如何使用英文標點符號(1) 如何正確地使用標點符號是學習英文必須具備的基本條件。標點符號能幫助作者清楚地

傳達他的思想，使讀者對每一句話的結構與意義一目瞭然。一段沒有標點符號的文章是

很難看懂的。 1. 沒有標點符號難以了解的例句：

(a) After eating the child left the table 乍看起來，好像是：「吃完那小孩以後…」。

有了標點符號之後的句子是：After eating, the child left the table. 「吃完之後，

那小孩離開了餐桌」。

(b) Inside the dog was growling 乍看起來，好像是：「那隻狗的肚子裡在咆哮」。有

了標點符號之後的句子是：Inside, the dog was growling. 「門裡面，那隻狗在咆哮」。

(c) What do you think I mend for nothing and give you two dollars 乍看起來，

好像是：「我免費給你補(鞋)之外，還要送你兩塊錢，你以為如何？」。有了標點符號之

後的句子是：

What! do you think I mend for nothing and give you two dollars?

什麼！你以為我免費給你補(鞋)之外，還給你兩塊錢嗎？」 2. 增減標點符號的例句：

(a)Happily he died.

他含笑而終。本句中 happily修飾 died.

Happily, he died.

真高興，他死了。本句中 happily修飾 he died.

(b) No tax will be imposed on foreign fruit trees.

外國進口之果樹將不徵稅。

No tax will be imposed on foreign fruit, trees.

外國進口之水果，樹將不徵稅。

(c) Dr. Johnson, our family doctor cannot come today.

詹生醫師，我們的家庭醫師今天不能來。

本句是向詹生醫師傳達一項訊息。

(d) Dr. Johnson, our family doctor, cannot come today.

我們的家庭醫師詹生今天不能來。

本句中 our family doctor 是 Dr. Johnson 的同位語。

常用的英文標點符號有十二種，它們是：

l.Apostrophe 上標點(')

2.Comma 逗號(,)

3.Colon 冒號(:)

4.Dash 破折號(--)

5.Exclamation Point 驚嘆號(!)

6.Hyphen 連字號(-)

7.Parentheses 括號( )

8. Period 句號(．)

9. Question Mark 問號 C?)

lO.Quotation Marks 引號("…")

11.Semicolon 分號(;)

l2.Triple Dots 刪節號(…) 現將各種標點符號的用法分別說明如后: l. 上標點(')

(l)表示字母的省略。Can't you read those road signs?

(2)表示數字的省略。Today is Thursday, June 1, '89.

(3)表示字母的複數。There are five s’s in “sleeplessness.”

(4)表示單字的複數。Our teacher told us not to use so many so’s.

(5)表示數字的複數。Her 7’s and 9’s look alike.

(6)表示所有格。It’s Vice Burn’s umbrella.

2. 逗號(，)

(1) 用在以 and ,but ,for, nor ,or ,so ,yet 等連接詞連接的兩個主要子句之間。

My father is fond of fishing, but my mother prefers hiking. (2) 在複合句中，如果附屬子句在前，主要子句在後，用在附屬子句之後。

While I was making a telephone call, someone knocked at my door．

注意：如果主要子句在前，則不用逗號。

(3) 用以分開非限制形容詞子句與主要子句。 Her father, who is a famous scholar, teaches English.

(4) 用以分開非限制同位語。 Kent Howard, my English teacher, is from America.

(5) 用在 yes, no ,well 等字之後。 (a) Yes, he is a hard-working student. (b) No, it is impossible. (c) Well, you may go if you insist. (6) 向人說話時，用在對方名字或稱謂之後，之前或前後。

(a) John, come here. (b) Open the door, John.

(c) It is, Sir, not my fault. (7) 用以分開引用句

(a) “You are beautiful,” he said. (b) Our teacher said, “Freedom is not license.” (c) “No,” she said, “I was just testing your patience.”

(8) 用以分開星期，月日，年份。 On Sunday, May 28, 1989, her first child was born.

(9) 用以分開地名、省名、國名、街道名、巷弄名等。 Candy lives at 4 Alley 10, Lane 76, Ching Hua Street, Section 4, Taipei, Taiwan.

(10)用以分開一系列的單字，片語或子句。 (a) Her mother sells tomatoes, potatoes, and peaches. (b) She ran up the stairs, across the porch, and into the house. (c) We all agreed that she was beautiful, that she was intelligent, and that she

was ambitious. (11)用以表示字的省略。

The lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb, of meekness. (the lamb is the

symbol of meekness). (12)用在 such as 及 especially 的前面。

(a) They enjoy outdoor sports, such as hiking and riding. (b)He likes all extracurricular activities, especially basketball playing.

(13)用以分開「乃此非彼」的結構。 He wanted to see Cliff, not Steve.

(14)用在追問句之前。 It is warm today, isn’t it?

3. 冒號(：)

(1) 用在解釋或逐項列舉之前(在 as follows, the following as these 或 given

below 之後)。

(a) I bought the following articles: sheets, towels, and blankets．

(b) The table lamp consists of three parts: a stand, a bulb, and a shade. (2) 用在正式或事務信函中稱謂之後。

Dear Sir: Dear Mr. Reagan: Gentlemen: 注意:在非正式或交際信函中稱謂之後用逗號。 Dear Mary, Dear John,

(3) 用在數字之後，表示時間。 Our class starts at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 12:00 noon.

(4) 用在較長的引用句或正式問句之前。 (a) This is my favorite quotation: “It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the

dream of yesterday is the hope of today and reality of tomorrow.” (b) The question is: What can we do for our country?

(5) 用在講釋第一個主要子句的第二個主要句子之前。 Her intention is obvious: she wants to marry him. 4. 破折號(--)

(1) 表示猶豫，句意的暫時中斷, 或思想的突然中斷。 (a) I—I don’t know. You’d better ask her. (b) The entire teaching facilities—console, tapes, earphones, and tape

recorders—were stolen last night. (c) I’ll give—let’s see, what can I give?

(2) 用以強調同位語。 She has only one interest—food. (3) 用在結語之前。

Professor Chu collects postage stamps, coins, sea shells, matchboxes—in short, anything that interests him. (4) 用在未完成句之後。

She said, “He was everything to me, but--” 5. 驚嘆號(！)

(1) 用在以強烈情感說出的字句之後。 (a) What a surprise! (b) How beautiful a girl she is! (c) What a beautiful girl she is! (2) 用在祈使句之後。

(a) Help! My house is on fire! (b) Be quiet!

6. 連字句(-)

(1) 用以表示分數或連接由 21 至 99 中的十位數及個位數。 (a) Three-fourths of the freshman students are girls. (b) There are twenty-two boy student and ninety-eight girl students in the

Department of English. (2) 用在行末連接分寫的單字。

He is a graduate student of National Chengchi Uni-

versity. (3) 用以連接複合字中的各字。

We had a heart-to heart talk last night. 7. 括號( )

用來在句中附加評論或解釋。 I saw the two students (they are lovers) kissing each other.

8. 句號( . )

(1) 用在敘述句，祈使句及禮貌問句之後。 (a) I wish to enter an ideal university. (b) Turn in your papers, please. (c) Will you please send me a copy of your university catalogue. (2) 用在間接問句之後。

She asked if you would come to her birthday party. (3) 用在縮寫名字和其他字的第一個字母之後，或縮寫字之後。 (a) Prof. W. W. Wang has returned to Taipei.

(b) Dr. Tang earned his Ph. D. degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D. C.

(District of Columbia). 9. 問號(？)

(1) 用在直接問句之後。 Do you find English writing difficult? (2) 用在括號中表示存疑。 Chaucer was born in 1340(?) and died in 1400.

10. 引號(“ ”)

(1) 用在引用句的前後。

(a) Our teacher said, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” (b) “I don’t like her, ” she explained, “because she is far too proud.” (2) 如果引用句本身是敘述句而且位在一個問句之後，必須先用引號，再用問號。

Did he say, “I am going to college next year”? 如果引用句本身是問句，則必須先用問號，再用引號。 Did he say, “Are you going to college next year?”

(3) 引用文句有兩段或兩段以上時，只在每一段開始時和最後一段結束時用引號。 “Mom and Dad did not come home with them because Sunday was parents’ day off;

the boys did the housework and cooked the meal of the week, while Father and Mother

stayed on for church service. “But by the time diner was ready the boy had climbed into bed. The shoe had to be cut

off his swollen and discolored leg. Why on earth hadn’t he told somebody? Go quick

and fetch the doctor!” (4) 引用句中另有引用句時, 用單引號表示

She said, “ I quite agree to the saying ‘To love and to be loved is the greatest

happiness on earth’.” 注意：美式英文中，雙引號在外，單引號在內，英式英文中恰好相反。

11. 分號 (；)

(1) 用以連接兩個或兩個以上的主要子句。 (a) The singular form is mouse; the plural form is mice. (b) she made up her mind; she laid her plans; she began her trip. (2) 用在連接兩個主要子句的連接副詞 (consequently, however, moreover,

nevertheless, so, still, then, therefore, thus, etc.)之前。 He did not pass the examination; therefore, he was unhappy. (3) 用在連接兩個主要子句的連接詞 (and, but, or, nor, for)之前，當主要子句本身

有逗號時。 Henry, a freshman, lives at home; but Karl, his brother, does not. 12. 刪節號 (…)

用以表示引用句中省略的文字。如刪節號用在句尾，另加原句句尾的標點符號。 In his essay LUCK Winston Churchill wrote: “The longer one lives, the more one

realizes that everything depends upon chance… a man’s own contribution to his life story

is continually by an external superior power.” 注意：英文中表示「等等」用 etc.而不是用刪節號(…)。