Punctuation

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Punctuation
How to make yourself understood in writing.!
" " , -
2

Full Stops

• To end any sentence that is not a question. Use
  them for commands phrased as questions
• Will you send us the money today.
• 2. With certain abbreviations
• Ms. and Jhb. not Mrs or Mr or Dr
• 3. Between rands and cents in an amount of money
• R10.50
• 4. To show that words have been left out or when
  the person does not finish a sentence ellipsis
  dots Use three only.

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Full Stops

• Acronyms (abbreviations that are pronounced as
  words), do not have full stops between the
  letters.
• Cats sunbathing
• UNISA Acronym
• S.P.C.A. Each letter
• is pronounced separately here.

4

Full Stops

• Every full sentence must have a subject and a
  verb.
• Avoid the comma splice by counting the verbs
  and making sure each one has a joining word or
  full stop after it.
• The people ran, they shouted, they panicked.

Subject person or thing doing the action
Candice
Verb action or state of being runs.
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Question Marks

• After any direct question that requests an
  answer
• Why are you tired?
• 2. After rhetorical questions
• Tired, are you?

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Exclamation Marks

• 1.After highly emotional language. Use only one
  Wow!
• 2. Business language is hardly ever emotional, so
  you are unlikely to use one in business
  communication.

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Exercise 1

• Write a paragraph describing what you see in this
  picture. Your answer should include at least one
  full stop, one exclamation mark and one example
  of direct speech. (3)
• Creativity
• (7)
• 10

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Semicolons

• To separate two closely related sentences
• The outline is due within a week the report
  itself is due at the end of the month.
• 2. For items in a list that are longer than one
  word
• Pack the following kit a sleeping bag a
  ground-sheet a good torch and dehydrated food.
• 3. To separate independent clauses where the
  second one begins with however, therefore,
  nevertheless, for example or in that case.
• Her test scores were quite low on the other
  hand, she has a lot of experience.

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Semicolons

• 4. To separate opposite ideas.
• More haste less speed.
• 5. To separate two main
• clauses in a very long
• sentence.
• Although the animals were not
• yet visible, the sounds of their
• movements were clearly
• audible then suddenly they appeared.

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Exercise 2

• Use the picture below to complete the
  paragraph, starting with the sentence
  in the previous slide.. Inc semicolons
  used for three different reasons
  reasons. (3)
• Creativity (7)
• 10

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Colons

• To introduce a list
• We took several items to the picnic cold meat,
  wine, salad, milk-tart and chips.
• 2. To separate the main clause, and another part,
  which may explain or illustrate the first. These
  clauses may also be separated by a semicolon.
• Management was not prepared for their demands
  for this reason they argued well into the night.

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Colons

• 3. To indicate that a quotation or extract
  follows I am Fortunes fool.
• 4. To introduce a sub-section between a title and
  its sub-title. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves

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Exercise 3

• Write a short 100 word review of the movie clip
  from Avatar.
• Focus on colons.
• Include the title v
• A listv
• A main clause and an explanatory partv
• A quotation of something your partner said about
  the movie.v (4)
• Persuasive tone (6) 10

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Commas

• To separate
• 1.1 items in a list
• He took the job, worked hard, and succeeded.
• 1.2 two or more adjectives describing a noun
• She has a large, boisterous dog.
• 2. To mark off the following words, phrases or
  clauses from the rest of the sentence
• 2.1 Between clauses that are joined by a
  subordinating conjunction (and , but or or)
• She spoke to the sales staff, and he spoke to
  the production staff.
• 2.2 To separate a subordinate clause at the
  beginning of a sentence , from a main clause at
  the end.
• Because of our lead in the market, we may be
  able to introduce a new product.
• 3

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Commas

• 2.3 To separate the main clause at the beginning
  of a sentence from a subordinate clause.
• Because of our lead in the market, we may be
  able to introduce a new product.
• 2.4 After an introductory phrase or word
• Yes, you may process the order.
• 2.5 After the name of a person
• Jane, please come here.
• 2.6 To surround expressions that can be removed
  from the sentence without changing the meaning
• The new owners, the Pienaars, are pleased with
  their purchase.

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Commas

• 2.6 Participial phrases
• Whistling cheerfully, George approached me.
• 3. To separate a quotation from the rest of the
  sentence
• Your guarantee reads, These conditions remain
  in effect for one year from the date of purchase.
  

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Exercise 4

• 1. Place 5 commas and 1 semi-colon in the
  correct places in the following sentences
• The Old Flame by Cyril Hare
• To commit a murder on a Bank Holiday at a
  popular seaside resort in broad daylight argues a
  good deal of courage of a sort but courage was
  the one good quality in which Jack Saunders was
  not deficient.
• In fact when he began to make his plans for the
  elimination of Maggie he soon realised as so
  often happens the boldest course was the safest.
  (5)
• 2. Complete the story by telling it to your
  partner. Choose the best one to perform for the
  class.

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Dashes

• 1. To surround a comment that is a sudden turn in
  thought
• Membership of the SABS - its expensive but
  worth it - can be applied for in March.
• 2. To emphasise a parenthetical phrase.
• Third term profits - in excess of 2 million -
  are up significantly.
• A dash emphasises words, phrases or clauses more
  strongly than a comma or brackets can.

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Hyphens

• 1. To separate parts of a compound word
• self-assured pickled-onions
• Omit hyphens from prefixes such as
• pro, anti, non, pre, un, inter, extra
• except when
• a) the prefix occurs before a proper noun
• anti-American
• b) the vowel at the end of the prefix is the
  same as the first letter of the root word
• anti-inflammatory
• 2. To divide words at the end of a typed line.
  Do this only at a syllable break.

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Apostrophes

• 1. Possession - to show ownership
• s for singular the cars windscreen
• s for plural two cars windscreens
• 2. Contraction - place the apostrophe where the
  letters have been left out. we will well
• One word which has both of these is its
• It is Its a lovely day. Use
  apostrophe.
• Its basket was in the kitchen. No apostrophe.

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Apostrophes

• Some unusual cases
• Possession
• Plural nouns ending in s take s
• Ladiescoats
• Singular nouns ending in s take s unless they
  are classical or biblical
• The Joness cat
• For Jesus sake, amen.

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Exercise 5

• Add or delete apostrophes in the following
  sentences
• They want Kathys fiancé to drive with them
  because its a little too cold to cycle. (2)
  
• The Arendses bikes were left behind but Mosess
  coat was taken with them. (2)
• When it comes to calculating the companys assets,
  they are not too accurate. (2)
• The dogs bones were lying there theyd forgotten
  them. (2) 8

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Quotation Marks

• To surround words that are repeated exactly as
  they were said or written. The collection letter
  ended by saying Legal action will be taken if
  you do not comply.
• 2. To set off the title of a newspaper, a story,
  magazine article or book chapter You should read
  One the move, as poem by Gunn.
• A book, film or newspaper title is set in
  italics or underlined.
• 3. To indicate special treatment for words and
  phrases
• Our management team spends more time arguing
  than solving problems.
• 4. To define a word
• The abbreviation inc means incorporated.

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Parentheses (brackets)

• To surround comments that are asides
• Our figures do not match yours, although (if my
  calculations are correct) they are closer than we
  thought.

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Exercise 6

• Write 4 sentences with quotation marks
• Quote a sentence from a newspaper exactly as it
  was written.
• Recommend your favourite newspaper, story,
  magazine article or book chapter.
• Use a word or phrase which needs special
  treatment.
• Define a word.
• 5. Write one sentence which contains an aside in
  brackets. (5)

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Ellipses always use 3 dots ...

• 1. To indicate that material has been left out of
  a direct quotation
• According to the People Magazine The best
  income... can be obtained by investing in bonds.
• 2. To show that the speech has faded out if
  this is at the end of the sentence, the full stop
  becomes a fourth dot.
• He said, The man screamed, and I felt myself
  slipping into unconsciousness....

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Capitals

• 1. At the beginning of certain word groups
• 1.1 Incomplete sentences
• Great day!
• 1.2 Formal statement following a colon
• Her favourite saying is The early bird
  catches the worm.
• 1.3 Phrase used as a sentence
• Definitely not!
• 2. Capitalize proper adjectives and proper nouns
• Lets consider opening a branch on the West
  Coast, perhaps west of Darling.
• 3. Capitalize specific instances, but general
  terms are left uncapitalized.
• My mother thinks Mother Theresa is an amazing
  woman.

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Exercise 7

• Write a 30 word summary of the following
  interview of Ryk Neetling from Mango Magazine
  June 2008. You must use one quotation from which
  material has been left out. (1)
  
• You must place one extra piece of information in
  square brackets to explain Ryks words. (1)
• Reported speech Ryk said that... (8)
• Where do you like to travel in South Africa?
• I like to go off the beaten track to a game farm,
  visit my family in Bloemfontein, Lady Grey in the
  Eastern Cape and any place on the South African
  Coast is beautiful. Im looking forward to when
  things have calmed down a bit to really enjoy
  South Africa more and see places like Namibia.
  Ive been bitten by the travel bug-I cant sit
  still.
• Oral exercise Interview each other with the
  above question.

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Numbers

• 1. Spell out numbers from one to nine and use
  numerals for the rest.
• 2. Ages are usually expressed in words.
• Thirty-five years old