Punctuation and Spellings in English Grammar

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Punctuation and Spellings / Punctuation in English Grammar

Punctuation

Punctuation is a series of conventions which make it easier for readers to understand your writing well. In Punctuation,

A complete sentence (one thought or idea) is indicated by a full stop (.).
A pause in the flow of thought is indicated by a comma (,).
A semicolon (;) is used to indicate a fuller pause than a comma, but not the final end of the sentence.
A colon (:) is used to indicate the beginning of a list.

Full Stops

Full stops are used to divide text and create boundaries by marking the end of a sentence.
The letter following a full stop is always a capital letter.

Commas

Commas are used to divide up groups of words within a sentence. They are extremely important and help to keep units of writing together. This helps to clarify understanding and avoids frustrating the reader. Punctuation and Spellings

The main function of the comma is to:

Break up parts of longer sentences – for example:

After the main points had been presented, the students were asked for their comments.

Note: The comma in the above example clearly divides the meaning into two parts. If there were no comma, the reader would read, “presented the students.” As a word group and this would not make sense without re-reading for clarification.

There would, however, be no comma in the following sentence:

They decided to go to the library and find further information about the topic of the essay.

In this case, a pair of ideas is linked by the word ‘and’, no pausing occurs in speech, and no punctuation i.e. comma is needed to clarify the meaning.

Present items in a list. For example:

I would like to watch the video, take notes and then be ready to ask questions.

Divide words which refer to the subject of a sentence. For example:

The President of the Party, Amit Shah, received a standing ovation after his speech. Punctuation and Spellings

Punctuate certain relative clauses (i.e. parts of a sentence beginning with ‘who’, ‘which’, or ‘whose’). For example:

The College, which is situated in the centre of Allahabad, has an excellent academic reputation.

Read this Also: Vocabulary and Usage in English Grammar

In this example, the part of the sentence between the commas is designed to add extra information to the statement about the college.

A comma is not always used with words like ‘who’ or ‘which’. See the following example:

I like lecturers who give high grades for my work.

In this example, the meaning is derived from linking up the ‘lecturers’ and ‘who give high grades’, not from separating out these two parts of the sentence.

Try reading this sentence with a comma (pause) before the word ‘who’. Does the sentence make sense with this comma? Punctuation and Spellings

Some words or phrases (in traditional grammar, at least!) expect a comma after they have been used: e.g. However, nevertheless, for example, etc.

Colons and Semi-Colons

Colons should be used only:

To introduce a list. For example:

An essay usually includes the following components: an introduction, a main body of text and a conclusion.

To show a link between the units of meaning, like a hinge. For example:

The results of the referendum were very clear: there was a need for change in policy.

Semi-colons are extremely useful in long sentences, but be careful not to over-use them. They are typically used as follows:

In the library there were several students reading journal articles; a couple of lecturers checking the stock, and a librarian returning books to the shelves.

To provide a break in a sentence, while showing the relationship between the two parts. For example:

Night was falling; he knew all was lost.

To express an idea which is too short to merit a new sentence. Punctuation and Spellings

For example:

Wherever possible, students should try to organize their academic work by using ‘planning tools’; these can help to clarify ideas.

In some cases semi-colons are followed by linking words, as in:

They were unsure about the outcome of the assignment they were about to undertake; nevertheless, they would try their best.

The semi-colon can be a powerful tool in helping you to organize your writing, and present your ideas clearly and meaningfully. However, it will lose its effectiveness if over-used. Think carefully about how you will use it and remember to use it sparingly.

Apostrophes

Incorrect use of the apostrophe in students’ writing is a very common mistake, and very irritating! Apostrophes should be used:

When letters have been left out of a word. For example:

The library’s still open. (meaning “The library is still open.”)
It won’t be necessary. (meaning “It will not be necessary.”)

To show possession (belonging to). For example:

Einstein’s theory (meaning “The theory of Einstein”)

When you are using an apostrophe to show possession, then the position of the apostrophe depends on whether you have a singular or plural noun to denote the possessor.

In these examples, the apostrophe is attached to a singular noun:

That pen is Simon’s.
Jasmine’s examination papers

In these cases, apostrophe ‘s’ is added after the noun to show possession.

This is the correct position for a singular noun.

Note: there is no apostrophe in the word “papers” above – this is because this is a simple plural– there are no letters missing and no possession is shown!

If the relevant noun is in the plural, the apostrophe is placed after the ‘s’:

The students’ belongings.
Psychologists’ theories have suggested.

Exceptions

Some words have unusual plural forms, such as children (plural of child), women (plural of woman). In these cases, because the plural is different from the singular, the apostrophe goes in the singular position, before the ‘s’.

For example:

The children’s party (not childrens’)

The women’s meeting (not womens’)

The really confusing exception is it.

It only takes an apostrophe to show a missing letter. For example:

It’s a shame (meaning “It is a shame.”).

The possessive form of ‘it’ is ‘its’ NOT ‘it’s’. The possessive of ‘it’ DOES NOT need an apostrophe

The company was falsely accused of maladministration. Its response was to threaten to sue.

Even though this looks as if the ‘it’ should have an apostrophe (because ‘it’ refers to the response that ‘belongs’ to the company), don’t do it! The simple rule is to only use an apostrophe with it when it means it is.

This is true for all possessive pronouns: yours, hers, ours, and theirs.

Spelling

Spelling is very important for a good academic writing. It requires a high degree of accuracy, and this is reflected in the quality of the writing.

Words where most spelling mistakes occur?

Words	How to use?
To and too	To is used with the infinitive (to watch, to run, etc.) or with an indirect object (I gave the book to the student) or as a preposition (The Manager ran to the Fire Exit) Too is an adverb – it adds information to a verb: ‘that athlete was too slow to win the race’. In addition, it can be used in the sense of also: ‘The teacher, too, was puzzled by this suggestion’.
Their, there and they’re	Their is a possessive form (something belonging to ‘them’) There is an adverb, indicating location (over there) They’re is a contraction of ‘they are’
It’s and its	It’s is a contraction of ‘it is’ Its is a possessive pronoun (it belongs to it: its properties, etc.)
Accept and except	Accept is a verb, meaning to receive something (I accept that gift, they accepted this idea) Except can be a verb, except it is often used as a preposition meaning ‘but’ (I would accept that idea, except it is wrong)
Affect and effect	Affect is a verb meaning to influence (Holiday arrangements have been badly affected by the weather conditions) Effect is the outcome of a chain of events (cause and effect)