The rules of punctuation For more English tutorials, please visit: https://www.thelecturette.com

1. Contents
Why Punctuate
Full Stop (a.k.a. Period)
Question Mark
Exclamation Mark
Capital Letters
Comma
Semi-Colon
Colon
Apostrophe
Dash
Hyphen
Quotation Mark

2. Why Punctuate?
To be understood

3. Read the following passage, without
punctuation.
i would like to apply for a job with your company
for two years i have been employed as a sales
clerk for the jones store i sold nothing that i did
not take pride in i am sure it will be the same if I
work for you

4. Now, look at how much easier it is to read
with punctuation:
I would like to apply for a job with your
company. For two years I have been employed
as a sales clerk for the Jones store. I sold
nothing that I did not take pride in. I am sure it
will be the same if I work for you.

5. Now, look at what happens when we
change the position of the punctuation
marks. It actually changes the meaning of
the passage.
I would like to apply for a job with your company
for two years. I have been employed. As a sales
clerk for the Jones store I sold nothing. That, I
did not take pride in. I am sure it will be the
same if I work for you.

6. Full Stop (.)
Why do we use a full stop?
To end a sentence when it’s a statement
Example: The dog sat outside the door. His
master had not fed him for a week.
To indicate an abbreviation
Example: N.S.W, e.g., Prof.
Note: There’s a trend to phase out full stops with abbreviations.

7. Activity
Put full stops in the correct places in these
groups of sentences. (You'll need to add
capitals where there are new sentences.)
It had been raining for weeks the river was rising very
quickly and the farmers were afraid the dam would burst
we decided we would have to leave our farm
You should not drive if you have been drinking it has
been proven that accidents are more likely when drivers
have been drinking

8. Activity
Key
It had been raining for weeks. The river was
rising very quickly and the farmers were afraid
the dam would burst. We decided we would
have to leave our farm.
You should not drive when you have been
drinking. It has been proven that accidents are
more likely when people have been drinking.

9. Question Mark (?)
Why do we use a question mark?
To end a sentence when it asks a
question
Examples:
Why is it so cold?
Where is your warm coat?

10. Activity
Put question marks and full stops in the correct
places in these groups of sentences. (There are
two sentences in each example)
I am going to wash the dishes will you peel the
potatoes for me
He is going by car are you going by bus
How are you I hope you are well

11. Activity
Key
I am going to wash the dishes. Will you peel the
potatoes for me?
He is going by car. Are you going by bus?
How are you? I hope you are well.

12. Exclamation Mark(!)
Why do we use an exclamation mark?
This mark shows strength of emotion. It is often
used in direct speech and informal notes,
messages and letters. It is less common in
formal writing.
Examples:
Hi! Sorry I haven't written for so long!!!
Great work! Congratulations!
"Leave me alone!" she screamed

13. Activity
Put exclamation marks in the correct
places in the following sentences.
What wonderful news
Come here this instant
Help

14. Activity
Key
What wonderful news!
Come here this instant!
Help!

15. Capital Letters
Capital letters are used:
At the start of a new sentence. Example: The cat
sat on the mat. His owner sat nearby.
For the letter "i" when you are referring to
yourself. Example: He can run faster than I can.
For people's names. Examples: Jim Smith, Bill
Jones

16. Capital Letters (2)
Capital letters are also used:
For titles. Examples: Dr Jones, Mr Brown
For book/film/company titles (main words only).
Examples: The Catcher in the Rye, The Wizard
of Oz, Briggs and Sons
In direct speech, for the first spoken word.
Example: She said, "My name is Mary."

17. Capital Letters (3)
Capital letters are also used:
For acronyms.
Examples: TAFE, CIA
For titles of days, months.
Examples: Monday, July

18. Activity
Put capital letters in the correct places in the
following sentences:
mr brown needed to see the doctor urgently.
mary said, " may i come,too?" i will go to see
joe on the first monday in may. she lives in
sydney, nsw. karl and i went to the movies on
wednesday night. we saw "one flew over the
cuckoo's nest", starring jack nicholson.

19. Key
Activity
Mr Brown needed to see the doctor urgently
Mary said, "May I come, too?”
I will go to see Joe on the first Monday in May.
She lives in Sydney, NSW.
Karl and I went to the movies on Wednesday
night. We saw "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's
Nest" starring Jack Nicholson.

20. Commas (,)
Why do we use a comma?
This marks a natural pause during a sentence. It
is only a short pause, and should not be
confused with the longer full stop pause.
Sometimes commas are essential to make the
meaning of a sentence clear to the reader.
Note: Don't use too many commas, as they can make
your writing jerky and disjointed. If in doubt,
leave out!

21. Commas (2)
When do we use a commas?
In a list. Example: We bought apples, bananas,
pears and grapes. (Note: no comma before
"and" in a list of single items)
To separate adjectives (describing words)
unless the words "go together". Examples: She
had long, thick, wavy hair. (But: She had very
dark brown hair.)

22. Commas (3)
When do we also use a commas?
To prevent the reader from connecting words
that do not properly belong together.
Example: While I cooked the baby played
nearby. (While I cooked, the baby played
nearby.)
To separate an introductory expression of
time from the rest of the sentence.
Example: Three months later, it was all forgotten.

23. Commas (4)
When do we also use a commas?
To separate parts of a long sentence which
contains "but" or "and".
Example: The manager has given the
instruction,
and the staff must obey it.
To enclose anything which interrupts the flow of
the sentence.
Example: I hope, of course, that they'll come.

24. Commas (5)
When do we also use a commas?
To enclose the name of a person or their
position/job, if both are mentioned.
Example: The coach, Bob Jones, was given an
award.
To separate direct speech from the rest of the
Sentence.
Example: "Go away," she said.

25. Activity 1
Insert commas where necessary.
The house was cold damp small and
inconvenient.
When he fired the bullet hit the target
accurately.
Bill said "The train is late.”
Andre the world famous clown is a Frenchman.
Before we left we checked to make sure we'd
turned off the computer.

26. Activity 1 (2)
Insert commas where necessary.
I insist on eating Grandfather before we leave
the house.
Wilma Fred's wife lived near the river.
Jim will arrive sometime tonight but I don't
know exactly when it will be.

27. Activity 1
Key
The house was cold, damp, small and
inconvenient.
When he fired, the bullet hit the target
accurately.
Bill said, "The train is late.”
Andre, the world famous clown, is a
Frenchman.

28. Activity 1
Key (2)
Before we left, we checked to make sure we'd
turned off the computer.
I insist on eating, Grandfather, before we leave
the house.
Wilma, Fred's wife, lived near the river.
Jim will arrive sometime tonight, but I don't
know exactly when it will be.

29. Activity 2
Some of the examples below need to be two
sentences, instead of one sentence with a
comma. Change the commas to full stops
where necessary.
The rain began to come down heavily, we were
soon wet through.
We ran down the road, and soon found shelter
in a doorway.

30. Activity 2 (2)
We waited for about an hour, but the rain would
not stop.
At three o'clock my friend drove by, he offered
us a lift home.
When we arrived home our house was flooded,
we stayed with friends for the night.

31. Activity 2 (1)
Key
The rain began to come down heavily.
We were soon wet through.
We ran down the road, and soon found shelter
in a doorway.
We waited for about an hour, but the rain would
not stop.
At three o'clock my friend drove by. He offered
us a lift home.

32. Activity 2 (2)
Key
When we arrived home our house was flooded.
We stayed with friends for the night.
Note: The examples in yellow each contain two statements with no
joining word such as and, so, but or as. Because of this, they need
to be made into two sentences.

33. Colon (:)
The colon can be used to:
Introduce a list of things
example: Yesterday I had an enormous meal:
onion soup, a dozen oysters, a pile of potatoes
and apple pie and ice cream.
Introduce something which is written in quotation
marks example: Remember the old proverb:
"More haste, less speed."

34. Colon (:)
The colon can also be used to:
Make two statements in the same sentence say
something of equal value (one may be an
explanation of the other).
example: Mary is a regular world traveller: every
year she visits many countries.

35. Activity
Correctly insert colons into the following
sentences.
These meals will be dropped from this week's
menu hamburgers, soup, tacos and vegetable
pies.
In his article, Bill Jones feels we should be
firmer with our children "Let them know who's
boss! Don't be weak!”
Jane plays these instruments the trombone, the
piano, the clarinet and the guitar.

36. Activity (2)
Jane is a talented musician she has the ability
to play any instrument you can name.
I always listen to my mum's motto "An apple a
day keeps the doctor away.”
There are various reasons for the types of
vegetation in this area the soil type, the climate
and the closeness to the ocean.

37. Activity
Key
These meals will be dropped from this
week's menu: hamburgers, chicken soup,
tacos and vegetable pies.
In his article, Bill Jones feels we should be
firmer with our children: "Let them know
who's boss! Don't be weak!"

38. Activity (2)
Key
Jane plays these instruments: the trombone,
the piano, the clarinet and the guitar.
Jane is a talented musician: she has the
ability to play any instrument you can name.

39. Activity (3)
Key
I always listen to my mum's motto: "An apple a
day keeps the doctor away.”
There are various reasons for the types of
vegetation in this area: the soil type, the climate
and the closeness to the ocean.

40. Semi-Colon (;)
Why do we use a semi-colon?
A semi-colon can be used instead of a full stop
when the two parts of the sentence are too
closely related in meaning to be put into
separate sentences.
Examples: We did not go into the theatre before
our friends arrived; instead, we waited outside.
I don't know who my grandfather was; I am more
concerned to find out who his grandson will be.

41. Semi-Colon (;)
Why do we use a semi-colon?
Semi-colons can also be used between items on
a list, when the items consist of a number of
words, or when the use of commas alone would
be confusing.
Example: The committee consisted of Carol
Jones, the staff representative; Bill Johnson, the
boss; Terry Smith, the local doctor; Murray Todd,
the fisherman; and Mary Renshaw, the cook.

42. Activity
Put semi-colons in the correct places in the
following sentences.
He and his dog spent all their time together he
had no other friends.
She arranged to meet Tom inside the football
ground she wanted to avoid paying his entry
fee.
I left the movie early I was not feeling well.
The rain fell all day the carnival had to be called
off.

43. Activity
Key
He and his dog spent all their time together; he
had no other friends.
She arranged to meet Tom inside the football
ground; she wanted to avoid paying his entry
I left the movie early; I was not feeling well.
The rain fell all day; the carnival had to be
called off.

44. Apostrophy (‘’)
The apostrophy can be used to:
Show that letters have been left out. These are
called contractions.
example: can't for cannot, didn't for did not, it's
for it is or it has

45. Apostrophy (‘) 2
The apostrophe is also used to show possession
(or ownership) in the following ways:
If the thing/person that owns something is
singular, add 's Examples: The girl's books (the
books belonging to the girl)
If the thing/person that owns something is plural
and already ends with an "s", simply add an
apostrophe. Examples: The girls' books
(thebooks belonging to the girls)

46. Apostrophy (‘) 3
The apostrophy can also be used:
If the thing/person that owns something is
plural but does not end in an "s", add 's.
Examples: The women's club (the club
belonging to the women)

47. Activity
Where does the apostrophe of possession
belong in the following sentences?
The dogs dinner (the dinner belonging to one
dog)
The dogs dinner (the dinner belonging to more
than one dog)
The cats whiskers (the whiskers belonging to
one cat)
The cats whiskers (the whiskers belonging to
more than one cat)

48. Activity
Key
The dog’s dinner
The dogs’ dinner
The cat’s whiskers
The cats’ whiskers

49. Dash (--)
Used to strongly emphasize a point or set off an
explanatory comment. Don’t overuse it.
To some of you, my proposals may seem radical
-- even revolutionary.

50. Hyphen (-)
Use a hyphen to join two or more words serving
as a single adjective before a noun:
Example: a one-way street
chocolate-covered peanuts
Use a hyphen with numbers. Example: forty-six,
sixty-three, a fifteen-year-old boy
Use a hyphen with certain prefixes. Example: ex
husband, self-assured, mid-September, all
inclusive.

51. Quotation mark (‘’)
To enclose direct quotations and dialogue.
Example: “You must arrive on time,” the
professor said.
To denote titles and nicknames.
Example: Her favourite book is “Brick Lane”.
Note:Punctuation goes inside the
quotation marks if it is part of the quote.
Example: “Give me my dignity!” the prisoner pleaded.
But: Have you seen “Pulp Fiction”?