<p> Rules for Punctuation</p><p>1. Use a semicolon between complete sentences if they are not joined by and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet.</p><p>It has been raining all day; I guess our picnic will be cancelled.</p><p>2. Use a semicolon between items in a series if the items already contain commas.</p><p>I will visit Houston, Texas; Springfield, Missouri; and Richmond, Virginia.</p><p>3. Use a colon between a complete introductory statement and a list of items.</p><p>Please bring the following items to class: pen, pencil, calculator, and paper.</p><p>Please bring your pen, pencil, calculator, and paper.</p><p>4. Use a colon between a statement and a word, phrase, or sentence that identifies or explains it. (If you hear a “drum roll,” a colon might be your best choice!)</p><p>I finally decided on my destiny: a career in the field of teaching!</p><p>5. Underline (italicize) the titles of books, plays, movies, periodicals (magazines), works of art, CD’s, long musical compositions, television series, ships, and aircraft. (Underline when writing by hand; italicize when typing.)</p><p>In class, we are reading a book entitled Flu.</p><p>6. Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation.</p><p>Bob said, “We will go on a field trip next week.”</p><p>7. A direct quotation that expresses a complete thought begins with a capital letter.</p><p>The shopper exclaimed, “I’m so happy that I won the contest!” 8. When the quoted sentence is divided into two parts by an interrupting expression such as he said, the second part begins with a lowercase letter (unless the first word is one that is always capitalized).</p><p>“I will be gone,” mother said, “for only two hours.”</p><p>9. A direct quotation is separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma, question mark, or exclamation point, not by a period.</p><p>“Remember your books tomorrow,” Mrs. Smith announced.</p><p>“Do you have a key?” mother asked.</p><p>“Get out of town!” Sheriff Jones shrieked.</p><p>10. Commas and periods always go inside closing quotation marks. Semicolons and colons always go outside the closing quotation marks. Question marks and exclamation points follow two rules: if the full sentence is a question/exclamation, the mark is placed outside the closing quotation marks. If, however, only the quoted section is the question or exclamation, the mark is placed inside the closing quotation marks.</p><p>“Leave your homework on the table,” I said.</p><p>Mary said, “I really hope to go to the concert.”</p><p>Ellen yelled, “Hey, save me some birthday cake”; she then ran to the table!</p><p>Tom asked Maria, “What is your college major?”</p><p>Who will demonstrate the proper way to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”?</p><p>11. Use quotation marks to enclose the titles of articles in magazines, short stories, essays, poems, songs, individual episodes of TV series, and chapters and other parts of books and periodicals.</p><p>My mom just read me a poem entitled “Springtime.”</p><p>12. Use quotation marks to enclose slang words, nicknames, and other unusual uses of words. That basketball player is William “Stilts” Smith.</p><p>That is a “groovy” sweater!</p><p>13. Use single quote marks to enclose a quote within a quote.</p><p>“Today,” the teacher said, “we will read ‘Springtime’ out loud.”</p><p>14. To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s.</p><p>The table’s leg has been scratched.</p><p>15. To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in s, add only the apostrophe.</p><p>The books’ covers have been taped many times.</p><p>16. To form the possessive of a plural noun not ending in s, add an apostrophe and an s.</p><p>The children’s names have been put into the album.</p><p>17. Possessive personal pronouns do not require an apostrophe.</p><p>This book is hers.</p><p>Yours is in the cabinet.</p><p>18. In compound words and words showing joint possession, only the last word uses the apostrophe.</p><p>Tom and Melissa’s home is around the corner.</p><p>19. When two or more persons possess something individually, each of their names is possessive in form.</p><p>Michael’s and Lila’s books need to be repaired.</p><p>20. Use an apostrophe to show where letters, numbers, or words have been omitted in a contraction.</p><p>I can’t believe she’s a ’99 graduate. 21. Use an apostrophe to form the plurals of letters or numbers.</p><p>There are two n’s in my name, and there are two 3’s in my address.</p><p>22. Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a line. Divide only on a syllable break. Never split a one-syllable word, and never leave one letter alone.</p><p>This is a very interesting book; I would love to talk with you about the inter- pretation sometime.</p><p>23. Use a hyphen with compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine.</p><p>I need to make thirty-five copies of this paper.</p><p>24. Hyphenate a compound adjective when it precedes the noun it describes.</p><p>The well-written paper received an A.</p><p>The clean-shaven man got dressed for the party.</p><p>25. Use a dash to indicate an abrupt break in thought or speech.</p><p>The party—I forgot to tell you about it—will begin at 6:30.</p><p>26. Use parentheses to enclose material of minor importance in a sentence.</p><p>The new school (built in 1998) is ready to open.</p><p>27. Use brackets around information that is inserted into a quote for added identification (but that was not actually said by the speaker).</p><p>The politician said, “I don’t think it [the tax increase] would be a good idea.”</p>