PUNCTUATION

Let’s eat Grandma! Let’s eat, Grandma! [ Punctuation saves lives.] WHY SHOULD I CARE?

 Correct use of a period, exclamation point, and question mark to end a sentence.  There is no comma between a subject and a verb.  Incorrect: Tommy and his brothers, went to Montana for the summer.  Correct: Tina and her brothers went to Montana for the summer.  Correct use of an apostrophe to show possession and in contractions.  Possession: Ashley’s favorite color is green.  Contraction: Rui doesn’t like pizza.  Correct use of quotation marks around a speaker’s exact words.  “Look at the beautiful sunset!” exclaimed Hannah.  Catherine laughed, “You look like a clown in that outfit.”  “I really like bananas,” said Andrea. PUNCTUATION EXPECTATIONS

 An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.  To join two independent clauses with a comma, use this four-part structure: Indep. clausecomma coordinating conjunction indep. clause. 7 coordinating conjunctions: FANBOYS (for, and, not, but, or, yet, so) Ex: Sumaya would love to see a movie, but she has to study. DO NOT JOIN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES WITH ONLY A COMMA (this is a common mistake called Comma Splice) YOU MUST USE A COORDINATING CONJUNCTION OR A SEMICOLON Ex: Miguel ate at the party, yet/but he’s still hungry. Ex: Miguel ate at the party; he was really hungry. USE A COMMA TO SET OFF INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

 Use a comma after an adverb clause using because, when, before, after, if Ex: If we tell Henry about the party, he will certainly come.  Don’t use a comma when the adverb clause follows the independent clause Ex: Isaac will certainly come if we tell him about the party. Note: Use commas before and after nonessential information Ex: Her friends, who lived nearby, were worried about her. USE A COMMA AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY ADVERB CLAUSE

 Use commas to separate words, phrases, or clauses in a series of three or more. Words: Ana baked cupcakes, cookies, and muffins. Phrases: Nico followed the cat into the house, down the hallway, and up the stairs. Clauses: Daniel did his homework, played some games, and went to bed. Note: Some writers omit the comma before the final and or or in a series. Including this comma, however, ensures clarity. USE A COMMA TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES

 Use a comma to set off examples introduced by →such as Jonathan has many hobbies, such as swimming and reading, that he does after school. →especially Mira likes to eat fast food, especially burgers. →particularly Jana likes to dance, particularly classical ballroom. Note: Some such as phrases are essential, taking no commas: →Résumés such as this one are thrown into the trash can. USE A COMMA TO SET OFF EXAMPLES

 What is a Prepositional phrase? preposition (in, to, for, by, with, etc.) + noun  Example: in my freshman English class  (Notice: NO VERB!)  Put a comma after a prepositional phrase with 5 or more words  Example: In my freshman English class, there was never anything that exciting.  Example: In my class there was never anything that exciting. USE A COMMA AFTER PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

 Use a comma to separate a quote from other words in a sentence Ex: “You may come in,” said the professor.  You do not need a comma if it is not a direct quote Ex: Christine told me that social networking is part of her job description.  Use a comma to separate a date and year Ex: Jake’s birthday is December 13,  Use a comma to separate a city, state, and/or country Ex: Our school is in Pomona, California. USE A COMMA IN QUOTATIONS & MORE

 Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses when there is no coordinating conjunction in a three-part structure: Independent Clause semicolon independent Clause. Ex: Eshel enjoys snowboarding; Kevin rides motorcycles.  Use a colon for a list following a compete statement: Ex: Anthony plans to visit many East Coast States: Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.  Use a colon for a formal quotation or question: Ex: Kai said: “Cal Poly Pomona is amazing!” Ex: The question is: What does Jiali want to study? SEMICOLON COLON

 Write a sentence about last class with a comma: 1.Before FANBOYS + sentence 2.After a prepositional phrase (no verb) with 5+ words 3.To separate items in a series (a list of 3 or more) 4.To start with a dependent clause  A sentence about last class: 1.With a semicolon 2.With a colon 3.With an apostrophe 4.With quotation marks PRACTICE