The following are general
guidelines in punctuation:
- Punctuation plays a vital role in helping a writer
communicate his/her message clearly and accurately. The use of punctuation
marks prevents ambiguity and makes our writing easy to comprehend.
- If punctuation mark does not help to make the meaning
of our text clear, it should be left out.
a) Full Stop or Period (.)
Full stop or
period is used
1.
at the end of a sentence that is not a question or an
exclamation:
-
The beggar is crying for help, but nobody helps him.
-
What did you make him cry?
-
Will you please come here!
2.
in abbreviations (sometimes):
-
e.g.
-
Mr.
b) Commas (,)
Commas
indicate a slight pause and are used to divide a sentence into several parts so
that it is easier to follow its meaning.
Commas
function in four ways: as introducers, as coordinators in compound sentences,
as inserters and as linkers.
1)
Introducers
A comma is
used after introductory words, phrases and clauses.
Word
: Furthermore, the show
was very amazing.
Phrase : Having studied very hard, he
passed the exam.
Clause : As my lecturer is explaining the
lecture, I have to listen to him.
Appositives : Victor, my friend is Sweden.
Teacher, my job is very interesting
and honorable profession.
2)
Coordinators
A
comma is used between two independent clauses joined by the coordinating
conjunctions such as and, but, yet, or, nor, for and so to form compound
sentence.
-
Bayu is friendly teacher, but he doesn’t love her
-
Ani loves Tony, but he does not love her.
-
I have a guitar, yet I cannot play it.
-
I will call you, or I will send you an SMS.
-
She does not go to Denpasar, nor does she go to Bandung.
-
The students did not pass the exam, for they did not study last night.
-
Dono is naughty boy, so I do not like him.
3)
Inserters
A
comma is used before and after words, phrases and clauses that are inserted
into the middle of a main clause.
Transitions
: The government, however, tries to enforce the law.
Television, for
example, has both positive and negative uses
Appositive : My
friend, Victor, is Sweden
Soekarno, the
first president of Indonesia,
is my favorite orator.
Nonrestrictive
Clause : Mr. Budi, who is narcissistic, teaches English.
4)
Linkers
A
comma is used (a) when adding words and phrases at the end of a sentence and
(b) when linking items in series.
Transitions
: The government tries to enforce the law, however.
The students felt
that the test was unfair, of course.
Items in a series : Teacher
asked his students to bring note book, pencil, eraser, and dictionary.
Listening
music, watching film, and playing games are my hobbies.
c) Semicolon (;)
Using
semicolon is not difficult if you remember that a semicolon (;) is more like a
period (.) than a comma. It is a very strong punctuation mark. Semicolons are
used in three places:
1)
Between two sentences that are closely connected in
idea.
2)
Before sentence connectors and some transitional
phrase.
3)
Between items in a series.
1)
Between Sentences
Use
a semicolon at the end of a sentence when the sentence is closely related in
meaning. You could also use a period, but when the sentences are connected in
meaning, it is better to use a semicolon.
-
Anna is intelligent; she has very strong willingness to
learn.
-
My sister always annoys me; I love her very much.
-
The students studied hard; they will have an
examination.
2)
Before Connectors
Use
a semicolon before connector such as furthermore,
however, otherwise, therefore and the like. You may also use a semicolon
before some transitional phrases such as for
example, as a result, that is, in fact, etc.
-
CR7 is great football player; furthermore, he is
very handsome.
-
He had smoked all his life; as a result, he died
of lung cancer.
3)
Between Items in a Series
Semicolons
may be used as well to separate items in a series, as long as some of the items
already contain commas.
-
I cannot make my mind up which book should be bought:
Writing I, with its nice cover and detail information; Writing II, with its
complete discussion and suitability for our writing class; or Writing III, with
its complete writing features and high proficiency level of writing mastery.
d)
Colons (:)
A
colon can be used in five ways:
1)
List
Use
colon to introduce a list
-
I need the following groceries: eggs, milk, and coffee.
-
There are a lot of techniques in teaching English:
EGRA, PPP. TPR, and three phases.
Note:
Do not use a colon to introduce a
list after the verb “to be” unless add the following or as follows.
-
To me, the most important things in love are pray,
affection, faith, fidelity, and understanding.
-
To me, the most important things in love are as
follows: pray, affection, faith, fidelity, and understanding.
2)
Long Quotation
Use
a colon to introduce a long quotation, which is a quotation longer than three
lines. This type
As
Penny Ur states in her book, A Course in Language Teaching:
The
abstract term motivation on its own is rather difficult to define. It is easier
and more useful to think in terms of the motivated learner, one who is willing
or even eager to invest effort in learning activities and to progress.
Learner’s motivation makes teaching and learning immeasurably easier and more
pleasant as well more productive.
3)
Subtitles
Use
a con between the main title and subtitle of a book, article or play.
-
The seventh book of Harry Potter: Harry Potter and The
Death Hallows has been published
-
The name of an
article from Bali Post “Debat Publik: Guru antara Profesi dan Pekerjaan”.
4)
Time
Use
a colon between the numbers for hours and minutes when indicating the time of
day.
-
Andy left home at 12:30.
-
Our plane will arrive at 10:15 in the morning.
5)
Formal Salutation
Use
a colon after the salutation of a formal letter.
-
Dear Professor Dumbledore:
-
Dear Sir:
-
To Whom It May Concern:
In
informal letters, a comma is more appropriate.
-
Dear Sir,
-
Dear Mom,
-
Darling,
e) Quotation Marks
Quotation
marks (“…”) have three basic functions:
1.
Direct Quote
Use
quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation that is shorter than three lines.
A direct quotation states the exact word of a speaker. Do not use quotation
marks with indirect speech. Punctuation with quotation marks can be a little
tricky. Here are some rules to follow:
a)
Period and comma go inside quotation marks.
“I
thought he was responsible,” he said, “but he isn’t.”
b)
Colon
and semicolon go outside quotation marks.
“Give
me liberty or give me death”: these are immortal words.
c)
Exclamation point and question marks go inside
quotation marks if they are a part of the quotation; otherwise, they go
outside.
-
“Is it eight o’clock?” she asked.
-
Did she say, “It’s eight o’clock”?
d)
When a quoted sentence is divided into two parts, the
second part begins with a lower case unless it is a new sentence.
-
My lecture said, “He likes Rambo when he said ‘live for
nothing or die for something’.”
-
“Would you like to see ’10,000 BC’ with me?” my friend
asked.
2.
Unusual Words
Use
quotation marks to enclose foreign words or words that are used in a special or
uncommon way.
-
“Melajah” is Balinese for “Studying”.
-
The “banquet” turned out to be no more than hot dogs
and soft drinks.
3.
Titles
Use
quotation marks to enclose the title of(a) articles from periodicals journals,
magazines, and newspapers; (b) chapters of books; (c) short stories; (d) poems;
and (e) songs.
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