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Gilman School
Punctuation Rules
Use
a comma (,)
in a
compound sentence between
independent clauses joined by a
coordinate
conjunction such as and, but, for,
or, nor, so, or yet. Use a
semicolon (;)
when joining main clauses without using a coordinate
conjunction. (see
conjunctive adverbs)
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Examples:
I went to the door (,) but no one was there.
Her first idea was good (;) nevertheless, her
second was better.
I loved reading the book (;) even so, the movie
was not as good as I had hoped it would be.
He does not like vegetables (;) consequently, he
will not eat spinach.
 NOTE: Do not use a comma to set off compound
predicates joined by coordinate conjunctions unless the
sentence contains a series of three predicates or more.
Examples:
The hitter lined the ball into centerfield and sprinted
to first base.
The pitcher came to a set (,) looked the runner
back to first (,) and threw to the plate.
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Use commas after introductory (a) clauses,
(b) phrases, or (c) words that come before the main
clause.
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Examples:
When I get hungry for Mexican food (,) I head for
Taco Bell!
Because her Powerbook was broken (,) she needed
to rely upon the computers in the school lab.
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Use commas to set
off an
adverb clause that precedes its main clause.
Adverb clauses are begun by
subordinate conjunctions such as after,
although, as, because, if, since, when, and
while.
Example:
While I was eating (,) the cat scratched at the
door.
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NOTE: Do not use a comma when the adverb
clause comes after the main clause:
Example:
The cat scratched the door while I was eating.
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Use commas to set
off introductory phrases such as
participial phrases or
infinitive phrases, or a succession of
prepositional phrases. (For a discussion
of
gerund phrases go
here.)
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Examples:
Participial Phrase:
Having finished the test (,)
she left the room.
Infinitive Phrase:
To get a seat (,) you had
better come early.
Succession of Prepositional Phrases:
After the test but before lunch (,)
I went jogging.
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Here are some
common words that introduce sentences: yes,
however, well, no, why,
consequently,
nevertheless, and moreover.
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Example:
Well (,) perhaps he meant no harm.
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Use a pair of commas in the middle of a
sentence to set off participial phrases and
adjective clauses that are not
essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma
to indicate the beginning of the clause and another at
the end to indicate the end of the clause. (Adjective
clauses are introduced by
relative pronouns.)
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 Essential: (no comma)
A student who cheats on a test is only hurting himself.
The cheerleader wearing the big hat is attracting a lot
of attention.
 Non- Essential: (A pair of commas)
Apples (,) which are my favorite fruit (,)
are usually harvested in the fall.
Mr. Benson (,) grinning from ear to ear (,)
announced that the test would be the very next day.
Clues:
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Can you leave out the clause or
phrase and still have the sentence make sense?
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Does the non-essential clause or
phrase interrupt the flow of words in the original
sentence?
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Can you leave out the clause or
phrase and still have the sentence make sense?
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Can you move the non-essential
element around in the sentence?
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Does the clause begin with that?
That
clauses which follow a noun are almost always essential.
That clauses which follow a verb expressing mental
action are always essential. No comma is needed in these
cases.
Examples:
That after nouns:
The book that I borrowed from you is excellent.
Apples that are green are called Granny Smith apples.
That clauses which follow a verb expressing mental
action:
She believes that she will be able to get the job.
He dreams that he can fly.
I contend that it was wrong to mislead her.
They wish that warm weather would finally arrive.
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 Use commas to set off (a)
appositive phrases, (b) short parenthetical
expressions or?(c) vocatives that interrupt the
sentence.
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a) |
Appositives: |
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Examples:
John (,) the tallest member of the
family (,) was a good athlete. Herb's
painting (,) a huge, colorful mural
(,) was the most striking.
Squaw Valley (,) the site of the 1960
Winter Olympics (,) is a ski resort in
California.
NOTE: Don't use a comma for appositives
like 'my son John', 'William the Conqueror', or
'the steamship Titanic'.
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b) |
Parenthetical
Expressions: Set off short parenthetical
expressions such as however, well, no, why,
consequently, nevertheless, and moreover
which interrupt the flow of your sentence.
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Examples:
I am tired(;) however (,) I
plan to finish the paper. The dog is very happy
(;) moreover (,) he loves to chase
Frisbees.
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c) |
Vocatives:
Use commas to set off a vocative (nominative of
direct address).
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Examples:
It is up to you (,) Jane (,) to
finish.
Please (,) John (,) come home.
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 General
series and colon.
a) Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases,
or clauses written in a series.
b) Use a colon (:) after an independent clause to
introduce a list, an appositive, an amplification, or an
illustrative quotation. (Strunk and White 7)
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Examples:
She could not choose between pizza with anchovies
(,) mushrooms (,) or sausage.
The candidate made many promises (:) to lower
taxes (,) solve the energy shortage (,)
and end unemployment.
"Even so, there was a directness and dispatch about
animal burial (:) there was no stop over in the
undertaker's foul parlor, no wreath, no spray." (Strunk
and White 8)
The squalor of the streets reminded him of a line from
Oscar Wilde (:) "We are all in the gutter, but
some of us are looking at the stars." (Strunk and White
8)
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Use a comma to set off direct discourse in a
sentence, but not indirect discourse.
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Examples:
He said (,) "I cannot see you." (direct
discourse)
He said he could not see me. (indirect discourse)
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When an expression
like he said interrupts direct discourse,
it should be preceded by a comma and followed by
whatever punctuation mark would have been needed
if the he said were removed.
Example:
"John is a good boy," I said (;) "therefore, he has many privileges."
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However, if he
said is preceded by a question or
exclamation, it should be preceded by a question
mark or exclamation mark and followed by a
period.
Examples:
"Are you going to the races?" she asked.
"How you have grown!" he exclaimed.
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In a conversation, use a new
paragraph to denote a change in speaker.
Example:
"I am ready for action, sir!" cried out the
young tackle to his coach as the trainer worked
on his teammate's injured knee.
"All right, kid, go get them!" replied the
coach. The boy nodded, pulled on his helmet, and
ran out onto the rain-soaked field.
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Unemphatic
exclamations, like yes, no, oh, or
well, occur frequently in direct discourse;
they should be set off by commas.
Examples:
"Well, gentlemen, why don't we get to work?"
said Mr. Wigglesworth with a placid expression.
"Oh, please, anything but that!" cried out the
class.
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Quotation Marks (Darling et al)
Quotation Marks Exercise 1 (Purdue OWL) |
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Use commas to set off all geographical names,
items in dates (except the months and day), addresses
(except the street name and number), and titles in
names.
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Examples:
Birmingham, Alabama, gets its name from Birmingham,
England.
July 22, 1959, was a momentous day in his life.
Who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington,
D.C.?
Donald B. Lake, MD., will be the principal speaker.
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Italicize (in handwriting, underscore):
(a) words under discussion Example: (Black is an adjective, modifying cat.)
(b) letters of the alphabet spoken of as letters
Example: (There is only one t in commit.)
(c) foreign words or phrases Example: (He has savoir faire.)
 (d) names of newspapers, magazines, literary
compositions, musical compositions, pictures, movies,
plays, and ships. Example: (Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Night's Dream.)
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Caution:
Use words to represent numbers when no more than two
words are required.
Examples:
forty-four, five hundred |
Use figures for numerals when more than two words are
required.
Use figures in dates and street numbers.
Examples:
Go to 1164 Thirty-Fifth Street on September 22, 1999. |
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Works Cited
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Purdue On-line Writing Center for
the organization and phrasing of punctuation rules one
through four. ??
The Elements of Style, William Strunk Jr.
and E.B.White, (1979) MacMillan (NY,NY)
Warriner's English Grammar and Composition,
Complete Course, John E. Warriner and Francis
Griffith (1977) Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (NY,NY)
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