1. after the closing of a letter 1. comma 2. after initials
TRANSCRIPT
1. After the closing of a letter
1. comma
2. After initials
2. period
3. After the greeting of a business letter
3. colon
4. To replace omitted letters in
contractions
4. apostrophe
5. At the end of a politely worded
question
5. period
6. Between independent clauses when no conjunction
is used
6. semicolon
7. To show possession in proper nouns
7. apostrophe
8. To set off the name of the person
spoken to
8. comma
9. To separate the minutes and hours when writing time
9. colon
10. To enclose titles of poems, articles, and chapters of books
10. Quotation marks
11. After the salutation of a friendly letter
11. comma
The Comma
1. Does a pressure cooker have a
safety valve Clara?
1. Does a pressure cooker have a
safety valve, Clara?
2. Changes in pressure can be quite dangerous.
2. Changes in pressure can be quite dangerous.
correct
3. One of the first places a diver feels pressure changes
Teresa is the eardrum.
3. One of the first places a diver feels pressure changes,
Teresa, is the eardrum.
4. I’ve heard Clara that divers hold their noses and blow when they
start to feel pain in their ears.
4. I’ve heard, Clara, that divers hold their noses and blow when they
start to feel pain in their ears.
5. Yes swallowing also helps to
equalize pressure.
5. Yes, swallowing also helps to
equalize pressure.
6. Air pressure exerts a different amount of
force on the filling than on the tooth and
Clara under severe conditions it can cause a tooth to
collapse.
6. Air pressure exerts a different amount of
force on the filling than on the tooth, and, Clara, under
severe conditions it can cause a tooth to
collapse.
7. Oh I know the definition of esprit de corps a French phrase meaning “team spirit.”
7. Oh, I know the definition of esprit de corps, a French phrase meaning “team spirit.”
8. No this machine a recent model does not use as much electricity oil and water as the older
model.
8. No, this machine, a recent model, does not use as much electricity, oil, and water as the older model.
9. School alterations a large item in the
budget are necessary because of the
inadequate cafeteria facilities and the
undersized auditorium.
9. School alterations, a large item in the
budget, are necessary because of the
inadequate cafeteria facilities and the
undersized auditorium.
10. Mr. Wortham, trying not to
chuckle, offered to help us clean up
the mess.
10. Mr. Wortham, trying not to
chuckle, offered to help us clean up the
mess.correct
11. Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin who won a
1964 Nobel Prize determined the
molecular structure of vitamin B12.
11. Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, who won a
1964 Nobel Prize, determined the
molecular structure of vitamin B12.
12. Species of turtles, that live in regions with harsh
winters, must hibernate.
12. Species of turtles, that live in regions with harsh
winters, must hibernate.
13. Speleologists are scientists, who
study caves and the organisms that
live in them.
13. Speleologists are scientists, who
study caves and the organisms that
live in them.
14. The puppy excited to see its owner wagged its
tail vigorously.
14. The puppy, excited to see its
owner, wagged its tail vigorously.
15. By explaining the refraction of light
through water I can give sensible reasons
for these strange appearances.
15. By explaining the refraction of light
through water, I can give sensible reasons
for these strange appearances.
16. Ascending the tree one branch at a time
Mrs. Weinberg eventually reached the stranded kitten.
16. Ascending the tree one branch at a time,
Mrs. Weinberg eventually reached the stranded kitten.
17. While I was working at the gas station I learned a
lot about cars.
17. While I was working at the gas station, I learned a
lot about cars.
18. Chasing a fly ball in center field Armand stepped in a hole and sprained
his ankle.
18. Chasing a fly ball in center field, Armand stepped in a hole and sprained
his ankle.
19. If people object to my suggestions let them state their
reasons.
19. If people object to my suggestions, let them state their
reasons.
Semicolons and Colons
20. My mom is reading Shadow and Act it is a
collection of essays by Ralph Ellison.
20. My mom is reading Shadow and Act; it is a collection of essays
by Ralph Ellison.
21. The largest urban areas in Southeast Asia are centered around the
cities of Manila, Philippines Jakarta,
Indonesia and Bangkok, Thailand.
21. The largest urban areas in Southeast Asia are centered around the
cities of Manila, Philippines; Jakarta,
Indonesia; and Bangkok, Thailand.
22. Ships on the Caribbean Sea might carry sugar from the
West Indies coffee from Colombia, Costa Rica, or Guatemala or bananas
from Panama.
22. Ships on the Caribbean Sea might carry sugar from the
West Indies; coffee from Colombia, Costa Rica, or Guatemala; or bananas
from Panama.
23. The Abeita family has three dogs, a cat,
and a parrot and Jaime, Miguel, and Julia have
been asking for a horse.
23. The Abeita family has three dogs, a cat,
and a parrot; and Jaime, Miguel, and Julia have been asking for a
horse.
24. The reviewer praised the special
effects however, she criticized the screenplay.
24. The reviewer praised the special
effects; however, she criticized the screenplay.
25. The letter began, “Dear Dr. Garcia Thank you for considering my application for kennel
attendant at your clinic.”
25. The letter began, “Dear Dr. Garcia: Thank you for considering my application for kennel
attendant at your clinic.”
26. Katrina wrote her book report on The
Golden Gate A Novel in Verse by Vikram
Seth.
26. Katrina wrote her book report on The
Golden Gate: A Novel in Verse by Vikram
Seth.
27. The play doesn’t start until 800 p.m. however, we should plan to arrive early.
27. The play doesn’t start until 8:00 p.m.; however, we should plan to arrive early.
28. The lecture begins at 200 Dr. Durand
will be discussing the literary elements of
Psalm 104 1-50.
28. The lecture begins at 2:00; Dr. Durand
will be discussing the literary elements of
Psalm 104: 1-50.
29. Mrs. Hershey has visited several cities in
Canada Toronto, Ontario Edmonton, Alberta and Halifax,
Nova Scotia.
29. Mrs. Hershey has visited several cities in
Canada: Toronto, Ontario; Edmonton, Alberta; and Halifax,
Nova Scotia.