Punctuation Guidelines

When you speak, your voice helps listeners to understand your thoughts. You can use punctuation in writing much like you use your voice in speaking. There are common punctuation rules to follow, so any reader can easily understand what you have written.

Use a Period (.)
At the end of declarative (telling) or imperative (command) sentences:
I am going home.
Pass the margarine.

After initials or abbreviations:
Thomas P. Smith
Feb.

Use a Comma (,)
To separate words or groups of words in a series:
You'll need a ball, a bat, and a glove.

To set off parts of dates, addresses, or geographical areas:
Sarah goes to San Diego, California, on November 21, 2012.

After the greeting in a friendly letter or the closing in any letter:
Dear Annie,
Sincerely,

After the words yes and no when they start a sentence:
Yes, I'll go.

To set off an appositive (means the same thing as the noun it follows):
Regina, my friend, will be here shortly.

To separate words of direct address (when a someone speaks directly to another, using his name):
Mrs. Taylor, do we have homework?

To separate the clauses of a compound sentence connected by the conjunction and, but,or, nor, and yet:
Call me, and we'll make plans.

To set off direct quotations:
"You may go," said Mother, "but come home early."

To separate two or more adjectives before a noun:
A horse is a fast, beautiful animal.

Use a Semicolon (;)
To separate clauses in a compound sentence when there is no connecting word:
He is nice; he helps me.

To separate clauses connected by words such as therefore, however, and nevertheless.
We are busy now; however, try later.

Use a Colon (:)
Before a list of items:
I need the following: two pens, one pencil, and a notebook.

After the greeting in a business letter:
Dear Sir:

Use an Exclamation Point (!)
After a sentence that expresses emotion:
What a great girl she is!

After an exclamatory word or phrase:
Ouch! That hurt.

Use a Question Mark (?)
At the end of an asking sentence:
Did you shut the door?

Use Quotation Marks (" ")
Around titles of articles, poems, stories, and works of art:
Have you read "Messy Room"?

Around every part of a direct quotation:
"As for me," said Ann, "I am happy."

Use an Apostrophe (')
To show ownership.
Bill's parents

To form contractions, where letters are omitted:
Don't for Do not

To form the plural of figures, signs, and letters:
t's
8's

Use a Hyphen (-)
In compound numbers from 21 to 99:
Thirty-eight

To separate parts of some compound words:
Mother-in-law

Play "Grammar Blast": http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/quizzes/
Read more about punctuation: http://englishplus.com/grammar/punccont.htm