Punctuation Flashcards
Dates Rule
Put a comma before and after then year when you have a SPECIFIC DAY included
Cities Rule
Put a comma before and after a state or country name if a CITY NAME comes right before it
Oxford Comma Rule
Do NOT use the Oxford comma unless the sentence is confusing without it
Use the comma when the list includes a compound subject that is one unit (macaroni and cheese)
Oxford Comma Definition
The comma that goes before the conjunction and the last item in a series
Conjunction Definition
Words that are used to join other words together
Dependent Clause Definition
Have a subject and a verb
Does not express a complete thought
Can’t stand alone
Dependent Clause Rule
Put a comma after a dependent clause when it comes at the START of a sentence
Independent Clause Definition
Have a subject and a verb
Can express a complete thought
Can stand alone
Independent Clause Rule
Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses
FANBOYS
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Coordinating Conjunction Definition
Join grammatically similar elements together (two independent clauses, two adjectives, two verbs, etc.)
Options for Two Independent Clauses
Write two sentences with periods
Use a semicolon
Use comma rule
Quotation Marks Tips
Use quotation marks when you write down the exact spoken words that your source says
Use quotation marks for titles, such as book titles, album titles, movie titles, etc.
Always Inside Quotation Marks
Periods
Commas
Always Outside Quotation Marks
Semicolon
Colon
Depends If Inside or Outside Quotation Marks
Question mark
Exclamation mark
How to Decide if a Question Mark is Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks
Look at the part that is in the quotation marks
Only put the question mark on the inside if the words on the inside form a question or have a title that includes a question
How to Decide if an Exclamation Mark is Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks
Look at the part inside the quotation marks. Only put the exclamation mark on the inside if the words on the inside relate to it. Put the exclamation on the outside when it applies to the entire sentence
How to Use a Colon
Use a colon at the end of a complete sentence (a subject and a verb makes it a complete sentence) (AKA independent clauses)
Can introduce a list
Can be used to introduce a direct quote
How to Know When to Use a Colon
The information that comes after a colon explains what comes before it
Does it make sense to insert the words “that is,” “for example” or “in fact” between the two clauses?
Words that a Colon NEVER Comes After
Including
Such as
That is
For example
Words a Colon CAN Come After
The following
As follows
What NOT to Do With a Colon
Can’t separate a noun and a verb
How to Use a Semicolon
Can join two closely related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction
Can be used to separate items in a confusing list
Use before a conjunctive adverb that joins two independent clauses
