Basic rules
For: comma, semi-colon, colon, full stop, question mark, exclamation mark, ellipsis, brackets, hyphen, quotation mark, apostrophe, dash
comma (,)
The uses of the comma are:
- Separate a list of items
i.e.: Apples, pears, bananas and grapes are fruit - Indicates a word in apposition
i.e.: The organisation, XYZ Enterprises, sends all members of staff on training at least once a year - Used before or after a participle phrasing
i.e.: Being in possession of a lottery ticket, you may stand a chance to win - Indicate a slight pause
i.e.: We have hardly had a summer in Gauteng, it has been overcast and rainy most days - Separate an exclamation or an expression
i.e.: Oh dear, is that you meant? - Introduce direct speech
i.e.: The speaker said, "The comma is used to introduce direct speech." - Ellipsis
i.e.: Crisps may be eaten too frequently; popcorn, too seldom - Used to indicate parenthesis*
(whether it be related or non-related) i.e.: English Word Power, an interactive English language development software, helps to develop ones skills to effectively communicate in English. - Noun: a word used to name or identify any class of persons, places or things
semicolon (;)
The uses of the semicolon are:
- Separates one part of a sentence from another. The pause is longer than that of the comma
i.e.: The semi colon separates one part of a sentence from another; the pause is longer than that of the comma. - Replaces a connective
i.e.: The Institute of Secretaries strives to provide members with a unique service; ideas, knowledge and experience is shared. - Balances two opposite ideas
i.e.: He who eats vegetables should be healthy; he who is healthy should not get ill.
colon (:)
The uses of the colon are as follows:
- Used as a quotation
i.e.: He said: "We will close early on Friday." - Used to show a summary or a speech
i.e.: We will summarise as follows: we are all to take care of the way that we conduct ourselves to customers. - Lists a series of items or ideas etc.
i.e.: The tasks that I must complete by Thursday are: type up the minutes of the meeting held on Monday, finalise the farewell arrangements for Mrs. Joans, complete the PowerPoint presentation for Mr. Smith and update the filing. - To show a definition
i.e.: Definition: a statement of the meaning of a word. - Before a reference or a title
i.e.: You are read more about the various punctuation marks in the following book: The Professional secretary's handbook, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston/ New York - Balance two parts of a sentence
i.e.: Dark of night: light of day.
full stop (.)
The uses of the full stop are:
- ends a complete sentence
i.e.: The cat sat on the mat. - used after and initial or abbreviation
i.e.: Mr. J. Bradford has an Ph.D.
question mark (?)
The uses of the question mark are:
- Indicate a question.
i.e.: What's a question? - Express Doubt.
i.e.: Surely you know what a question is?
exclamation mark (!)
The uses of the exclamation mark are to show:
- An exclamation
i.e.: Ah! So much to do, so little time. - A command
i.e.: Stop complaining! - Strong Emotion
i.e.: Waiting in queues really irritates me! - Determination
i.e.: I think I can, I think I can! - Astonishment
i.e.: Wow! That's fantastic! - Irony
ie: There's no sarcasm in that!
ellipsis (…)
The uses of the ellipsis are to indicate:
- Interruptions
i.e.: As I was saying… - Thinking
i.e.: When I was a younger….The speaker was lost in thought.
(Please note: Here the fourth stop is s full stop and indicates the end of a sentence. The punctuation mark, ellipsis, is otherwise made up of three dots.)
brackets ( )
The use of the bracket is to indicate parenthesis
i.e.: The use of the bracket is to indicate parenthesis (additional information)
hyphen (-)
The uses of the hyphen are:
- Carries an incomplete word to the next line.
i.e.: The winners to the competitions will be announ-
ced at the end of April. - Clarifies pronunciation of words
i.e.: The Patent Co-operation Treaty was launched in South Africa in March last year. - Precise Meaning
i.e.: Twenty five-year-olds go to that Nursery School. - Part of a compound noun
i.e.: Do ten press-ups a day to improve your fitness. - Part of a compound adjective
i.e.: The pre-shrunk material is ready to be sewn. - Show stammering
i.e.: The m-m-monster g-g-gave me a f-f-f-fright. - Used in place of "to"
i.e.: A usual work-day is from 08:00-16:30 hours. - Helps to avoid ambiguity
i.e.: The office possesses a little-used storeroom.
(How would the meaning of the sentence change if the hyphen was removed?)
quotation marks
Also known as: inverted commas or speech marks
The use of quotation marks are to show:
- A quotation
i.e.: He said: "We will close early on Friday." - Announcement
i.e.: Notices stating "Silence" are often found in libraries - Titles
i.e.: This page of the web site is known as "Skills Development" - Direct Speech
i.e.: The speaker said, "The comma is used to introduce direct speech."
apostrophe
The use of the apostrophe is to show:
- Mark a missing letter/s in a contracted word
i.e.: Please don't worry if you can't remember all that you have learnt first time round. - Indicate possession
i.e.: The Personal Assistant's computer has the internet loaded on it.
dash ( - )
The use of the dash is to show:
- A dramatical pause and that something is to follow
i.e.: It then struck me – practice makes perfect. - To indicate parenthesis (in place of brackets)
i.e.: English Word Power - an interactive English language development software - helps to develop ones skills to effectively communicate in English. - Sets apart a reflection or a affliction
i.e.: It is dreadful to be on the roads in peak-hour traffic – very dreadful indeed. - To show hesitant speech
i.e.: I think I understand – I am not too sure
i.e.: D – I have taken the wrong off-ramp.