Punctuation Flashcards
When would you use a comma?
To separate things in a list.
To connect subordinate clauses to main clauses.
For example:
I bought potatoes, bread, milk and cheese.
Shaking from head to toe, I stepped into the room.
When would you use a question mark?
At the end of a question.
For example:
What did they want from me?
When would you use an exclamation mark?
To show ‘force’: excitement, anger, fear, etc.
For example:
I love it!
“Come here!” she shouted.
When would you use parentheses?
To add in extra information to a sentence.
For example:
She was the youngest of my siblings (and the most annoying).
Remember:
The punctuation you need at the end of the sentence should go after the parenthesis.
When would you use ellipses?
To slow down the reading or create tension/suspense.
For example:
Nothing was there…
When would you use a dash?
To speed up the reading, or in place of parentheses, commas or colons.
For example:
The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun—this is what brought me to Hawaii.
When would you use a colon?
At the beginning of a list, to emphasise a point or to link clauses.
For example:
The college specialises in three subjects: drama, film studies and art.
The jury finally reached a verdict: guilty
I have very little time to learn the language: my new job starts in five weeks.
When would you use a semicolon?
Between two independent clauses, when the second clause expands on or explains the first.
Correct: I love elephants; they are incredibly intelligent.
Incorrect: I love elephants; I want a cup of tea.
Incorrect: I love elephants; watching them play in the water.
When would you use speech marks?
When using direct speech, or when quoting.
Correct: “Get your shoes on,” my mum said, “and get in the car.”
Incorrect: “Get your shoes on”, my mum said. “and get in the car”.
When would you use apostrophes?
When you omit letters in words, or to show possession.
Omission: I’m, wouldn’t, can’t, don’t.
Possession: That is John’s phone.
When would you use a full stop?
At the end of a sentence (a main clause).
Correct: Dashing downstairs, I grabbed my coat.
Incorrect: Dashing downstairs.
