Use the colon to introduce a list. Be careful not to use a colon when denoting a regular series. Usually, the word following suggests the use
of a colon. Use only after a noun.
• The professor has given me three options: to retake the exam, to accept the extra credit assignment, or to fail the class.
• INCORRECT - The Easter basket contained: Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits, and other candy.

3.2 Use a colon to introduce a single item, especially when you want to emphasise that item.
• We were all waiting for the hero of the evening: John.
• There is one thing that he will not accept: stupidity.

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The Associated Press’ Stylebook and Libel Manual has the following to say concerning the ampersand (&): “Use the ampersand when it is part of a company’s formal name.
… The ampersand should not otherwise be used in place of and [unless it is confined to names that formally contain it].”

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 • The job of the colon is simple: to introduce.

3.3 Use a colon to introduce direct speech or a quotation.

• He stood up and said loudly: "Ladies and Gentlemen, please be seated."
• John whispered in my ear: "Have you seen Andrea?"
• As Confucius once wrote: "When words lose their meaning, people lose their freedom."

3.4 Use a colon to introduce an explanation.

• We had to cancel the party: too many people were sick.
• There is no need to rush: the meeting will be starting one hour late.

3.5 Use a colon to introduce examples. For example, the introductory paragraph to the section entitled Comma. The last line of said paragraph
reads: “There are several instances where you might use a comma." It ends with a colon followed by several examples.

A woman, without her man, is nothing.

A woman: without her, man is nothing.

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4. Hyphen (-)

“We have also to admit that after trying hard at an early stage to arrive at some principle that should teach us when to separate, when to
hyphen, and when to unite the parts of compound words, we had to abandon the attempt as hopeless, and welter in the prevailing chaos.”6

The hyphen was once a common punctuation mark on typewriters, when a long word might have been split between two lines. The hyphen is still used in a
number of other areas:

4.1 Use a hyphen when adding a prefix to some words  the prefixes all-, ex-, and self- usually need a hyphen. The purpose of the hyphen is
to make a word easier to read. If you were to leave the hyphen out of a word like re-examine, it would be reexamine , which would be harder to
read. Understand that some words do not require a hyphen to separate the prefix from the word, such as restate and undo. Let a dictionary be your
guide for when to use the hyphen after a prefix.
• Cara is his ex-girlfriend.
• All-inclusive
• Self-control

4.2 Use hyphens when creating compound words from separate words.
• The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on the latest scandal.
• Well-known performer
• Cost-benefit analysis

4.3 Use a hyphen when writing numbers out as words. Separate the two words of any number under one hundred with a hyphen. A hyphen is
also used when writing out fractions.
• There are fifty-two playing cards in a deck.
• One hundred and sixty-five
• Two-thirds

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Preface to the 1911 edition of the Concise Oxford Dictionary.

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 4.4 When a prefix is placed before a proper name, use a hyphen.
• Non-English
• Anti-Darwinian

4.5 Use a hyphen with suspended compounds. When we use several very similar compounds together, it may not be necessary to repeat the last
part of the compound.
• CORRECT - They need to employ more full- and part-time staff.
• INCORRECT - They need to employ more full-time and part-time staff.
• CORRECT - This rule applies only to 12-, 13- and 14-year olds.
• INCORRECT - This rule applies only to 12-year olds, 13-year olds and 14-year olds.

4.6 Use a hyphen to avoid misunderstanding by distinguishing phrases.

• Twenty-odd people versus twenty odd people
• Third-world conflict versus a third world conflict

4.7 Use a hyphen to clarify compounds with similar adjacent sounds.

• Sword-dance
• Co-opt
• Tool-like

5. Dash (-- or )
The dash should be used when making a brief interruption within a statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a dramatic
qualification. It can also be used to add a parenthetical statement, such as for further clarification, but should still be relevant to the sentence. Otherwise,
use parentheses. Keep in mind that the rest of the sentence should still flow naturally. Try to remove the statement within the dash from the sentence; if
the sentence appears disjointed or does not make sense, then you may need to revise it. There should be spaces before and after the dash.

5.1 Use a dash to show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence.
• My brothers — Richard and John — are visiting Hanoi. (Could use commas.)
• In the 15th century — when of course nobody had electricity — water was often pumped by hand. (Could use parentheses.)

5.2 Use a dash to make a brief interruption in the middle of a sentence.

• An introductory clause is a brief phrase that comes — yes, you guessed it — at the beginning of a sentence.

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 5.3 Use a dash to make an abrupt change in the middle of a sentence.
• Smith offered a plan — it was unprecedented — to raise revenues.

5.4 Use a dash to show an afterthought.

• The First World War was supposed to be the world's last war — the war to end war.
• I attached the photo to my email — at least I hope I did!

5.5 Use a dash like a colon to introduce a list.

• There are three places I'll never forget — Paris, Bangkok and Hanoi.
• Don't forget to buy some food — eggs, bread, tuna and cheese.

5.6 When a phrase that otherwise would be separated by commas contains a series of words that must be separated by commas, use a dash to
introduce a series within a phrase.
• He listed the qualities — intelligence, humour, conservatism, independence — that he liked in an executive.

5.7 Use a dash to show that letters or words are missing.

• They are really f— — — —d up. (Typically used for offensive words.)
• I will look — — — — — the children. (Typically used in missing word questions.)

6. Double Quotation Mark (“)

6.1 Use the double quotation to enclose a direct quotation, whether made by a person or taken from a piece of literature.
• “I can't wait to see him perform!" John exclaimed.
• According to the article, the value of the dollar in developing nations is "strongly influenced by its aesthetic value, rather than its face value."

Tom locked himself in the shed. Tom locked himself in the shed; Tom locked himself in the shed:
England lost to Argentina. England lost to Argentina. England lost to Argentina.

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7. Single Quotation Mark or Apostrophe (‘)
The apostrophe is used together with the letter s to indicate possession. Be aware of the difference in using an apostrophe with singular or plural nouns.
A singular noun will use 's, whereas the plural version of that singular noun will use s'. Also, be mindful of nouns that are always considered to be plural,
such as children and people — here, you should use 's. Be aware of pronouns that are already possessive and do not require apostrophes, such as hers and
its ( it's is used only for the contractions of it is and it has). Their is possessive without apostrophe or s, except as a predicate adjective,7 where it becomes
theirs.

7.1 A singular noun with possession.

• The hamster's water tube needs to be refilled.

7.2 A pluralized singular noun with possession.

• In the pet store, the hamsters' bedding needed to be changed.

7.3 A plural noun with possession.

• These children's test scores are the highest in the nation.

7.4 Use the apostrophe to combine two words to make a contraction. For example, cannot becomes can't, you are becomes you're, and they have
becomes they've.

7.5 Use the single quotation mark within a regular quotation to indicate a quotation within a quotation.
• Ali said, "Anna told me, 'I wasn't sure if you wanted to come!'"

8. Parentheses ()
Parentheses are used to clarify, to place an afterthought, or to add a personal comment. Be sure to include the full stop after the closing parenthesis.

8.1 Use parentheses for clarification. Here, commas can replace the parentheses.
• Steve Case (AOL's former CEO) resigned from the Time-Warner board of directors in 2005.

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A predicate adjective is an adjective that is used to predicate an attribute of the subject. For example, the bag is red or the computer is theirs.

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 8.2 Use parentheses to indicate an afterthought. Note that the full stop follows the last parentheses — not before the first. Also note that
replacing the parentheses with a comma may not be entirely suitable here, and, in such a situation; it is better to use a full stop or a semicolon. If
the parenthetical thought is an independent one, perhaps it should be a sentence in itself. The below example is one case.
• You will need a flashlight for the camping trip (don't forget the batteries!).

9. Brackets ([ ])
Brackets are mainly used in academic, editorial and journalistic settings.

9.1 Use brackets to clarify or to revise a direct quote so that it appeals to your own writing.
• "[The blast] was absolutely devastating," said Susan Smith, a local bystander at the scene of the incident.
• "It was absolutely devastating!" — the actual quote by Susan Smith.

10. Ellipsis ( … )
In general, treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word, constructed with three full stops and two spaces, as shown above. Use an ellipsis to indicate the deletion
of one or more words in condensing quotes, texts, and documents. Be especially careful to avoid deletions that would distort the meaning.

If the words that precede an ellipsis constitute a grammatically complete sentence, either in the original or in the condensation, place a full stop at the end of
the last word before the ellipsis. Follow it with a regular space and an ellipsis: I no longer have a strong enough political base. …

When the grammatical sense calls for a question mark, exclamation mark, comma or colon, the sequence is word, punctuation mark, regular space, ellipsis:
Will you come? …

When material is deleted at the end of one paragraph and at the beginning of the one that follows, place an ellipsis in both locations.

Good evening. ...

In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the nation. …

… However, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in Congress.

… As long as there was a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its
conclusion, that to do otherwise would be … a dangerously destabilising precedent for the future.

President Nixon’s resignation announcement

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How good is your punctuation?
The quoted text below is the beginning of the novel King Solomon's Mines, by H. Rider Haggard, except that all the hyphens (-), dashes (—), commas (,), full
stops (.), question marks (?), exclamation marks (!), apostrophes ('), colons (:), semicolons (;), and quotation marks ("") have been removed. All the capital
letters have been changed to small letters, so that they do not show where sentences begin and end.

Put back all the punctuation and capitalisation that have been taken out from the text.

it is a curious thing that at my age fifty five last birthday i should find myself taking up a pen to try and write a history i wonder what sort of a history it will
be when i have done it if i ever come to the end of the trip i have done a good many things in my life which seems a long one to me owing to my having
begun so young perhaps at an age when other boys are at school i was earning my living as a trader in the old colony i have been trading hunting fighting or
mining ever since and yet it is only eight months ago that i made my pile it is a big pile now i have got it i dont yet know how big but i dont think i would go
through the last fifteen or sixteen months again for it no not if i knew that i should come out safe at the end pile and all but then i am a timid man and dont
like violence and am pretty sick of adventure i wonder why i am going to write this book it is not in my line i am not a literary man though very devoted to
the old testament and also to the ingoldsby legends let me try and set down my reasons just to see if i have any

first reason because sir henry curtis and captain john good asked me to

second reason because i am laid up here at durban with the pain and trouble in my left leg ever since that confounded lion got hold of me i have been liable
to it and its being rather bad just now makes me limp more than ever there must be some poison in a lions teeth otherwise how is it that when your wounds
are healed they break out again generally mark you at the same time of year that you got your mauling it is a hard thing that when one has shot sixty five
lions as i have in the course of my life that the sixty sixth should chew your leg like a quid of tobacco it breaks the routine of the thing and putting other
considerations aside i am an orderly man and dont like that this is by the way

third reason because i want my boy harry who is over there at the hospital in london studying to become a doctor to have something to amuse him and keep
him out of mischief for a week or so hospital work must sometimes pall and get rather dull for even of cutting up dead bodies there must come satiety and
as this history wont be dull whatever else it may be it may put a little life into things for a day or two while he is reading it

fourth reason and last because i am going to tell the strangest story that i know of it may seem a queer thing to say that especially considering that there is
no woman in it except foulata ... there is gagaoola if she was a woman and not a fiend but she was a hundred at least and therefore not marriageable so i
dont count her at any rate i can safely say that there is not a petticoat in the whole history well i had better come to the yoke its a stiff place and i feel as
though i were bogged up to the axle but sutjes sutjes as the boers say (im sure i dont know how they spell it) softly does it a strong team will come through
at last that is if they aint too poor you will never do anything with poor oxen now to begin

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Glossary

1. Personal pronouns, Possessive determiners, Possessive pronouns

Personal Pronouns Possessive Determiners Possessive Pronouns

As subject (nominative) As object
(accusative and dative)
I Me My Mine
You You Your Yours
He Him His His
She Her Her Hers
It It Its Its
We Us Our Ours
You You Your Yours
They Them Their Theirs
1 2 3 4
We have some books. The books are for us. These are our books. The books are ours.

2. Who, Whom, Whose

Subjects, Objects and Possessive Forms
To understand how to use who, whom, and whose , you first have to understand the difference between subjects, objects, and possessive forms.

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Subjects perform an action.

• He loves movies.
• She goes to school.
• We enjoy Chinese food.

Objects receive an action.

• The teachers like him.

• Thomas knows her.
• The actor smiled at us.

Possessive forms tell us the person something belongs to.

• His bike is broken.

• I like her new book.
• The teacher graded our homework.

Who is a Subject Pronoun

Who is a subject pronoun like he , she and we in the examples above. We use who to ask which person performs an action.

Examples:
• Who made the birthday cake?
• Who is in the kitchen?
• Who is going to do the dishes?

Whom is an Object Pronoun

Whom is an object pronoun like him, her and us. We use whom to ask which person receives an action.

Examples:
• Whom are you going to invite?
• Whom did he blame for the accident?
• Whom did he hire to do the job?

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Whose is a Possessive Pronoun
Whose is a possessive pronoun like his, her and our. We use whose to find out which person something belongs to.

Examples:
• Whose camera is this?
• Whose dog is barking outside?
• Whose mobile phone keeps ringing?

Who, Whom and Whose in Indirect Questions

The sentence below contains an example of an indirect question.

• I don't know whom he invited.

Such sentences usually start with a phrase such as: I am not sure or He doesn't know or We don't care. Just ignore the first part of the sentence and look at
the indirect question when deciding whether to use who, whom or whose . Ask yourself if the indirect question requires a subject, object, or possessive form.

Examples:
• He doesn't know who the boss of the company is. (SUBJECT OF THE INDIRECT QUESTION.)
• I don't care whom you invite. (OBJECT OF THE INDIRECT QUESTION.)
• She isn't sure whose car that is. (WHOSE SHOWS POSSESSION OF CAR.)

Who, Whom and Whose in Adjective Clauses

The sentence below contains an example of an adjective clause.

• I know the man who won the contest.

Adjective clauses are used to describe a noun in the main sentence. In the example above, the adjective clause tells us about the man. Just ignore the main
sentence and look at the adjective clause when deciding whether to use who, whom or whose. Ask yourself if the adjective clause requires a subject, object,
or possessive form.

Examples:
• We knew the actress who starred in the movie. (SUBJECT OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSE.)
• They hired the man whom we interviewed last week. (OBJECT OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSE.)
• She knew the family whose house we bought. ( WHOSE SHOWS POSSESSION OF HOUSE.)

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