This document discusses various punctuation marks and their proper uses in writing. It covers full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, capital letters, commas, semi-colons, colons, apostrophes, dashes, hyphens, and quotation marks. For each punctuation mark, it provides examples of when to use it and how it contributes to clarity and meaning in written sentences.

1. Punctuation

2. Contents
Why Punctuate Dash
Full Stop (a.k.a. Period) Hyphen
Question Mark Quotation Mark
Exclamation Mark
Capital Letters
Comma
Semi-Colon
Colon
Apostrophe

3. Why Punctuate?
To be understood

4. Read the following passage, without
punctuation.
i would like to apply for a job with your company
for two years i have been employed as a sales
clerk for the jones store i sold nothing that i did
not take pride in i am sure it will be the same if I
work for you

5. Now, look at how much easier it is to read
with punctuation:
I would like to apply for a job with your
company. For two years I have been employed
as a sales clerk for the Jones store. I sold
nothing that I did not take pride in. I am sure it
will be the same if I work for you.

6. Now, look at what happens when we
change the position of the punctuation
marks. It actually changes the meaning of
the passage.
I would like to apply for a job with your company
for two years. I have been employed. As a sales
clerk for the Jones store I sold nothing. That, I
did not take pride in. I am sure it will be the
same if I work for you.

7. Full Stop (.)
Why do we use a full stop?
To end a sentence when it’s a statement
Example: The dog sat outside the door. His
master had not fed him for a week.
To indicate an abbreviation
Example: N.S.W, e.g., Prof.
Note: There’s a trend to phase out full stops with abbreviations.

8. Question Mark (?)
Why do we use a question mark?
To end a sentence when it asks a
question
Examples:
Why is it so cold?
Where is your warm coat?

9. Exclamation Mark(!)
Why do we use an exclamation mark?
This mark shows strength of emotion. It is often
used in direct speech and informal notes,
messages and letters. It is less common in
formal writing.
Examples:
Hi! Sorry I haven't written for so long!!!
Great work! Congratulations!
"Leave me alone!" she screamed

10. Capital Letters
Capital letters are used:
At the start of a new sentence. Example: The cat
sat on the mat. His owner sat nearby.
For the letter "i" when you are referring to
yourself. Example: He can run faster than I can.
For people's names. Examples: Jim Smith, Bill
Jones

11. Capital Letters (2)
Capital letters are also used:
For titles. Examples: Dr Jones, Mr Brown
For book/film/company titles (main words only).
Examples: The Catcher in the Rye, The Wizard
of Oz, Briggs and Sons
In direct speech, for the first spoken word.
Example: She said, "My name is Mary."

12. Capital Letters (3)
Capital letters are also used:
For acronyms.
Examples: TAFE, CIA
For titles of days, months.
Examples: Monday, July

13. Commas (,)
Why do we use a comma?
This marks a natural pause during a sentence. It
is only a short pause, and should not be
confused with the longer full stop pause.
Sometimes commas are essential to make the
meaning of a sentence clear to the reader.
Note: Don't use too many commas, as they can make
your writing jerky and disjointed. If in doubt,
leave out!

14. Commas (2)
When do we use a commas?
In a list. Example: We bought apples, bananas,
pears and grapes. (Note: no comma before
"and" in a list of single items)
To separate adjectives (describing words)
unless the words "go together". Examples: She
had long, thick, wavy hair. (But: She had very
dark brown hair.)

15. Commas (3)
When do we also use a commas?
To prevent the reader from connecting words
that do not properly belong together.
Example: While I cooked the baby played
nearby. (While I cooked, the baby played
nearby.)
To separate an introductory expression of
time from the rest of the sentence.
Example: Three months later, it was all

16. Commas (4)
When do we also use a commas?
To separate parts of a long sentence which
contains "but" or "and".
Example: The manager has given the instruction,
and the staff must obey it.
To enclose anything which interrupts the flow of
the sentence.
Example: I hope, of course, that they'll come.

17. Commas (5)
When do we also use a commas?
To enclose the name of a person or their
position/job, if both are mentioned.
Example: The coach, Bob Jones, was given an
award.
To separate direct speech from the rest of the
Sentence.
Example: "Go away," she said.

18. Colon (:)
The colon can be used to:
Introduce a list of things
example: Yesterday I had an enormous meal:
onion soup, a dozen oysters, a pile of potatoes
and apple pie and ice cream.
Introduce something which is written in
quotation marks
Example: Remember the old proverb:
"More haste, less speed."

19. Colon (:)
The colon can also be used to:
Make two statements in the same sentence say
something of equal value (one may be an
explanation of the other).
example: Mary is a regular world traveller: every
year she visits many countries.

20. Semi-Colon (;)
Why do we use a semi-colon?
A semi-colon can be used instead of a full stop
when the two parts of the sentence are too
closely related in meaning to be put into
separate sentences.
Examples: We did not go into the theatre before
our friends arrived; instead, we waited outside.
I don't know who my grandfather was; I am more
concerned to find out who his grandson will be.

21. Semi-Colon (;)
Why do we use a semi-colon?
Semi-colons can also be used between items on
a list, when the items consist of a number of
words, or when the use of commas alone would
be confusing.
Example: The committee consisted of Carol
Jones, the staff representative; Bill Johnson, the
boss; Terry Smith, the local doctor; Murray Todd,
the fisherman; and Mary Renshaw, the cook.

22. Apostrophy (’)
The apostrophy can be used to:
Show that letters have been left out. These are
called contractions.
example: can't for cannot, didn't for did not, it's
for it is or it has

23. Apostrophy (’) 2
The apostrophe is also used to show possession
(or ownership) in the following ways:
If the thing/person that owns something is
singular, add 's Examples: The girl's books (the
books belonging to the girl)
If the thing/person that owns something is plural
and already ends with an "s", simply add an
apostrophe. Examples:The girls' books (the
books belonging to the girls)

24. Apostrophy (’) 3
The apostrophy can also be used:
If the thing/person that owns something is
plural but does not end in an "s", add 's.
Examples: The women's club (the club
belonging to the women)

25. Dash (--)
Used to strongly emphasize a point or set off an
explanatory comment. Don’t overuse it.
To some of you, my proposals may seem radical
-- even revolutionary.

26. Hyphen (-)
Use a hyphen to join two or more words serving
as a single adjective before a noun:
Example: a one-way street
chocolate-covered peanuts
Use a hyphen with numbers. Example: forty-six,
sixty-three, a fifteen-year-old boy
Use a hyphen with certain prefixes. Example: ex
husband, self-assured, mid-September, all
inclusive.

27. Quotation mark (‘’)
To enclose direct quotations and dialogue.
Example: “You must arrive on time,” the
professor said.
To denote titles and nicknames.
Example: Her favourite book is “Brick Lane”.
Note:Punctuation goes inside the
quotation marks if it is part of the quote.
Example: “Give me my dignity!” the prisoner pleaded.
But: Have you seen “Pulp Fiction”?