It
might not seem like it, but learning how to utilize different types of
punctuation in your writing can lead to
more sophisticated syntax, more complex ideas, and a piece of writing that is
more enjoyable for your audience to read. Below are several commonly misused
forms of punctuation that you should learn how to successfully integrate into
your own writing:
The
Comma —
While
a common form of punctuation, the comma is often misused or overused. Many
students throw commas into sentences without really thinking about why the
comma is going there in the first place, or if it is even necessary to the
sentence’s structure. In
general, you want to use a comma when: joining two independent clauses, after
using an introductory phrase, to separate elements in a series, and to separate
nonessential elements from a sentence. For example:
John
and Tim went to the store, but it was closed. (joining two independent
clauses)
After
the movie, Lucy’s family went out
for dinner. (after an introductory phrase)
While
studying abroad, the students traveled to Ireland, Portugal,
Spain, and France. (separating elements in a series)
Mike’s dog, an
Irish setter, was adopted from the humane society. (separating
nonessential elements from a sentence)
The
Semicolon —
Semicolons
are often mistakenly used as commas, or mistakenly used to join an independent
clause and a dependent clause. Mastering the semicolon can help take your
writing to another level of professionalism. Use a semicolon to join two
independent clauses when the two clauses are of equal emphasis, when a second
independent clause follows the first with a conjunctive adverb, or when you are
joining elements in a series that already include commas:
Studies
have found that reading from a physical book is better than reading from a
screen; the brain can retain information from the page more easily than it can
from a computer screen. (joining two independent clauses of equal emphasis)
Heather’s normal route to
work was under construction; however, a detour was set up through town. (a
second independent clause beginning with a conjunctive adverb)
Jim’s list of places he
wants to travel include Paris, France; Lisbon, Portugal; Sydney, Australia; and
Ankara, Turkey.
The
Colon —
Colons
are not interchangeable with semicolons, which seems to be a common problem in
student writing. Colons are used to join two independent clauses when you wish
to emphasize the second independent clause, and after an independent clause
when it is followed by a list, or the like:
Due
to weather conditions, all flights at the airport are canceled: travelers are
asked to wait patiently for more information. (emphasizing a second independent
clause)
Amy’s mom gave her a
list of errands to run: the pharmacy, the grocery store, the post office, and
the bank.
The
Dash —
The
dash is one of those punctuation marks that is not used enough, and it should
be used more! It can add a different sort of emphasis to your writing than a
semicolon or colon can. Dashes are used to set off or emphasize the content
enclosed within them, or to emphasize the content that follows them:
It
was possible that one reason the discussion became so heated — and that so many
students felt personally attacked in the process — was because the professor had not
established any sort of rules for the conversation. (setting off and
emphasizing content within the sentence)
Julie
found that it was easier to write a cover letter when she made an outline of
the points she wanted to cover first — and
she received more responses from potential employers after doing so.
(emphasizing content that follows a sentence)
(All
examples have been adapted from the Purdue OWL site, and even more information
about punctuation and grammar is available there.)
