Punctuation

Question 1

What is the function of a comma?

Answer 1

They create pause, force us to take a breath

Question 2

What can we use commas for?

Answer 2

1. separate words/phrases in a list
2. Indicate where one clause ends and the other begins.
3. Additional information can be separated from the rest of the sentence between to commas.
4. commas are place before and after words like however and nevertheless.
5. Introductory words/phrases are separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma.

Question 3

What should one avoid when using commas?

Answer 3

Do not use a comma between 2 main clauses as this is called a splice comma. Rather use a full stop or a semi-colon.

Question 4

What is the function of a semi-colon?

Answer 4

1. it creates a long pause that balances two equally important related, or parallel ideas.
   - she went by train; she would rather have flown.
2. It also indicates opposite ideas ( antithesis )
   - In summer she swims; in winter she skates.
3. It joins two main clauses when there is no conjunction.
   - she worked hard for the examinations; she had nothing to fear.

Question 5

What can be used instead of a semi-colon?

Answer 5

A full stop or conjunctions like and, but, so, for and although

Question 6

What is the function of a colon?

Answer 6

1. It indicates that a list, an explanation or an idea is following.
   - i need to buy the following: lettuce, chips, sweets
2. it introduces a quotation
   - Roger Babson said: “if things go wrong don’t go with them”
3. In dialog (script writing) a colon follows a speaker.
   - Mia: “what is on your shoe?”

Question 7

What are quotation marks used for? ( double quotation marks “….”)

Answer 7

1. used to indicate direct speech (“…..”)

2. quote/ repeat someone else’s words ( “…”)

Question 8

What are quotation marks used for? ( single quotation marks ‘….’)

Answer 8

1. traditionally used to indicate titles of books and films, however in modern times these are usually underlined.
2. used to excuse oneself of using slang
   - our new station wagon is used for ‘schlepping’ the soccer team.
3. indicate metaphoric usage
   - i am the ‘baby’ of the family

Question 9

What is the function of parenthesis ( brackets)

Answer 9

1. is usually an explanation or additional information.

2. one can use commas or dashes instead

Question 10

What is a hyphen used for?

Answer 10

1. it links prefixes to words, or two words to form a compound word.
2. it helps differentiate meaning.
   - she had to re-make the cake
   - the remake of the show was wonderful
3. helps with pronunciation, a hyphen is insterted if a prefix ends in a vowel and the same vowel is at the beginning of the joined word.
   - co-opt
   - re-examine
4. Words that cannot be completed on one line are linked with to the next line with a hyphen.

Question 11

What is a dash used for?

Answer 11

1. it is similar to a comma, semi-colon or colon. It separates parts of a sentence and forces us to pause.
2. It can be used in the same way as a comma and brackets, to add additional information.
3. it sperates a comment or afterthought from the rest of the sentence.
4. creates a dramatic pause leading to a climax or anti-climax.

Question 12

What is the difference in appearence between a hyphen and a dash?

Answer 12

A dash is slightly longer than a hyphen.

Question 13

What is the function of ellipsis?

Answer 13

1. the 3 dots indicate that the sentence is incomplete or that something has been omitted.
2. we can usually guess what follows from the context of the sentence.

Question 14

What are italics used for?

Answer 14

1. used to highlight words or phrases such as titles and foreign words.
2. inserting italics have become very popular due to new technologies.