I woke up to find that someone had taken all of my valuables, including : my watch, my camera, my passport, and all of money.
REVISED : I woke up to find that someone had taken all of my valuable, including my watch, my camera, my passport and all of my money.
In the kit were : soap, matches, an axe, and water. REVISED : In the kit were, soap, matches, an axe, and water.
2. Do not use a colon between a verb and its object or between a preposition and its object :
In less than two minutes, the assailant knocked out : Bob, John and Harold. REVISED : In less than two minutes, the assailant knocked out : Bob, John, and
Harold. Before heading home, we stopped at : the supermarket, the hardware store,
and the gas station. REVISED : before heading home, we stopped at the supermarket, the hardware store,
and the gas station.
3. End Marks
The punctuation mark used to end sentences are the period, the question mark, and the exclamation point. The period is also used to mark the end of some abbreviations.
Using the Period Use a period
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1. To mark the end of a declarative sentence, a mild command or an indirect question :
The days are growing shorter, and the nights are becoming cool. Please send me the report.
2. To mark the end of some abbreviations : Dr. Boyle
Mrs. L.S. Allingham Generally, you don’t need periods with acronyms words formed from the initials of a
multiword title, with capital-letter abbreviations of technical term, or with abbreviated names of states, agencies and organizations :
NATO VISTA
But you need periods with B.C. and A.D., and with abbreviations standing for the names or political entities :
U.S.A U.K
3. To mark letters or numerals used in vertical lists : The handbook describes four kinds of cycles :
Unicycles Bicycles
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Tricycles Motorcycles
- Misusing the Period 1. In formal writing, do not use a period to separate the parts of a sentence. If you do,
you will create a sentence fragment : Customers should be treated courteously. Even if they are rude.
REVISED : Customer should be treated courteously even if they are rude. 2. Do not use a period after another period or other end mark :
We have ordered materials from home Suppliers Company, Inc . REVISED : We have ordered materials from home Supplies Company, Inc.
Harry always used to ask, “Where’s the fire?” REVISED : Harry always to ask “Where the fire?”
-Using the Question Mark? Use a question mark
1. To mark the end of a direct question : Must the problems of the farmer be ignored ?
To what agency can the poor go for legal aid ? 2. To indicate uncertainly within a statement :
Some animal – a skunk? – is boring holes in the lawn at night.
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They must have paid a lot of money fifty dollars ? for that meal. - Misusing the Question Mark
Do not use a question mark at the end of an indirect question : I wonder who wrote this song?
REVISED : I wonder who wrote this song? - Using the Exclamation Point
Use the exclamation point to mark the end of an exclamatory sentence, phrase, or word :
Men are walking on the moon What a spectacular view
- Misusing the Exclamation Point Do not overse exclamation points. Too many of them will dull your effect :
We finally got there We thought we’d never make it But we were there at last
REVISED : We finally got there. We thought we’d never make it. But we were there at last
4. Quotation Marks and Quoting
