Module 3

PUNCTUATION -!?.,;:'"

Krishnanunni M V
Verbal Faculty, CIR
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
 A period is a small dot-shaped
punctuation mark that is used at
the end of any sentence that is
intended to make a statement.
PERIOD • You can use a period to end a sentence.
• Use a comma to separate elements in a
series.
• Always end a statement with a period.
• Every statement thus ends with a period.
 COMMA

• A comma is used to indicate a short pause.

• Mr. Hannoran, the office administrator, passed
• To separate numbers, dates and address. away.
• When two persons, things or other elements • I was born on 10th June 1997 in Kollam, Kerala.
are contrasted, the two are separated by a
comma.
• I meant pizza, not burger.

• Direct quotations are marked by comma.

• She said, "I would like to order coffee."
 • Use commas to separate independent clauses when
they are joined by any of these coordinating
conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
• The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave.
The student explained her question, yet the instructor
Extended Rules still did not seem to understand.

for Using • Use commas after introductory a) clauses b) phrases,

or c) words that come before the main clause.
Commas • Common starter words for introductory clauses that
should be followed by a comma include after, although,
as, because, if, since, when, while.
• While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door.
When the snow stops falling, Beverly shall shovel the
driveway.
Use a comma, save a life.
 OXFORD COMMA
It is a comma used before the final conjunction in a list of three or more items.

I love my parents, Michael Jackson and Mickey Mouse.

I love my parents, Michael Jackson, and Mickey Mouse.
OXFORD
COMMA
 • Used to emphasize content.
• They place more emphasis on the enclosed
content than commas.
Parentheses • To set off nonessential items, such as dates,
clarifying information, or sources, from a
() sentence.
• Muhammed Ali (1942-2016), arguably the
greatest athlete of all time, claimed he would
“float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
 Dash
_
• Dashes are used to set off or emphasize content enclosed
within dashes or the content that follows a dash.
• Dashes place more emphasis on this content than
parentheses.
• Perhaps one reason why the term has been so
problematic – so resistant to definition, and yet so
transitory in those definition – is because of its multitude
of applications.
 SEMICOLON
The semicolon represents a stronger pause than a comma.

• Use a semicolon to join 2 independent clauses • Road construction in Trivandrum has hindered
when the second clause restates the first or when travel around town; streets have become covered
the two clauses are of equal emphasis. with bulldozers, trucks, and cones.
• Use a semicolon to join 2 independent clauses • Terrorism in the United States has become a
when the second clause begins with a conjunctive recent concern; in fact, the concern for America's
adverb (however, therefore, moreover, safety has led to an awareness of global
furthermore, thus, meanwhile, nonetheless, terrorism.
otherwise) or a transition (in fact, for example,
that is, for instance, in addition, in other words,
on the other hand, even so).
• To join elements of a series when individual items
• Recent sites of the Olympic Games include
of the series already include commas.
Athens, Greece; Salt Lake City, Utah; Sydney,
Australia; Nagano, Japan.
 COLON

• Use a colon to join two independent clauses

• Road construction in Trivandrum has hindered
when you wish to emphasize the second
travel around town: parts of LMS, Statue, and
clause.
Pattom are closed during the construction.
• It is used to show that something is to follow.
• Julie went to the store for some groceries:
• Use a colon to separate the hour and minute(s) milk, bread, coffee, and cheese.
in a time notation.
• 12:00 p.m.
• Use a colon to separate the chapter and verse
• Ezekiel 25:17
in a Biblical reference.
 HYPHEN

• To join compound words

• Used-car, up-to-date

• Numbers
• Forty-seven, fifty-five, sixty-nine, twenty-two

• Phrases with numbers

• A five-dollar bill, a nine-year-old girl, a 20th-
century novelist
• To avoid doubling a vowel
• Anti-administration, de-emphasize
• To avoid tripling a consonant
• Shell-like
 HYPHEN

• All-around, self-image, all-knowing, all-seeing,

• When all and self are used as prefixes. self-styled, self-appointed
• When great is used as a prefix with kinship • Great-grandmother, great-uncle, great-aunt
terms.
• Half-life, half-asleep, half-kilo | halfway
• Words with half as a prefix. (not always)
• Anti-American, pseudo-Italian, trans-Atlantic
• To avoid capital letter in the middle of a word.
AntiAmerican, pseudoItalian, transAtlantic
• EXCLAMATION MARK - used after interjections and after phrases and sentences
expressing sudden emotion or wish.
Alas! Oh dear!

• INVERTED COMMAS - used to enclose the exact words of a speaker, or a

quotation.
"I would rather die," he said.

• QUESTION MARK - Question Mark is used, instead of a period, after a direct

question.
Are you guys really listening to this class ?
• ITALICS - Italicize the titles of magazines, books, newspapers, academic journals,
films, television shows, foreign words, a word being referred to.
Titanic is my favorite movie.
 Punctuate the following if necessary.

my favorite book is and then there were none and my favorite

author is agatha christie

A. My favorite Book is And Then There Were None, and my

favorite Author is Agatha Christie.
B. My favorite book is And Then There Were None, and my
favorite author is Agatha Christie.
C. My favorite book is And Then There Were None, and my
favorite author is Agatha Christie
D. My favorite book is And Then There Were None and my
favorite author is Agatha Christie.
 Punctuate the following if necessary.

my favorite book is and then there were none and my favorite

author is agatha christie

A. My favorite Book is And Then There Were None, and my

favorite Author is Agatha Christie.
B. My favorite book is And Then There Were None, and my
favorite author is Agatha Christie.
C. My favorite book is And Then There Were None, and my
favorite author is Agatha Christie
D. My favorite book is And Then There Were None and my
favorite author is Agatha Christie.
 Yes, Jim said, I'll be
home by ten.

A. "Yes," Jim said, "I'll be home by ten"

B. “Yes” Jim said "I'll be home by ten."
C. "Yes," Jim said, "I'll be home by Ten."
D. "Yes Jim said I'll be home by Ten."
 Yes, Jim said, I'll be
home by ten.

A. "Yes," Jim said, "I'll be home by ten"

B. “Yes” Jim said "I'll be home by ten."
C. "Yes," Jim said, "I'll be home by Ten."
D. "Yes Jim said I'll be home by Ten."
 The following are
the primary colors
red, blue, and yellow
A. The following are the primary
colors: red, blue and yellow.
B. The following are the Primary
Colors: Red, Blue, and Yellow.
C. The following are the primary
colors: red, blue, and yellow.
D. The following are the primary
colors: red, blue and yellow.
 The following are
the primary colors
red, blue, and yellow
A. The following are the primary
colors: red, blue and yellow.
B. The following are the Primary
Colors: Red, Blue, and Yellow.
C. The following are the primary
colors: red, blue, and yellow.
D. The following are the primary
colors: red, blue and yellow.
 The minister quoted
Isaiah 5 21 in last
Sunday's sermon.

A. The minister quoted Isaiah 5:21 in

last sunday's sermon.
B. The minister quoted Isaiah 5:21 in
last sunday's sermon
C. The minister quoted isaiah 5:21 in
last Sunday's sermon.
D. The minister quoted Isaiah 5:21 in
last Sunday's sermon.
 The minister quoted
Isaiah 5 21 in last
Sunday's sermon.

A. The minister quoted Isaiah 5:21 in

last sunday's sermon.
B. The minister quoted Isaiah 5:21 in
last sunday's sermon
C. The minister quoted isaiah 5:21 in
last Sunday's sermon.
D. The minister quoted Isaiah 5:21 in
last Sunday's sermon.
Whos the partys candidate for president this
year

Whos the partys candidate for president this year

Who's the party's candidate for President this year?

There was a very interesting article titled The New
Rage for Folk Singing in last sunday's new york
times newspaper

There was a very interesting article titled The New Rage for Folk
Singing in last sunday's new york times newspaper

There was a very interesting article titled "The New Rage for Folk
Singing" in last Sunday's New York Times newspaper.
 Johns 89 ford is his proudest possession.

Johns 89 ford is his proudest possession.

John's ‘89 Ford is his proudest possession.

akbar the greatest of the mughal emperors
ruled wisely

akbar the greatest of the mughal emperors ruled wisely

Akbar, the greatest of the Mughal emperors, ruled wisely.

Though Phil said he would arrive on the 9:19
flight, he came instead on the 10:36 flight.

No corrections required.
 The automobile dealer handled three makes of cars
volkswagen, porsche, and mercedes benz.

The automobile dealer handled three makes of cars volkswagen,

porsche, and mercedes benz.

The automobile dealer handled three makes of cars: Volkswagen,

Porsche, and Mercedes Benz.
when the teacher commented that her spelling was
poor Lynn replied All the members of my family are
poor spellers?

when the teacher commented that her spelling was poor Lynn replied All the members of my
family are poor spellers?

When the teacher commented that her spelling was poor, Lynn replied, "All the members of
my family are poor spellers."
Whoever thought said helen that jack would be
elected class president?

Whoever thought said helen that jack would be elected class president?

"Whoever thought," said Helen, "that Jack would be elected class

president?"
My French teacher told me that my accent is
abominable.

No corrections required.
It is hard for me to choose between Chandler
from Friends and Dwight from the office
It is hard for me to choose between Chandler from Friends and Dwight from the office

It is hard for me to choose between Chandler from Friends and Dwight from The Office.
Punctuate the following sentence.
Several countries participated in the
airlift Italy Belgium France and japan

A. Several countries – participated in the airlift – Italy, Belgium, France,

and Japan.
B. Several countries participated in the airlift – Italy, Belgium, France, and
Japan.
C. Several countries participated in the airlift; Italy, Belgium, France, and
Japan.
D. Several countries participated in the airlift: Italy, Belgium, France, and
Japan.
Punctuate the following sentence.
Several countries participated in the
airlift Italy Belgium France and japan

A. Several countries – participated in the airlift – Italy, Belgium, France,

and Japan.
B. Several countries participated in the airlift – Italy, Belgium, France, and
Japan.
C. Several countries participated in the airlift; Italy, Belgium, France, and
Japan.
D. Several countries participated in the airlift: Italy, Belgium, France, and
Japan.
Punctuate the following sentence.
The people who came early were
Beverly my old roommate her
husband and tim their son
A. The people who came early were Beverly, my old roommate, her
husband, and Tim their son.
B. The people who came early were Beverly; my old roommate, her
husband, and Tim; their son.
C. The people who came early were Beverly, my old roommate; her
husband; and Tim, their son.
D. The people who came early were Beverly my old roommate, her
husband and Tim; their son.
Punctuate the following sentence.
The people who came early were
Beverly my old roommate her
husband and tim their son
A. The people who came early were Beverly, my old roommate, her
husband, and Tim their son.
B. The people who came early were Beverly; my old roommate, her
husband, and Tim; their son.
C. The people who came early were Beverly, my old roommate; her
husband; and Tim, their son.
D. The people who came early were Beverly my old roommate, her
husband and Tim; their son.
Punctuate the following sentence.
This rock hard cake is almost
impossible to eat
A. This rock hard Cake is almost impossible to eat.
B. This rock-hard cake is almost impossible to eat.
C. This rock-hard cake is almost impossible; to eat.
D. This rock-hard cake is; almost impossible to eat.
Punctuate the following sentence.
This rock hard cake is almost
impossible to eat
A. This rock hard Cake is almost impossible to eat.
B. This rock-hard cake is almost impossible to eat.
C. This rock-hard cake is almost impossible; to eat.
D. This rock-hard cake is; almost impossible to eat.
Choose the correct
sentence.
1. I am asking if you would like to dine together
tomorrow?
2. I am asking “if you would like to dine together
tomorrow”?
3. I am asking if you would like to dine together
tomorrow.
4. I am asking “if you would like to dine together
tomorrow”
1. I am asking if you would like to dine together
tomorrow?
2. I am asking “if you would like to dine together
tomorrow”?
3. I am asking if you would like to dine together
tomorrow.
4. I am asking “if you would like to dine together
tomorrow”
1. Yes, Dixon, you were right about that answer.
2. Yes Dixon, you were right about that answer.
3. Yes Dixon you were right about that answer.
4. Yes, Dixon, you were right; about that answer.
1. Yes, Dixon, you were right about that answer.
2. Yes Dixon, you were right about that answer.
3. Yes Dixon you were right about that answer.
4. Yes, Dixon, you were right; about that answer.
1. Please contact me if you have any questions.
2. Please contact me; if you have any questions.
3. Please, contact me, if you have any questions.
4. Please! Contact me: if you have any questions?
1. Please contact me if you have any questions.
2. Please contact me; if you have any questions.
3. Please, contact me, if you have any questions.
4. Please! Contact me: if you have any questions?
Thank You
Krishnanunni M V
[email protected]
+91 7559923752
Verbal Faculty, CIR
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Amritapuri Campus