Punctuation Rules s1

Punctuation Rules:

1. A statement is followed by a period 2. A questions is followed by a question mark 3. An explanation is followed by an exclamation point 4. A request or an order is followed by either a period or an exclamation point 5. An abbreviation is followed by a period

Commas:

6. Use commas to separate items in a series 7. Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives immediately before a noun 8. Use a comma before and, but, or, nor, for, and yet when they join independent clauses in a compound sentence 9. Use commas to set off participial phrases and adjective clauses that are not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence. Do not use commas with such phrases or clauses if they are essential to the meaning. 10. Use a comma after certain introductory elements Use a comma after an introductory participial phrase Use a comma after two or more introductory prepositional phrases Use a coma after an introductory adverb clause 11. Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt the sentence. Appositives and appositive phrases are usually set off by commas Words used in a direct address are set off by commas Words such as well, yes, no, and why are followed by a comma when they begin a sentence or remark 12. Use commas to separate items in dates and addresses 13. Use a comma after the salutation of a friendly letter and after the closing of any letter.

Semicolons: 14. Use a semi-colon between the parts of a compound sentence if they are not joined by and, but, or, nor, for or yet. 15. A semi- colon (rather than a comma) may be needed to separate the parts of a compound sentence if there are commas within the parts.

Colons: 16. Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions such as “the” following “and” as follows. 17. Use a colon between the hour and the minute when you write the time, 18. Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter.

Capitalization Rules: 1. Capitalize the first word in every sentence 2. Capitalize the pronoun I 3. Capitalize proper nouns a. Names of persons b. Geographical names c. Names of organizations and business firms, institutions, and government bodies d. Special events and calendar items e. Historical events and periods f. Names of nationalities, races, and religions g. Brand names of business products h. Names of ships and planets, monuments, awards, and any other particular place, thing or event 4. Capitalize proper adjectives 5. Do not capitalize names of school subjects, except languages and course names followed by a number 6. Capitalize titles: a. Capitalize the title of a person when it comes before a name b. Capitalize words showing family relationship when used with a person’s name, but not when preceded by a possessive c. Capitalize a title used alone or referring to a high official d. Capitalize first and last words of titles of books e. Capitalize words referring to a deity Rules for Subject/Verb agreement: 1. When a word refers to one person or thing, it is singular in number. When a word refers to more than one, it is plural in number. 2. A verb agrees with its subject in number. 3. The number of a subject is not changed by a phrase following the subject. 4. The following pronouns are singular: each, either, neither, one, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody 5. The following pronouns are plural: both, few, many, several. 6. The pronouns all, any, most, none and some may be either singular or plural 7. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb. 8. Singular subjects joined by or nor take a singular verb. 9. When the singular subject and a plural subject are joined by ( or or nor) the verb agrees with the nearer subject. 10.Collective nouns may be either singular or plural 11.When the subject follows the verb, as in sentences beginning with “there or here,” be careful to determine the subject and make sure the verb agrees with it. 12.Words stating amounts are usually singular 13.The title of a book, organization or country usually takes a singular verb 14.Don’t and doesn’t must agree with their subjects 15.A few nouns, though plural in form, take a singular verb 16.A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number and gender