How to Properly Punctuate A Sentence

Punctuation

Proper punctuation is something that will make a difference in your writing. Like spelling and grammar, the use of punctuation will tell your reader whether or not you understand the rules of writing. My mother used to say, "Put a bunch of periods, commas, and question marks at the top of the page and let the reader pick and choose them to put in the paragraphs." Mom had a hard time with punctuation. Commas were her biggest problem, and from what I hear from my colleagues and students, commas are the hardest punctuation marks to figure out. I have simplified some rules for commas, semi-colons, and colons here. I hope they make using these very important punctuation marks easier to use.

Instructions

1. Sentences that start with an introductory element need a comma after the introductory phrase. Even if the phrase is short, put a comma after it. Before long, you'll be putting this comma in without having to think about it.

2. Any phrase which interrupts the flow of the sentence, whether it's big or small, should be set off with commas. A test is to remove the phrase and see if the sentence still makes sense. If it does, the commas are needed to set off the phrase. This sentence, like the first, has an phrase set off with commas. A phrase, often called a 'parenthetical phrase,' that appears at the end of the sentence should also be set off with a comma, as I'm showing here.

3. Items in a series should be separated with commas. Examples: Eggs, bacon, and hash browns. Wine, women, and song. Life, love, and laughter. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Some will argue that the comma before the 'and' is unnecessary - and they would be right. Certain style guides say do not use that comma, others say it is OK. Check with your teacher or editor to make sure you are using the right format.

4. Complete sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) need a comma before the coordinating conjunction. That might seem obvious, but this comma frequently gets left out. Putting it in makes a sentence more readable, and any reader appreciates that. Leave it out and you have a run-on sentence, which makes the piece harder to read.

5. Complete sentences joined without a coordinating conjunction need a semi-colon instead of a comma; the semi-colon shows the end of one sentence and the beginning of the next. Semi-colons are often followed by a connecting word or phrase; however, a connecting word or phrase is not necessary. Sentences joined with only a comma are called comma splices; they're among the most common errors that come up in writing. An even better way to do this if you are not sure whether to use a comma or a semi-colon is to write the sentences as two separate sentences with periods and capital letters.

6. Colons are used when the sentence is introducing or presenting a list. (The teacher requested the following items from the students: answer sheets, pencils, and test booklets.) Colons are also used to set off a part of the sentence that is being presented as an example. For example: This is an article that shows how to use colons, commas, and semi-colons.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many style guides available: Strunk & White, Associated Press (AP), Chicago, APA, MLA,etc. Be sure to check with your teacher or editor to see which guide is being used.

• Read your writing aloud before publishing it. Does it make sense? Is there punctuation at the natural pauses in the reading? Do you stumble over the reading?

• Proper Punctuation is important, don't overlook it!