“Punctuation is a tool that the writers use to clarify and enhance the meaning they want to get across” by Dan Felgelson (2008)”

“Like it or not, punctuation is something you have to master(…) Punctuation marks tell readers to pause or stop when you intend them to; in partnership with the words you choose, they add meter and rhythm to your writing and make it dance off the page; they help convey emotion (...don't they? You bet!); they clarify your meaning. (What's your first reaction to this sentence?: "While we were eating the cat on the table jumped down." While we were eating the cat?! What a difference a comma makes!: "While we were eating, the cat on the table jumped down.")” by Marg Gilks ( 2007)

Traffics signals of language

Rhythm and stress

Set of

symbols

WHY DO WE NEED

PUNCTUATION?

Coherenceand

Cohesion

Start and End

To make it understandable

Roman and Medieval times

European Enlightenment

Printing.

Aldus Manutius.

Period

•My name’s Beth and I was 18 in July.

1. To end:

•I keep reliving that moment. Over and over again.

2. To emphasize:

•etc., Dec., or p.m.

•The coffee morning will be held on Thursday 15 Sept. in the Waterfront Restaurant.

3. With abbreviations:

•www.oup.com 

4. With websites and

email:

Question mark

•Have you seen the film yet

?

1. To end: •Y

ou're French, aren't you

?

2. After a tag question:

•What if I said to you, "I don't love you any more"

?

3. In direct question:

•See you at 9pm

? 

4. To turn:

•I think you said it would cost $10

???

5. To show uncertainty:

Exclamation mark

• She shouted at him, "Go awa

y! I hate

you!"•He

exclaimed: "What a fantastic house you hav

e!"•"Sh

ut

up!"

1. To indicate feelings:

•"Hi

! What's new?"

•"Oh

! When are you going?"

•"Ou

ch! That hurt."

2. Follows interjections:

•What idiots we

are! (We are such idiots.)

•How pretty she looked in that dress

! (She looked very pretty in that dress.)

3. With non-question

sentences:

•I met Katy yesterday. She is so gorgeous

!!!

•Remember, don't be lat

e!!

4. To show reinforcement:

Hyphen • Race-horse (or racehorse)• Pick-me-up

1. To join words:

• A blue-eyed boy (but The boy was blue eyed.)• The well-known actor (but The actor is well known.)• Their four-year-old son (but Their son is four years

old.)

2. To make compound modifiers:

• All-inclusive• Ex-wife• Self-control

3. with certain prefixes (all-, ex-,

and self-):

• Twenty-one• One hundred and sixty-five• Two-thirds 

4. To write numbers 21 to 99,

and fractions:• They need to employ more full- and part-time staff.

(not They need to employ more full-time and part-time staff.)

• This rule applies only to 12-, 13- and 14-year olds. (not This rule applies only to 12-year olds, 13-year olds and 14-year olds.)

5. With suspended compounds:

Dash • My brothers—Richard and John—are visiting

Hanoi. (Could use commas.)• In the 15th century—when of course nobody

had electricity—water was often pumped by hand.(Could use brackets.)

1. To show a pause or break:

• I attached the photo to my email—at least I hope I did!

2. To show an afterthought:

• There are three places I'll never forget—Paris, Bangkok and Hanoi.

3. To introduce a list:

• They are really f––––d up. (Typically used for offensive words.)

• I will look ––––– the children. (Typically used in "missing word" questions.)

4. To show that letters or words

are missing:

They are:

Round brackets

( )

Mount Everest (8,848 m) is the

highest mountain in the

world.

The teacher(s)

He told me a lie

(looking at my eyes), I

felt disappointe

d

Square brackets [

]

I appreciate it [the

honor], but I refuse it

Apostrophe

To show possession

Personal names that

end in –s

e.g. He joined Charles’s army

in 1642.

Plural nouns that end in –

s

e.g. The work is due to start in

two weeks’ time.

Plural nouns that do not end in –s

e.g. The children’s

father came round to see me

To show omission

Letters

pick ‘n’ mix - short for pick

and mix

didn’t - short for did not

Numbers

the Berlin Wall came down in the autumn of

’89

Quotation marks

1. In Direct speech

• ‘What time will he arrive?’ she asked.

2. With a word or phrase being discussed

• He called this phenomenon ‘the memory of water’.

• What does ‘integrated circuit’ mean?.

Single ‘ ’ or Double “ ”?

‘Homer always thinks “ummm, beer” and make me laugh’ Chris

said.

AsteriskTo draw the attention

• Considerations on the Polish Government*• *It was written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1771.

To replace omitted words

• CEF* means Common European Framework,

To hide rude words

• F**k.

Bullet points To catch

the interest

Some guidelines

Be short Have the

same begging

1.Teaching2.Learning

Use sparingly

With capital letters

W/o capital letters

For instance:

With capital letters:The agenda for tonight is as follows: We will conduct an annual review of capital

gains issues. The senior tax manager will talk about

outstanding inheritance tax issues.

Without capital letters:Tonight's agenda includes:  annual review of capital gains issues outstanding inheritance tax issues 

Comma • The school has a vegetable

garden in which the children grow onions, potatoes and carrots.

1.In list:

• Steve replied, “no problem”

• “I do not agree”, I replied.

2.In direct speech:

• I first saw her in paris, where I lived in the early nineties.

3.To separate clauses:

•The school has a vegetable garden in which the children grow onions, potatoes and carrots.

1.In list:

•Steve replied, “no problem”

•“I do not agree”, I replied.

2.In direct speech:

•I first saw her in paris, where I lived in the early nineties.

Colon • There are three countries in North

America: Mexico, USA and Canada.1.list:• There is one thing that we not

accept: Stupidity.2.To emphasize

a item:

• We had to cancel the party: too many people were sick.

3.Explanation:

Semicolon • Josef likes coffee;

Maria likes tea.1.Independent clauses:

Underline

•Bread•Butter ( Do not forget the butter!)

1.To indicate

emphasis:

•The film Avatar was really nice

2.To show emphasis:

Slash

• Dear Sir/Madam (Sir or Madam)1. “or”:

• It was invented on 11/30/2007

2.Day, month and

year:

• http://www.unicor.edu.co/Education

3. Website addres:

Ellipsis mark

• “The film focused on the three English learners… studying at University”

1.Missing words:

• She turned to James and said, “Darling there is something… I need to tell you”

2.To indicate a

pause: