Punctuations

The meaning of a text is clearer through punctuation. However, to fully understand

the rules of punctuation, one should also understand the other elements of
sentence structures such as complex sentences, contractions of words, phrases,
etc.

Here are the major rules that make writing effective.

Punctuation Symb Usage
ol
AMPERSAND
& Used in the names of companies or in trade names.
Example:
Father & Son Furniture

Used in informal writing such as in personal letters

Example:
My dad & I
APOSTROPHE
’ Used to show possession
Example:
Cara’s kitchen
the men’s apartment

Used to indicate contractions of words

Example:
wasn’t, isn’t, let’s

Used to put a less formal flavor to written pieces

Example:
bless’d for the word blessed

Used to abbreviate years

e.g. Sportsfest ‘05
BRACKET
[] Used to add the missing letters and words in quotations
Example:
According to Mrs. Alferez, “Math may look hard but it is
[relatively] easy.”

Used to enclose words inserted in quotations when

quoting another
Example:
According to comedian and television actor Bill Cosby,
“Parents are not interested in justice [nor in free will];
they are interested in quiet.”

Used to enclose the Latin expression sic (meaning

“thus”) to show that the author of the quoted material
has mispelled or mispronounced a word or phrase in it.
Example:
 As the playwright wrote,
“Get out! Live [sic] me alone!”
COLON Used after a salutation of a business letter
: e.g. Dear Sir:

Used in a series
Examples:
Here are the managers: Marian, Michelle, and Mikee.
Cooking and gardening: are my mom’s hobbies.

Used to introduce an appositive

Example:
There is only one thing to do: run!

Used to introduce a quotations

Example:
This is a quotation from And More by Andy Rooney: The
two biggest sellers in any bookstore are the cookbooks
and the diet books. The cookbooks tell you how to
prepare the food and the diet books tell you not to it
any of it.

Used to separate main titles from subtitles

Example:
The CIA Files: Exposed

Used to separate the hour from the minutes, the

chapter from the verse, or numbers to indicate ratio
Example:
8:00 a.m.
John 3:16
A ratio of 1:7
COMMA Used after a salutation in friendly letters, in addresses,
, in large numbers, in dates, and between a name and a
title
Example:
Dear Sam,
Claire, Herman, Ph.D.
MSA, 315 Katipunan Avenue
January 7, 2005
7,107 islands

Used in direct quotations

Example:
“I can’t go with you,” he said.

Used to separate a beginning word, phrase, or clause

Example:
Yes, I understand what you are trying to tell me.
(beginning word)
Just like his father, Andrei likes playing basketball.
(beginning phrase)

What he told me what to do, I knew I’d be able to finish

the project on time. (beginning clause)

Used in a series which may be make up of three or more

words, phrases, or subordinate clauses of the same
kind.
Example:
My favorite desserts are ice cream, chocolate, and
cakes (word series)

I ate my breakfast fast, ran towards the nearest train

station, and arrived at work on time. (phrase series)

We saw that the garden was weeded, that the front

porch was made spotless, and that the whole house was
well-maintained. (clause series)

Used to separate two or more independent or main

clauses in a compound sentence
Example:
My father prefers to eat at the restaurant, but my
mother would stay at home.

Used to indicate a pause in writing just like in speaking

Example:
Excuse me Sir, but I think you got it wrong!

Used in intervening words, in appositives, or before and

after a modifier expressions
Example:
A Labrador, as I was saying, is a good pet to have.
(intervening words)

Dr. Michaels, my dentist, had a vacation in Hawaii.

(appositive)

Mariz, who is part of our staff, is one of my friends.

(modifier expression)

Used to separate adjectives of equal category

Example:
A tall, dark, handsome guy
*do not use commas to separate adjectives that are of
different categories
e.g. other young men
 DASH Used to break up a thought especially if the purpose is
- to be dramatic
Example:
My children – all of whom are professionals – have their
own families now.

Used to start out an idea of lesser importance within a

sentence
Example:
Carter- did you know he got married already?- left for
Ireland last year.
ELLIPSIS Used to show that something is omitted in a sentence
…
Example:
Liza hesitated…but she agreed anyway.
Used to show uncertainty in writing dialogues

Example:
I think…um…I like you
Used to mean “etc” or “so forth”

Example:
The odd numbers are 1,3…
EXCLAMATION Used after a word or phrase with a forceful tone
MARK ! Example:
Hey! Why are you here?

Used after a question with a forceful tone

Example:
Where did you go?!
HYPHEN Used to separate letters of acronyms for pronunciation
- in broadcasting
Example:
Several V-I-Ps

Used after a prefix that is followed by a proper noun or

an adjective, or with prefixes all-, ex-, self-, or with the
suffix –elect
Example:
mid-January
self-sufficient
president-elect

Used to combine words that, together, function as an

adjective (this is also called a compound adjective)
Example:
Well-to-do family
Strawberry-filled tart

Used when fractions as adjectives

 Example:
Three-fourths done
Used to separate a part of a sentence or an explanation
that is not essential.
Example:
It was Sunday (or maybe a Saturday) when I saw her.

Used to put numbers, letters, signs, and dates in a

PARENTHESIS () sentence.
Example:
The two parts of the exam are:
a.) Math b.) English
The number is (632) 9257544.
Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896) is the Philippine national hero.
PERIOD Used after an abbreviation
. Example:
B.S. Biology

Used after letters or numbers in outlines

Example:
A. European Countries
1. United Kingdom
2. France
B. Asian Countries

Used after a declarative sentence, a calm imperative, or

an indirect question
Example:
She just arrived. (declarative sentence)
Come with me. (calm imperative)
I just asked you why you left. (indirect question)
QUESTION Used to end a question
MARK ? Example:
Did you change your mind?

Used to tell an indefinite or uncertain time

Example:
G. Chaucer (1340?-1400)

Used to end a statement intended as a question.

Example:
She ate the pie?
QUOTATION Used to enclose what a person says directly
MARKS “” Example:
“I’ll see you later,” she said.
Double
Used to enclose a title
Example:
“Trees” a poem written by Joyce Kilmer
 Used to enclose a quotation within a quotation
‘’
Single
Example:
Sarah said, “I heard him say, ‘This is hard,’ before he
left.”
SEMICOLON Used to join independent clauses that are not joined by
; a conjunction such as and, but, for, not, or, so or yet
Example:
Love is positive; hate is negative

Used to join independent clauses separated by a

transitional word or a conjunctive adverb
Example:
He gave me a good advice; for example, I should work
on my writing skills.
SLASH Used to replace the word per
/ Example:
P80/kilo
17 km/hour

Used to present an option

Example:
Single/double bedroom