The Grammar Slammer: Punctuation

(Grammar the fun, easy, visual way it should have been taught.)

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"Grammar, which knows how to control even kings."

-Moliere

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Table of ContentsCapitalization..............................................................4

Periods........................................................................5

Question Marks & Exclamation Marks......................6

Commas.....................................................................7

Apostrophes................................................................8

Ellipses........................................................................9

Parentheses................................................................10

Semicolons................................................................11

Quotation Marks......................................................12

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The 3 Laws of Capitalization:

1. Always capitalize the first letter of a new sentence.

2. Always capitalize proper nouns (specific people, places, or things).

3. Always capitalize "I".

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Periods usually end a sentence.

Adding a period shows that we've finished a complete thought about the vengeful tomato. A period can also be used in abbreviations such as when

the word "mister" is abbreviated (or shortened) into "Mr.".

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Question marks are used to end

sentences which ask, you guessed it, questions.

Q: Why is there nothing on this page?

Exclamation marks are used to

end exclamatory sentences in which extra emphasis is needed.

A: Because everyone already knows what these

things do!

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Commas can do lots of really cool stuff, but

basically they separate things within a sentence.

1. You can use commas to separate two or more items in a series.

• Gerald used his trusty banana peel, tweezers, and earwax to build a walkie-talkie.

2. To separate two independent clauses.

• Gerald noted that it was getting warmer, yet he did not notice the lava hurtling toward him.

These commas must always be followed by a conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so).

3. To separate an introduction and/or transition.

• Realizing his error, he leaped into the air and deployed his parachute.

4. Or to separate an appositive.

• Having outwitted the volcano Gerald, our story's protagonist, used his walkie-talkie to call for a limo.

All of which are, of course,

AWESOME.

(but not as awesome as Gerald)

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Semicolons; Semicolons are kind of like really powerful commas. Commas can be used to separate two independent clauses when used with a conjunction (and, but, for, nor,

yet, or so).

A semicolon, on the other hand, can separate two independent clauses without using a conjunction.

Independent Clauses are just complete thoughts that could be their own

sentences. We use semicolons to join independent clauses that are

related to each other in some way like the sentence:

The squirrels practiced every day; they were determined to one day defeat the evil lord Stubs.

The second part relates to the first, so we can join them with a semicolon. We do not, however, use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that aren't related to each other like this sentence:

The squirrels practiced every day; watermelons are worthless sacks of seeds.

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Apostrophes can be used either to show

ownership or to show that you are forming a contraction.

Apostrophes can be used to show that something belongs to someone. For example, in this sentence the exploding iphone

belongs to the stone.

Apostrophes can also be used in a contraction. A contraction is formed when two separate words are contracted together into a single word. For

example, the contraction I'll is formed from the words I and will.

Common Contractions:1st Word 2nd Word Contraction

I will I'll

would not wouldn't

there is there's

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Ellipses can. . .

. . .shorten a quotation by omitting stuff that doesn't change it's meaning. For example, this quote

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles; by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. It’s the healthiest thing a body can do.”

- Mark Twain

can be shortened to:

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles. . .It’s the healthiest thing a body can do.”

- Mark Twain

(Note that by using an ellipse to shorten this quote we have not changed its meaning)

Or, ellipses can be used to show a pause or faltering speech.

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Parentheses ( = Parenthesis (singular)

( ) = Parentheses (plural): ) = Happy face: ( = Sad face

= My face if you use smilies in a paper

Parentheses include information in a sentence that isn't really necessary.

"The Saguaro Cactus (the most sarcastic cacti in the world) can live for up to 150 years."

We don't need to know that Saguaro cacti are sarcastic for

this sentence to make sense (but it is nice to know).

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Quotation Marks show the actual

words that someone is saying.

"Nibble elsewhere vermin!" The noble cheese roared. (Since these are the cheese's actual words we put a quotation mark on either side of them)

When using dialogue it's important to remember to always include a said tag to show who is talking.

Quote said tag

"Nibble elsewhere vermin!" The noble cheese roared

In addition, every time someone new talks you need to start a new paragraph.

"Nibble elsewhere vermin!" The noble cheese roared. His sword held high he waited for the coming rush of teeth, ears, and whiskers

"Hey now, let's not get carried away." Harold replied meekly, not wanting to provoke the enraged swiss.

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End.

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