The complete idiot guide part 23 pdf

Chapter
Punctuation: Commas Are
Our Friends
In
This
Chapter
•
Get the nuts and bolts of punctuation
•
Finally
distinguish between semicolons and colons
•
Learn
that
a hyphen is not a dash and parentheses are not brackets
Using
the correct punctuation is more than following the grammar
rules—
correct punctuation enables your audience to understand your ideas more
clearly.
Like traffic
signals,
punctuation keeps your ideas flowing in the
right
direction.
Hey, you already know all
this—you
just want to know how to tell the differ-
ence between a dash and a hyphen, what on earth you do
with
an

ellipsis,
and
what relationship a semicolon has to
J.
Lo. (No, they were never married
at least not yet.) So sharpen your pencil; we're ready to boogie.
Punctuation
Matters
The following two letters contain the same exact
words—but
the punctua-
tion differs sharply. Which letter would you rather receive?
20*1
ParU:
Tools
of
the
Trade
Dear
John:
I
want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind,
thoughtful.
People
who are not like you admit to being
useless
and inferior. You have ruined
me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no
feelings
whatsoever when we're apart.

I
can forever be
happy—will
you let me be
yours?
Harriet
Dear
John:
I
want a man who knows what love
is.
All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful
people, who are not like you. Admit to being
useless
and inferior. You have ruined
me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no
feelings
whatsoever. When we're
apart, I can forever be happy. Will you let me be?
Yours,
Harriet
These letters tell us a lot about John and
Harriet—but
they tell us even more about
the importance of punctuation. Change a comma here, move a period there and
the entire document is different. Thafs why punctuation matters; it creates meaning
as
much as words do.
Show
Me

the
Money
I'll
bet
that
you know a lot more than you think about the correct way to use standard
punctuation. To prove it, I'm
going
to ask you to take this simple quiz. In each
case,
write C if the punctuation is correct or W if the punctuation is incorrect. Answers
and
explanations follow.
Two men (1)
±
sentenced to die in the electric chair on the same day
(2)
±
were led to the room in which they would meet their maker. The priest had
given
the last rites (3) the warden had
given
the formal speech, and the
participants had
said
a
final
prayer.
The warden, turning to the first man, solemnly asked (4) "Son (5)
±

do
you
have a last request (6)
?^
The man replied, "Yes sir, I do (7)
.
I love dance music. Could you please
play
the Chicken Dance for me one last time?"
(8)
Certainly (9)
_J1
replied the Warden. He turned to the other man
and
asked, "Well
(10)
±
what about you,
son?
What
is your
final
request?"
"Please
kill me first," replied the other man.
Chapter
16:
Punctuation:
Commas
Are

Our
Friends
205
Answers
1.
C (use a comma to set off
nonessential
information)
2.
C (use a comma to set off
nonessential
information)
3.
W (comma needed to set off introductory
clause)
4.
W (comma needed before a direct quotation)
5.
C (use a comma to set off
a
word of direct
address)
6. C (use a question mark to indicate a question; place it
inside
the quotation marks)
7.
C (use a period to indicate the end of
a
statement)
8. W (use quotation marks to set off

dialogue)
9. C (use a comma to set off
dialogue)
10.
C (use a comma to set off interrupting
expressions)
So
how did you do?
8 to
10
correct
Were
you a proofreader in a past
life?
5
to 7 correct There's no reason to hide under the bed when you see a
semicolon.
4
to 6 correct I can help you, baby, I
really
can.
1 to
3
correct You love the Chicken Dance, you
say?
Period,
Question
Mark,
Exclamation
Mark:

The
End
of the
Line
The period, question mark, and exclamation mark are the Three Musketeers of punc-
tuation: all for one and one for
all.
Here's why:
•
They are all end marks;
that
is,
they are used at the end of
a
sentence.
•
All
three
marks of punctuation have the same function: to indicate a full stop.
•
They
all
show the end of
a
complete thought.
•
They can all prevent run-on
sentences,
as
you learned in Chapter

14.
206
PaiU:
Tools
of
the
Trade
Okay, so maybe they're not the Three Musketeers, but at least they're not the Three
Stooges,
Three
Amigos,
or the Three
Bears.
Let's look at these
three
end marks more
closely.
The Period:
Do Not
Pass
Go,
Do Not
Collect
$200
The period is the workhorse of punctuation. Like a great dessert, it's
always
welcome
at the end. Here's how to use periods:
•
Use a period after a complete sentence.

Example:
A hangover is the wrath of
grapes.
•
Use a period after a command.
Example:
Please
close the door behind you.
•
Use a period after most abbreviations.
Examples:
Dr.,
Ms.,
Jr.
•
Don't use a period after the individual letters in an acronym. For example, write
NATO,
not
NATO.
•
Use a period after an initial.
Example:
John F. Kennedy
•
Use a period after each Roman numeral,
letter,
or number in an outline.
Example:
I.
Danger,

Will
Robinson
1
A.
B.
1.
2.
•
Always place a period inside a quotation mark
that
ends a sentence.
Example:
The
sign
read, "A pest is a friend in need."
The
Question Mark: Inquiring Minds Want to Know
You know the rules for
life:
Never wear white shoes after Labor Day, brush after
every
meal, and avoid making rude noises in public. Here,
then,
are the rules for
using
question marks.
If an abbreviation
comes
at the end of a sentence,
do not add another period.

Chapter
16:
Punctuation:
Commas
Are
Our
Friends
207
•
Use a question mark after a question.
Example:
Isn't the Mason-Dixon line
what
separates
y'all
from youse
guys?
•
Place the question mark inside of
closing
quotation marks if it is
part
of the quo-
tation.
Example:
In a dream, I heard someone asking, "Isn't atheism a nonprophet
organization?"
•
Place the question mark outside of the closing quotation marks if it is not
part

of
the quotation.
Example:
Was it your mother who
said,
"The Lord prefers common-looking
people; that's the reason he made so many of them"? (In such a circumstance,
it's okay to drop the period from the quotation.)
Exclamation Marks: Gosh and Golly!
In
speech, exclamations are used freely, especially in moments of high passion, as
when the dishwasher overflows at
11
P.M. on a Saturday night. In writing, however, it
is
far more convincing to create emphasis by the force of your words rather than the
force
of your punctuation. But
there
will be occasions to use exclamation marks, so
here are some guidelines to follow.
•
Use an exclamation mark after an
\*j^J-
\
Danger,
Will
Robinson
exclamatory sentence.
Example:

"Apparent" is a
large,
old
bossy
person who tortures youth!
Do
not combine an
exclamation
mark
with
a period,
comma,
or question mark.
The
Pause
That Refreshes
Following
are some questions and answers submitted to an advice columnist. The
advice
is confusing because the periods, question marks, and exclamation marks are
missing.
Add
them
as needed.
1.
I've been
going
steady
with
this man for six years We see each other every night

He
says
he loves me, and I know I love him, but he never mentions marriage Do
you
think he's
going
out
with
me just for
what
he can get
Signed,
Baffled
in Boston.
2.
Dear
Baffled:
I
don't
know What's he getting
208
Part
4:
Tools
of
the
Trade
3.
Are birth control pills deductible
Signed,

Confused in Cleveland
4.
Dear Confused: Only if they don't work
5.
Is it possible for a man to be in love
with
two women at the same time
Signed
Perplexed in Pittsburgh
6. Dear Pittsburgh: Yes, and
also
dangerous
7.
Our son was married in June Five months later his wife had a
10-pound
baby
girl
They
said
the baby was premature Tell me, can a baby this big be
that
early
Wondering in Walla-Walla
8. Dear Wondering: The baby was on time, but the wedding was late
Answers
1.
I've been
going
steady
with

this man for six
years,.
We see each other every night.
He
says
he loves me, and I know I love him, but he never mentions marriage.
Do you think he's
going
out
with
me just for what he can
get?.
Signed,
Baffled
in Boston.
2.
Dear
Baffled:
I don't
know
What's he
getting^
3.
Are birth control pills
deductible^
Signed,
Confused in Cleveland
4.
Dear Confused: Only if they don't work
5.

Is it possible for a man to be in love
with
two women at the same
timei
Signed^
Perplexed in Pittsburgh
6. Dear Pittsburgh: Yes, and
also
dangerous^
7.
Our son was married in
June,,
Five months later his wife had a
10-pound
baby
girL
They
said
the baby was
premature,.
Tell me, can a baby this big be
that
early?
Wondering in Walla-Walla
8. Dear Wondering: The baby was on time, but the wedding was late.
Chapter
16:
Punctuation:
Commas
Are

Our
Friends
209
The Comma: A
Major
Player
Punctuation helps readers identify clusters of words between and within sentences.
Between sentences, the most common mark of punctuation is the period; within sen-
tences, the most common mark is the comma.
Commas tell us how to read and understand sentences because they tell us where to
pause.
A correctly placed comma helps move readers from the beginning of
a
sen-
tence to the end. A misplaced comma can create more confusion than a conversation
with
a teenager.
Here are the guidelines
that
govern comma use.
First Impressions
Count
Use a comma after introductory and concluding expressions:
•
Use a comma after an introductory prepositional phrase. In each sentence, the
introductory phrase is underlined.
Example:
Along the
route
from the house to the woods. Hansel and Gretel left a

trail of old lottery tickets.
•
Use a comma after an introductory participial phrase.
Example:
Excited by their
approach,
the witch called her agent and decided to
take a meeting.
•
Use a comma after an introductory subordinate
clause.
Example:
When
Hansel and Gretel
arrived,
they were astonished to
find
the TV
contract already prepared.
•
Use a comma after the greeting of an informal
letter.
Examples:
Dear
Sammi,
Dear Mudface, _
* ^
•
Use a comma after phrases
that

show rf^3^
S
Quoth the Maven
—
contrast.
^5i
Basically,
commas
are
like
spicy
chilies or
little
children: A
Example:
The neighbors
return
home
at all hours, often drunk as skunks.
Use a comma at the close of any
letter.
Examples:
Yours truly, Sincerely, Yours
until Niagara
falls,
little
goes
a
long
way. The last

thing
you
want
are
excess
com-
mas
hovering over your
writing
like
the Goodyear
blimp
over the
Orange Bowl.
210
Partit:
Tools
of
the
Trade
Sentence
Interruptus
Use
a comma after interrupting words and expressions.
•
Use a comma to set off interrupting words and expressions. The interrupting
words are underlined in the following example.
Example:
Windows, as you
know,

is the best $89 solitaire game you can buy.
•
Use a comma to set off
words
of
direct
address
(words
that
tell to whom a remark is
addressed).
The words in direct address are underlined in the following example.
Example:
Mr.
Happy,
did you know
that
"kitty litter" is throwing cats out a car
window?
•
Use a comma
with
names and titles.
Example:
Mr. Gary Goldstein, Editor
•
Use a comma to set off
words
in
apposition

(words
that
give
additional information about the preced-
ing
or following word or
expression).
The words
in
apposition are underlined in the following
examples.
Example:
A light
sleeper,
my landlord is the first
to awake when he hears the chains rattle.
Example:
My landlord, a light
sleeper,
is the first
to awake when he hears the chains rattle.
•
Use a comma to set off
a
nonessential
clause
(a
clause
that
can be omitted

without
changing the
sentence's
basic
meaning).
The nonessential
clause
in underlined in the following example.
Example:
Philosophy, a science
that
lets us be
unhappy more
intelligently,
is being offered this
semester at the local university.
•
Use a comma to separate items in a
series.
Example:
We bought marshmallows, graham
crackers,
and chocolate to make those delicious
campfire treats.
You
Could
Look
It
Up
_,

Words
in
apposition
give
additional
information
about
the preceding or
following
word
or expression.
Danger,
Will
Robinson
Never
use commas to
set
off an essential
clause,
a
clause
that
cannot be
omitted.
For
example: Philosophy is the
science
that
lets us be unhappy
more

intelligently.
Take
My
Word
for
It
The
comma
before
and in a
series
of items is
optional.
Chapter
16:
Punctuation:
Commas
Are
Our
Friends
211
Danger,
Will
Robinson
Do
not use a comma
before
the ZIP Code in an
address.
Also, on an envelope,

the
Post
Office prefers no comma
after
the city,
either.
Just
two
spaces
between
both
the city/state and
state/ZIP.
In
Media
Res
Use
a comma to set off parts of
a
sentence:
•
Use a comma to separate parts of a
compound sentence. Use the comma
before the coordinating conjunction.
Remember: The coordinating conjunc-
tions are
and,
but,
or, nor, for, so,
and yet.

The coordinating conjunction is under-
lined
in the following example.
Example:
The faucet stopped working,
and
the sink leaks.
•
Use a comma to set off
a
direct quotation.
Example:
He
said,
"Lawyers are the larval form of
politicians."
Example:
"Lawyers,"
he
said,
"are the larval form of
politicians."
•
Use a comma to separate the parts of an address.
Example:
She lives at 763 Main Street,
Farmingdale,
New York
11735.
Dazed

and Confused
Use
commas to prevent misreading:
•
Use a comma to
clarify
any potentially confusing sentences.
Huh: To get through a tunnel must be dug.
Revised:
To get through, a tunnel must be dug.
Of
course,
you're usually much
better
off just revising the sentences so
there
is no
possibility
of
a
chowderhead misreading your words.
Bean Counters
Use
commas
with
numbers:
•
Use a comma between the day of the
month
and the year.

Examples:
December 7,
1941,
July
20,
1969
Danger,
Will
Robinson
Do
not use commas
when
writing
telephone numbers,
page numbers, or
years.
ZI2
Part
4:
Tools
of
the
Trade
•
Use commas to show thousands, millions, and so on.
Examples:
1,000;
10,000; 100,000;
1,000,000
Constant

Commas
Add commas as necessary in the following sentences.
1.
Even though it is not among the top rated shows shown on a
single
night The
Wizard
ofOz
is generally considered the most successful
single
program in TV
history.
2.
My friend Stephan a very picky eater refuses to eat any vegetables at all.
3.
A child who is under the age of eight should not be left alone
without
a sitter.
4.
A mature child of 10 or
11
however can usually be trusted home alone.
5.
Among the top man-made attractions in the United States are the Golden
Gate
Bridge
Mount Rushmore the Statue of Liberty and Hoover Dam.
6. Let's find a fast cheap restaurant.
7.
The Academy Awards were first telecast on March

19
1953.
8. No you can't pile up
10000
bricks and try to climb to the roof.
Answers
1.
Even though it is not among the top rated shows shown on a
single
night, The
Wizard
ofOz
is generally considered the most successful
single
program in TV
history.
2.
My friend Stephan, a very picky eater, refuses to eat any vegetables at all.
3.
No commas at all.
4.
A mature child of 10 or
11,
however, can usually be trusted home alone.
5.
Among the top man-made attractions in the United States are the Golden
Gate
Bridge,
Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and Hoover Dam.
6. Let's find a fast, cheap restaurant.

7.
The Academy Awards were first telecast on March 19,
1953.
8. No, you can't pile up 10,000 bricks and try to climb to the roof.