Punctuation

Question 1

Dates Rule

Answer 1

Put a comma before and after then year when you have a SPECIFIC DAY included

Question 2

Cities Rule

Answer 2

Put a comma before and after a state or country name if a CITY NAME comes right before it

Question 3

Oxford Comma Rule

Answer 3

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)

Question 4

Oxford Comma Definition

Answer 4

The comma that goes before the conjunction and the last item in a series

Question 5

Conjunction Definition

Answer 5

Words that are used to join other words together

Question 6

Dependent Clause Definition

Answer 6

Have a subject and a verb
Does not express a complete thought
Can’t stand alone

Question 7

Dependent Clause Rule

Answer 7

Put a comma after a dependent clause when it comes at the START of a sentence

Question 8

Independent Clause Definition

Answer 8

Have a subject and a verb
Can express a complete thought
Can stand alone

Question 9

Independent Clause Rule

Answer 9

Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses

Question 10

FANBOYS

Answer 10

For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

Question 11

Coordinating Conjunction Definition

Answer 11

Join grammatically similar elements together (two independent clauses, two adjectives, two verbs, etc.)

Question 12

Options for Two Independent Clauses

Answer 12

Write two sentences with periods
Use a semicolon
Use comma rule

Question 13

Quotation Marks Tips

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Always Inside Quotation Marks

Answer 14

Periods
Commas

Question 15

Always Outside Quotation Marks

Answer 15

Semicolon
Colon

Question 16

Depends If Inside or Outside Quotation Marks

Answer 16

Question mark
Exclamation mark

Question 17

How to Decide if a Question Mark is Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks

Answer 17

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

Question 18

How to Decide if an Exclamation Mark is Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks

Answer 18

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

Question 19

How to Use a Colon

Answer 19

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

Question 20

How to Know When to Use a Colon

Answer 20

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?

Question 21

Words that a Colon NEVER Comes After

Answer 21

Including
Such as
That is
For example

Question 22

Words a Colon CAN Come After

Answer 22

The following
As follows

Question 23

What NOT to Do With a Colon

Answer 23

Can’t separate a noun and a verb

Question 24

How to Use a Semicolon

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Semicolon Capitalization

Answer 25

Don’t capitalize the first word after a semicolon unless its a proper noun

Question 26

Conjunctive adverbs

Answer 26

However
Moreover
Nevertheless
Otherwise
Therefore
Finally
Likewise
Thus
(and more)

Question 27

Semicolons and Conjunctive Adverbs

Answer 27

A semicolon comes before the conjunctive adverb, and a comma comes after the conjunctive adverb

Question 28

How to Use a Dash

Answer 28

You can use a dash to separate clauses or just one word
You need a dash before and after the words being emphasizes
Adds a slight pause for emphasis
Put a space on each side of the dash
NOT a hyphen (-)

Question 29

How to Type a Dash

Answer 29

Dash: — (shift/option/minus key)