Punctuation

A guide to excellent punctuation usage

A crucial topic• Punctuation Guide (Taken from UNSW Learning Centre; but

sections on the semi-colon, the comma and ellipsis have been re-written / reworked.)

• Good punctuation is crucial for successful academic writing. Many students use little punctuation in their essays beyond commas and full stops. But to be restricted to just two forms of punctuation mark, when writing your essay, is like building a house using only a hammer and a saw: you can do it; but not very well.

• By learning to use more, or all, of the available forms of punctuation you will be able to communicate and express your ideas, and arguments, more clearly.

The comma splice• Further, if you follow the rules closely, you will learn how to

eliminate the most common writing error in English, the comma splice. This is a bit of grammatical engineering

which is … • e.g. I went to the shop, I wanted to buy an ice-

cream.

Why is this wrong? Think about it.

Full stop ( . )

• Full stops have three distinct uses:• 1. To mark the end of a sentence

– The cat is completely black.

• 2. To indicate abbreviated words a full stop indicates an abbreviation, unless first and last letters of the word are shown.– The teacher will be Mr John Smith (B. Sci.).

• • 3. To punctuate numbers and dates

– All assignments should be submitted by 6. 6. 04.

Different styles

• Some say that …• If an abbreviation contains the first and last

letters of a word, you don’t need to use a full stop at the end:

• Mr• Ltd• Dr• Others prefer using full stops e.g. Mr. and Mrs.

This is a colon (:)• Colon ( : )• A colon can be used:• 1. To indicate that a list, quotation or summary is about to follow;

– Buy these things: a packet of peanuts, two loaves of bread and a kilogram of steak.

– Writing the assignment is not easy: to begin with you have to do a lot of research.

• 2. To separate an initial sentence/clause from a second clause, list, phrase or quotation that supports the first in a particular way.– The television set, as the icon of the information age, represents the

realisation of a dream for humankind: that knowledge and experience can be transmitted and shared across the boundaries of time and space.

Semi-colons solve the comma splice

• Semi-colon ( ; )• A semi-colon:• Separates two complete sentences that are, however, closely linked.• I went to the shop; I wanted to buy an ice-cream.• WHY USE A SEMI-COLON? BECAUSE IT IS TAKING THE PLACE OF A

CONJUNCTION!• I went to the shop because I wanted to buy an ice-cream.• “I went to the shop” and “I wanted to buy ice-cream” are both

complete sentences on their own. They both have finite verbs (“went” and “wanted to buy”) so you can’t join them with a commas You can only join them with a conjunction (“because”, “and”, “since” etc.) OR a semi-colon, which can take the place of a conjunction.

Get your head around this …• Look at this example: Don't go near the lions; they could bite you. • Here we have two sentences that are complete in themselves (“Don’t go

near the lions” + “they could bite you”.) To link them, we need a conjunction like “because” or a semi-colon. If you put a comma between them, then you have used the dreadful comma splice.

• The semicolon can be replaced by a full stop, but the direct link between

the two parts is then lost.• Don’t go near the lions. They could bite you. = OK, BUT NO LINK IS

MADE. The semi-colon creates a link through the understanding that it is replacing a conjunction like “because” or “as”.

The semi-colon also …

• Serves as a second level of punctuation in a series of words or phrases which already have commas making some internal divisions. e.g.

• We went to McDonald’s and ordered a burger with fries, onion rings, cheese, bacon and

beetroot; lettuce, tomato and capsicum were not considered. Here the semi-colon separates two distinct lists.

Comma ,

• Commas have a vital role to play in longer sentences, separating information into readable units.

• 1. A single comma ensures correct reading of a sentence which starts with a longish introductory element.– When Australia celebrated its sesquicentenary in 1938,

there was a little of the confidence or enthusiasm of the centennial celebrations of 1888.

Correct the punctuation in the following sentences. If there are no mistakes, please leave the text as it is.

1. The newly appointed managing director had a moderately impressive CV! He was expected to perform moderately well, nobody thought he would set the world on-fire. (3)

2. She used to eat the following foodstuffs with relish; tomatoes, cucumbers, steak, veal, broccoli, capsicums, potatoes & curry. (2)

3. Non executive directors are essential to the success of company’s today because they have a more detached and objective view than those at the centre of board, room politics. (3)

4. ‘Wait for me ’ said the managing director, walking to the lift, you should know not to press the button without me I need to be in the meeting by 12; so why didn’t you wait. (5)

5. ‘It is true? That you can’t handle the pressure,’ asked the boss, looking at the spreadsheet in his pudgy hands; it’s not true at all, I replied. ‘Give me a chance to prove myself @ least. (6)

6. Ronald likes to know how a presentation will go; Sandra doesn’t mind unpredictability. (1)7. ‘Do you know what my financial guru told me,’ asked John. ‘He said, “Never let the other

party know what you are thinking. He paused; ‘Well, I’m starting to think hes right.’ (4)8. ‘This is not the time to … ’ the secretary began as I ran past her desk with the posters. ‘John,

you get back here.’ (1) TOTAL MARKS: 25

Answers to punctuation questions1. The newly appointed managing director had a moderately impressive CV. He was expected to

perform moderately well. Nobody thought he would set the world on fire. (3)2. She used to eat the following foodstuffs with relish: tomatoes, cucumbers, steak, veal, broccoli,

capsicums, potatoes and curry. (2)3. Non-executive directors are essential to the success of companies today because they have a

more detached and objective view than those at the centre of boardroom politics. (3)4. ‘Wait for me, ’ said the managing director, walking to the lift. ‘You should know not to press the

button without me. I need to be in the meeting by 12, so why didn’t you wait?’ (5)5. ‘It is true that you can’t handle the pressure?’ asked the boss, looking at the spreadsheet in his

pudgy hands. ‘It’s not true at all,’ I replied. ‘Give me a chance to prove myself at least. (6)6. Ronald likes to know how a presentation will go; Sandra doesn’t mind unpredictability. (1)7. ‘Do you know what my financial guru told me?’ asked John. ‘He said, “Never let the other party

know what you are thinking. ” ’ He paused. ‘Well, I’m starting to think he’s right.’ (4)8. ‘This is not the time to … ’ the secretary began as I ran past her desk with the posters. ‘John, you

get back here!’ (1) TOTAL MARKS: 25