Summary of "English punctuation rules (Comma, Period, Colon, Semicolon)"

Summary of “English punctuation rules (Comma, Period, Colon, Semicolon)”

This lesson, presented by Maddie from POC English, explains the importance of punctuation in English and covers the correct usage of commas, periods, colons, semicolons, and other related punctuation marks. The lesson emphasizes how punctuation affects the meaning of sentences and provides detailed rules and examples for each punctuation mark.

Main Ideas and Concepts

Importance of Punctuation: Punctuation changes the meaning of sentences and clarifies communication. Example:

“Let’s eat Grandma” vs. “Let’s eat, Grandma”
What is Punctuation? Punctuation includes marks such as period (full stop), question mark, exclamation mark, colon, semicolon, comma, and quotation marks.

Detailed Rules and Instructions

1. Period (Full Stop), Question Mark, Exclamation Mark

Used to end sentences.
The next sentence always starts with a capital letter.
Periods are also used after:
- Abbreviations (e.g., Mr., Mrs., Dr.)
- Academic degrees (BA, MA, PhD)
- Time notations (AM, PM)
- Initials in names (e.g., Chandler M. Bing)

2. Colon (:)

Used to introduce an explanation or extra information.
Used before lists.
Used before quotations.

Examples:

Explanation:

“There was a problem with the car: it was leaking petrol.”
List:

“Make sure you buy these fruits: apples, oranges, and tomatoes.”
Quotation:

The boy said: “I need to leave as soon as possible.”

3. Semicolon (;)

Used to connect two independent but closely related sentences.
Can replace a period but not a comma.

Examples:

“Some people prefer to work in the mornings; others do better in the evenings.”
“That is a great idea; we will start working on it as soon as possible.”

4. Comma (,)

Considered the most confusing punctuation mark.

Key Rules:

Do not use commas to separate parts of a simple sentence (subject, verb, object, adverb).
Adverbial Clauses: An adverbial clause is a dependent clause acting as an adverb, describing time, place, manner, reason, purpose, etc.
- Before the main sentence: use a comma after the adverbial clause. Example:
  
  “Due to the rise of environmental awareness, electric cars are replacing petrol vehicles.”
- After the main sentence: no comma needed. Example:
  
  “Electric cars are replacing petrol vehicles due to the rise of environmental awareness.”
- In the middle of the sentence: use commas before and after the adverbial clause. Example:
  
  “Electric cars, due to the rise of environmental awareness, are replacing petrol vehicles.”
Non-defining Relative Clauses: Provide extra, non-essential information. Use commas before and after the clause. Example:

“The house, which was built in 1994, has just been renovated.”
Conjunctions and Commas:

Two groups of conjunctions explained:

1. **FANBOYS:** (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)  
      - Use a comma before FANBOYS when connecting two independent clauses.  
 *Example:*  
 > "We tried everything, but nothing worked."

2. **WABBITS:** (When, Where, While, After, Before, Because, If, Though, Since)  
      - Can start a sentence.  
      - Use a comma after the clause when it begins the sentence.  
 *Example:*  
 > "When she arrived, we were all tired."

Lists:
- Use commas to separate items in a list.
- For lists of three or more items, do not use a comma before “and” (no Oxford comma). Example:
  
  “Buy apples, oranges and bananas.”

Summary of Punctuation Usage

Punctuation Usage Summary Period (.) Ends sentences; used in abbreviations, initials, academic degrees, time notations. Question Mark (?) Ends questions. Exclamation Mark (!) Ends exclamations. Colon (:) Introduces explanations, lists, quotations. Semicolon (;) Connects closely related independent clauses; stronger than a comma, weaker than a period. Comma (,) Separates clauses, items in lists, non-defining relative clauses, before FANBOYS conjunctions, after introductory WABBITS clauses, around adverbial clauses in the middle of sentences.