E1.9(Dv): Punctuation

Punctuation

Commas ( , )

​Functions

• Appositives "Mr. Raz, an English teacher at NCG, is really short."

• Separates clauses

• Separates items in a list

• Introductory words, phrases, or clauses

Multiple Choice

What function is the comma providing in the following sentence?

"I like to hike, and my brother likes to swim."

• Separating items in a list

• Separating clauses

• Appositive

• Introductory clause, word, or phrase

Multiple Choice

What function are the commas providing in the following sentence?

"I bought apples, oranges, and bananas."

• Separating items in a list

• Separating clauses

• Appositive

• Introductory clause, word, or phrase

Multiple Choice

What function is the comma providing in the following sentence?

"The coaches reviewed the game strategy. Meanwhile, the athletes trained on the Nautilus equipment."

• Separating items in a list

• Separating clauses

• Appositive

• Introductory clause, word, or phrase

Open Ended

Write an appositive phrase.

Using a semicolon to connect two independent clauses creates what's called a compound sentence.

If you don't want to use a semicolon, you could also use a comma and the words and, but, or, or so to connect your original two sentences.

If you use "however" or moreover" to connect your ideas, you need to use a semicolon in front of it and a comma after it.

• Joins independent clauses

• Separates items in a list with commas

Functions

Semicolons ( ; )

Fill in the Blanks

Using a semicolon to connect two independent clauses creates what's called a

sentence.

Multiple Choice

(TRUE or FALSE)

The following sentence uses appropriate punctuation.

We could go fishing on Saturday; you could borrow a pole from my neighbor.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Fill in the Blanks

Where should the semicolon go in the following sentence? Rewrite the sentence.

"He slept through his alarm luckily his first class was cancelled."

Multiple Choice

(TRUE or FALSE)

The following sentence uses appropriate punctuation.

"The course is hard; however, the teacher is pretty funny."

• TRUE

• FALSE

Do not use a colon in a complete sentence after phrases such as "such as," "including," and "for example."

Phrases like these already indicate to the reader that a list of examples will follow, there is no need to introduce them with a colon, which would merely be redundant.

• Introduces lists or explanations

• Introduces quotations or examples

Functions

Colons ( : )

Multiple Choice

(TRUE or FALSE)

The following sentence needs a colon.

"She had all the skills of a great litigator, such as: writing ability, perseverance, persuasiveness, and obsessive attention to detail."

• TRUE

• FALSE

Although dashes can be used in different parts of a text body, there are some common mistakes you should avoid.

For example:

x You should not use a dash with a comma.

x A common grammatical error is a failure to correctly space words before or after dashes.

• To set off material for emphasis

• To introduce a brief list within a sentence

• To define a word

• To mark a change in tone

Functions

Dashes ( - )

Multiple Choice

What function is the dash serving in the sentence?

"She proceeded to open the door – and gasped in shock when she saw the man in the rain."

• Setting off material for emphasis

• Introducing a brief list within a sentence

• Defining a word

• Marking a change in tone

Multiple Choice

What function is the dash serving in the sentence?

"The young soldier checked his supplies—flashlight, food, and ammunition—to the shelter where he stood guard every night."

• Setting off material for emphasis

• Introducing a brief list within a sentence

• Defining a word

• Marking a change in tone

Multiple Choice

What function is the dash serving in the sentence?

"Leverage — use borrowed capital for (an investment), expecting the profits made to be greater than the interest payable."

• Setting off material for emphasis

• Introducing a brief list within a sentence

• Defining a word

• Marking a change in tone

Multiple Choice

What function is the dash serving in the sentence?

"The original database had become inaccessible – years of problems had wiped out half the memory."

• Setting off material for emphasis

• Introducing a brief list within a sentence

• Defining a word

• Marking a change in tone

Open Ended

Write an original sentence using one of the four forms of punctuation covered in this mini-lesson.