Get help revising your research paper by learning about punctuation.

1. 1
Who cares about editing? Why not just
spellcheck?
Your spellchecker won’t catch any of the problems in
this poem:
I have a spelling checker
It came with my PC
It highlights for my review
Mistakes I cannot sea.
I ran this poem thru it
I'm sure your pleased to no
Its letter perfect in it's weigh
My checker told me sew.

2. 2
Commas separate grammatical units in a
sentence
Grammatical units include
1. Independent clauses
2. Nonessential phrases that interrupt a
sentence
3. Items in a series
4. Introductory words/phrases
5. Direct quotations
6. Common, everyday uses

3. Commas separate independent clauses that
are joined by a coordinating “FANBOYS”
conjunction:
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
3
Commas: Independent Clauses

4. 4
Commas: Independent Clauses
The comma appears after the first
independent clause and before the
coordinating conjunction:
I dated Marlene, and Danny dated Sandra.
Men can be afraid, but proud are those who
can overcome their fear.

5. 5
Commas: Independent Clauses
Commas help us understand the sentence:
I dated Marlene and Danny dated Sandra.
(Did I date Marlene and Danny?)
Men can be afraid but proud are those who
can overcome their fear.
(Can men be afraid but proud?)

6. 6
Commas: Independent Clauses
Not just after every coordinating conjunction!
I dated Marlene and Fran.
NOT
I dated Marlene, and Fran.
Men can be afraid but can overcome their fears.
NOT
Men can be afraid, but can overcome their fears.

7. 7
Commas: Independent Clauses
Must have a coordinating conjunction—otherwise, it’s a
comma splice:
I slipped on the ice, and I broke my leg.
NOT
I slipped on the ice, I broke my leg.
Harry Potter is my favorite book, so I couldn’t stop reading
it.
NOT
Harry Potter is my favorite book, I couldn’t stop reading it.

8. 8
Commas: Items in a Series
Must be three or more items:
He had ham, eggs, and toast for breakfast.
He had ham and eggs for breakfast.
Mary listens to Madonna, Yanni, and Simon
and Garfunkel.

9. 9
Commas: Serial Comma
Final “serial” comma isn’t required, but it’s
never wrong, and can clarify the sentence.
He had ham, eggs and toast for breakfast.
(What are “eggs and toast”?)
Mary listens to Madonna, Yanni and Simon
and Garfunkel.
(Is there a group called “Yanni and Simon and
Garfunkel”?)

10. 10
Commas: Items in a Series
Commas help us understand the sentence:
He had ham eggs and toast for breakfast.
(What are “ham eggs?”)
Mary listens to Madonna Yanni and Simon and
Garfunkel.
(Who is “Madonna Yanni”?)

11. 11
Commas: Series of Adjectives
Use commas to separate two or more coordinate
adjectives not separated by “and”
Coordinate adjectives can be swapped:
Roberto is a warm, generous, loving father.
Roberto is a loving, warm, generous father.
Roberto is a warm and generous father.

12. 12
Commas: Series of Adjectives
Do NOT use commas to separate two or more
cumulative adjectives
Cumulative adjectives cannot be swapped:
I ordered a rich chocolate layer cake.
I ordered a chocolate rich layer cake.
I ordered a rich layer chocolate cake.

13. 13
Commas: Introductory Material
Commas separate nonessential introductory
material from the rest of the sentence:
When Irwin was ready to iron, his cat tripped on
the cord.
With the rain pouring, Josh ran to catch the MAX.
In a puff of smoke that smelled like sulfur,
Batman disappeared.

14. 14
Commas: Introductory Material
Commas help us understand the sentence:
When Irwin was ready to iron his cat tripped on the cord.
(Irwin ironed his cat?)
With the rain pouring Josh ran to catch the MAX. (The
rain poured Josh?)
In a puff of smoke that smelled like sulfur Batman
disappeared. (What does sulfur Batman smell like?)

15. 15
Commas: Introductory Material
No comma needed when phrase appears at the
end of the sentence. These sentences all make
perfect sense:
His cat tripped on the cord when Irwin was ready
to iron.
Josh ran to catch the MAX with the rain pouring.
Batman disappeared in a puff of smoke that
smelled like sulfur.

16. 16
Commas: Nonessential phrases that
interrupt the sentence flow
Commentary
The best thing to do, nevertheless, is to
apologize.
My opinion, since you asked, is that he’s a jerk.

17. 17
Semicolons join two independent clauses
without a coordinating conjunction
Roger had always wanted a handmade violin; he
couldn’t afford one.
I’ve been rich, and I’ve been poor; rich is better.
Roger had always wanted a handmade violin;
however, he couldn’t afford one.

18. 18
Semicolons separate a series of items that
each contain commas
CONFUSING:
I have lived in Huntsville, Alabama, New Haven,
Connecticut, and Portland, Oregon. (This looks
like six places, not three).
CLEAR:
I have lived in Huntsville, Alabama; New Haven,
Connecticut; and Portland, Oregon. (Semicolons
separate each

19. 19
Semicolons separate a series of items that
each contain commas
CONFUSING:
You can order rice, beans, and sausage, chicken,
corn, and potatoes, or macaroni, cheese, and
ham. (which items are grouped together?)
CLEAR:
You can order rice, beans, and sausage; chicken,
corn, and potatoes; or macaroni, cheese, and
ham.

20. 20
Colons follow an independent clause and
directs attention to what follows it
It may introduce a list clarifying the word or
phrase preceding the colon.
To hang a picture, you will need the following
tools: drill, screwdriver, and screws.
He liked to listen to lots of different kinds of
music: Elvis Costello, The Cramps, and Joan
Baez.

21. 21
Colons follow an independent clause and
directs attention to what follows it
NOT before “for example,” “such as,” or
“including” (these mean the same thing as a
colon)
To hang a picture, you will need tools, including a
drill, screwdriver, and screws.
NOT before any list—it must follow an
independent clause!
He liked to listen to Elvis Costello, The Cramps,
and Joan Baez.

22. 22
Colons follow an independent clause and
directs attention to what follows it
An appositive modifies or clarifies what precedes
the colon.
There is but one reason to go to school: to get an
education.
She had forgotten her mother’s warning: Never
microwave anything in tin foil.

23. 23
Colons follow an independent clause and
directs attention to what follows it
A quotation clarifies what precedes the colon.
As Shakespeare writes, “A rose by any other
name would smell as sweet.”
We are reminded of the unimportance of names
when we read Shakespeare’s famous words: “A
rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

24. 24
Apostrophes indicate possession of nouns
and some pronouns
Nouns
Jim’s shorts
football’s main audience
danger’s appeal
Indefinite Pronouns
someone’s textbook
nobody’s business

25. 25
Apostrophes DO NOT indicate possession
with personal pronouns
Hers, not her’s
His, not him’s
Yours, not your’s
Its, not it’s
It’s = it is
Its = belonging to it

26. 26
Apostrophes never form plurals
Apples for sale = we sell apples.
Apple’s for sale = The company Apple is for sale.

27. 27
A dash is used for a dramatic addition to a
sentence
When I went to the party, she was there—with
Richard.
Larry’s so clueless that he asked Melanie—the
girlfriend of the biggest guy in school—to go to
the dance with him.
Finally, Joanne managed to find her mother’s car
—in the worst neighborhood in town.

28. 28
A dash can also be used for mid-sentence
appositives that contain commas
If we try, we can ensure that basic needs—food,
shelter, and clothing—are enjoyed by all.
The buttons on the machine’s front panel—start,
stop, and emergency stop—have been
redesigned.

29. 29
A hyphen clarifies a sentence by joining
adjectives into an adjective phrase
The twenty five year olds began to annoy me.
(How many people and how old are they?)
The twenty five-year-olds began to annoy me.
(There are twenty children, aged five.)
The twenty-five-year-olds began to annoy me.
(There’s more than one person aged 25)

30. 30
Do not use a hyphen to connect an adverb
to an adjective
The swiftly moving tugboat pushed the barge.
(“swiftly” is already clearly connected to “moving,”
so we don’t write “swiftly-moving”)
Joanie watched the poorly dressed woman
shuffle towards the door.
(“poorly” is already clearly connected to
“dressed,” so we don’t write “poorly-dressed”)