Academic Writing

Punctuation
 Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson, year 4 students taking the Academic Writing
Course will be able to:

1. Define punctuation
2. Identify the 14 punctuations used in English language
3. Discuss punctuation rules for 6 common punctuations
4. Identify and correct punctuation errors in given sentences
5. Use the 6 common punctuation marks learnt correctly
 What is Punctuation?

● A set of symbols used to separate and clarify the meaning of sentences and
written elements
● They tell readers where to pause, what words are quotations and which are
clarifications, where words have been omitted and more
Period/full stop “.”
● Conveys a definitive pause
● Two basic grammatical functions: ending a sentence and indicating omissions
● Expresses the end of a sentence (declarative & imperative)
For example: The sky looks blue.
Put the book on my desk.
● Sometimes expresses abbreviations/ indicates omissions - shortened words
or removed information
For example: e.g., etc. et al., i.e.
H.G. Wells - initials (first letter of a word or name present)
When to use periods (Rules)
1. Sentences
2. Indirect questions: e.g. D asked what time it was.
3. Abbreviations and initials - use varies - e.g. abbreviation for doctor Dr. (Ame.
Eng.) & Dr (Brit. Eng.)
a. Formal titles - Mr./Mrs., Rep., Lt. etc.
b. Academic degrees - B.A., [Link]., Ph.D. etc.
c. Initials - J.K. Rowling
d. Specific time period abbreviations - Months (Jan., Feb.), days (Mon., Fri.)
e. Non-metric units of measurement - lbs., in. etc.
f. Latin abbreviations - e.g., i.e., etc.
When not to use period/full stop (rules contd.)
● If a sentence ends with an abbreviation - They spent the day doing laundry,
ironing, cleaning, etc.
● If a person uses two or more initials to abbreviate their entire name - JFK,
MLK
● Metric units of measurement - cm, kg, etc.
● After question and exclamation marks
Period/full stop in combination with other punctuation marks
Periods/full stop and quotation marks

● Period goes inside the quotation marks at the end of the sentence - Our
teacher loves to remind us of the old saying “time waits for no man.”

Period/full stop and parenthesis

● Complete, independent sentence inside a parenthesis, full stop goes inside

the parenthesis - Kontha ate all the chips that fell out of the bag. (Eye was
not fast enough to stop him.) At least we will not have to sweep the floor.
● Parenthetical material is nested inside another sentence, full stop is placed
outside of the parenthesis - Kenny smiled when he caught the aroma of the
fried bacon (his favourite).
 Comma “,”
● Conveys a soft pause
● Separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence

Comma Rules
➔ Comma with subjects and verbs
Comma should not separate a subject from its verb
My friend Jeremy, is a good man. X
My friend Jeremy is a good man. C
Navigating through snow, sleet, wind, and darkness, is a miserable way to travel. X
Navigating through snow, sleet, wind, and darkness is a miserable way to travel. C
➔ Comma between two nouns in a compound subject or object
Don't separate two nouns that appear together as a compound subject or
compound object
Patrick, and his band will be performing at Central Sriracha next Saturday. X
Patrick and his band will be performing at Central Sriracha next Saturday. C
➔ Comma between two verbs in a compound predicate
Don't separate a compound predicate that contains two verbs with a comma
Kong will sing, and play the guitar. X
Kong will sing and play the guitar. C
➔ Comma splices
Don't use comma to join two independent clauses. Use a conjunction or a
semicolon
 We ran out of drinks, I went to the store. X
We ran out of drinks, so I went to the store. C
We ran out of drinks; I went to the store. C
➔ Comma after introductory phrase
Use a comma after a phrase that introduce a sentence
Grabbing her coat, Kate dashed out of the house.
An adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence is often followed by a comma, especially when it is not
short.
After the show, Bim will be signing autographs.
Behind the building there is enough parking space.
Without knowing why, I crossed the room and looked out the window.
Suddenly, a ferocious dog sprang from the shadows
If there is a chance of misreading sentence, use the comma:
Before eating the family said grace. X
Before eating, the family said grace. C
➔ Comma within a comparison

Don't use a comma before than when making comparison

This box is lighter, than that box. X

This box is lighter than that box.

➔ Comma with an interrupters or a parenthetical element

Set off interpreters or parenthetical element with commas

The weather I was happy to see was beginning to clear off. X

The weather, I was happy to see, was beginning to clear off. C

Mary unlike Anne is very organised. X

Mary, unlike Anne, is very organised. C

➔ Comma with a question tag

Put a comma before a question tag

Year four students are a bunch of beauty and brains, aren't they?

I know, right?

➔ Comma with direct address

Set off the name of the person you are addressing with a comma

Mom, I can't find my socks!

Nui, you've got a call.

Hello, Cartoon.

➔ Comma with appositives

Nonessential appositives - set off with a comma

 My student, Fern, is a clever girl.
Essential appositives, don't set off with a comma
Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven is a classic.
➔ Commas in dates
Month-day-year format, set off year with a comma
Pao was born on Saturday, August 25, 2001.
Day-month-year format, commas unnecessary
Pao was born on 25 August 2001.
Referencing a day of the week and date, use a comma
Please join us on Saturday, December 3, 2022, for the marriage of Rachael and
James.
Referencing only month and year, commas unnecessary
Bangphra experienced record rainfall in August 2020.
➔ Commas between coordinate adjectives

Separate coordinating adjectives with commas

The man is a pompous, self-righteous, annoy idiot.

The man is a self-righteous, annoy, pompous idiot.

If not coordinate adjectives, do not separate

The adorable, little boy was eating ice cream. X

The adorable little boy was eating ice cream. C

➔ Comma before but

But joining two independent clauses, use a comma before the but

Cleo is a singer but she is even a better dancer. X

Cleo is a singer, but she is even a better dancer. C

If but is not joining two independent clauses, do not put a comma
My teacher is tough, but fair. X
My teacher is tough but fair. C
➔ Comma before and
For list containing only two items, do not use comma before and
My dog is cute, and smart. X
My dog is cute and smart. C
➔ Commas in list
For list containing more than two elements, use commas
Joshua loves sundae comics and dogs. X
Joshua loves sundae, comics, and dogs. C
Joshua loves sundae, comics and dogs. C
➔ Comma separating a verb and its object
Don't separate a transitive verb from its direct object by a comma
I am glad I trained, Charlie not to beg for scraps. X
I am glad I trained Charlie not to beg for scraps. C
➔ Comma with nonrestrictive clause
Set off nonrestrictive clause by a comma
My students, whom I cherish dearly, humble and intelligent.
➔ Comma with restrictive clause
Don't set off restrictive clause by a comma
The cafe, that Jack recommended is a fantastic restaurant. X
The cafe that Jack recommended is a fantastic restaurant. C
➔ Commas between correlative conjunctions

Don't use comma(s) with correlative conjunctions

Either the blue shirt, or the red shirt will look good with your jeans. X

Either the blue shirt or the red shirt will look good with your jeans. C

➔ Comma between direct quote and attributive tag

Use commas to separate attributive tags from quotes

“When you leave the house,” my mother yelled, “don’t slam the door!”

For quotations that end with a question mark or exclamation mark, don't set a
comma before the attributive tag that follows

“Where did that spider come from?”, I asked. X

“Where did that spider come from?” I asked. C

➔ Comma inside quotation marks

Commas always goes before quotation marks (Ame. Eng.)

“Pass me that thesaurus,” said Matthew.

➔ Comma before parenthesis

Place comma after the closing parenthesis but not before the opening one

After opening the new cookie tin, (and eating several of the cookies), Chester
had a hard time replacing the lid. X

After opening the new cookie tin (and eating several of the cookies), Chester
had a hard time replacing the lid. C

➔ Comma between an article and a noun

Don't use comma between an article and a noun

 A, bouquet of flowers may be created using more than one type of flower. X
A bouquet of flowers may be created using more than one type of flower. C
➔ Comma with as well as
Don't use commas except when part of a nonrestrictive clause
Please proofread for grammatical mistakes as well as spelling. C
Spelling mistakes, as well as grammatical errors, are distracting to readers. C
➔ Comma with such as
If it introduces a nonrestrictive clause, use commas
Coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce, do not drop their needles in the winter.
If it introduces a restrictive clause, omit the commas
Trees such as pine and spruce do not drop their needles in the winter.
 Colons “:”
● Introduces an elements or series of elements that illustrates the information before
the colon
E.g. There are three types of muscle in the body: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.
● They can also introduce a quotation
E.g. He ended with the immortal words of Neil Young: “Rock and Roll can never
die.”
● They can also separate two independent clauses
E.g. A bat is not bird: it is a warm-blooded mammal.
Misuse of colons

● Colons should not separate

❖ Noun from its verb
❖ Verb from its object and subject
❖ Preposition from its object
❖ Subject from its predicate

The three types of muscle in the body are: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal. X

When I graduate, I want to go to: Rome, Israel, and Egypt. X

 Semicolon “;”

● Commonly used to join two independent clauses without the use of conjunctions like
and

Rules for using semicolons

➔ Connect two closely related independent clauses with a semicolon

Bow has gone to the library; her sister has gone to play soccer.

➔ Delete the conjunction when you place a semicolon between two independent
clauses

I saw a magnificent albatross, and it was eating a mouse.

I saw a magnificent albatross; it was eating a mouse.

➔ Use semicolons in serial lists

I need the weather statistics for the following cities: London, England; London,
Ontario; Paris, France; Paris, Ontario; Lagos, Nigeria; Lagos, Portugal; Perth,
Scotland; Perth, Ontario.

➔ Use semicolon with conjunctive adverbs if they join two independent clauses

The students had been advised against walking alone at night; however, Cathy
decided walking wasn’t dangerous if it was early in the evening.

I’m not all that fond of the colors of tiger lilies; moreover, they don’t smell very
good.
 Hyphen “-”
● Used to join words or parts of words
Hyphen Usages
➔ Compound modifiers (multiple-word adjectives before nouns)
Fern baked a rock-hard cake that was impossible to eat.
D and Eye are looking for a dog-friendly hotel to spend their honeymoon.
➔ Hyphens with participles

Hyphen with a noun, adjective or adverb and a present participle

There are some beautiful-looking flowers in the garden.

 *Don't use hyphen when combining an adverb and a participle
The room was like a heavily-decorated chocolate box.
The room was like a heavily decorated chocolate box.
➔ Hyphen in a compound expression with a noun and past participle
Use hyphens when the compound goes before the noun it modifies
The municipal government is funding a community-based education system.
*Don't use hyphen when the noun comes first
The singer performing tonight is well known.
➔ Hyphenated compound words
Mother-in-law
Master-at-arms
Editor-in-chief
Ten-year-old
➔ Hyphens and numbers

Hyphenate numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine

I’ve got a hundred twenty-two of these gizmos to sell.

➔ Hyphen in compound adjectives with numbers

Use hyphens to connect compound adjectives if the first part is a number

He is knowledgeable in thirteenth-century politics.

➔ Hyphen in compound adjectives with fractions

A quarter-million baht is still a large amount of money.

➔ Hyphen with prefixes: ex-, self-, all-

Don’t sit Adam next to Martha! She’s his ex-wife!

It’s a bad leader who thinks of himself as all-powerful.

➔ Hyphen with high or low

When using high or low as part of a compound adjective, use a hyphen when the
compound comes before the noun

Low-flying airplanes contribute to the noise pollution in the area.

This car runs best on high-octane gasoline.

 Ellipsis “. . .”
● Represents a pause or something intentionally left out
● Shows that words have been cut from a direct quote
● Placed between brackets [. . .] when used in formal writing and journalism
Usages of ellipses
➔ Omitted words
Original quote
It must be obvious, from the very start, that there is a contradiction in wanting to
be perfectly secure in a universe whose very nature is momentariness and fluidity.
Quote with an ellipsis
It must be obvious [. . .] that there is a contradiction in wanting to be perfectly secure
in a universe whose very nature is momentariness and fluidity.
➔ Pause for dramatic effect or suspense

With sweaty palms, I reached out for the knob and threw the door open to
reveal . . . a lost puppy.

➔ Trailing off into silence

Would you like sugar for your coffee, or . . .

➔ To suggest there is more

to be continued . . .