Chapter 16: Punctuation: Commas Are Our Friends 213 The Semicolon: Love Child of the Comma and the Period People are irrationally frightened of semicolons. I can understand being terrified of your mother and Pee Wee Herman, but semicolons? Pleeeze. These little guys wouldn't hurt a flea, even if they fell on it. • Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses. Example: Bigamy is one wife too many; monogamy is the same idea. • Use a semicolon between main clauses when the coordinating conjunction has been left out. Example: She planned to dye her hair purple; however, the store was out of grape Jell-O so she decided to pierce her navel instead. • Use a semicolon to join independent clauses when one or both clauses contains a comma. Example: After the sheep was cloned, the cows tried calling the tabloids; but they didn't get through. pie: We read "Tell-Tale Heart"; Example: Cloning sheep is a good j|j|f~ we re f use to s | eep a | one again _ idea; however, cloning ex-spouses, English teachers, or Freddy Kruger is not. >) Take My Word for It • Use a semicolon between main clauses connected by conjunctive adverbs such as however, nevertheless, \j% \ Pl Qce semicolons outside clos- moreover, for example, and consequently. ^ÊÊL in 9 q uotation marks. For exam- The Colon: What a Party Animal Even though the semicolon and the colon walk alike and talk alike, they are not alike. Unlike those annoying twins Patty and Cathy, the colon and the semicolon are not interchangeable. Here's how to use the colon. • Use a colon before a list. Example: The new ice-cream parlor offered a choice of the following flavors of the month: chicken fat ripple, pork and beans, and prime rib chip. l\k Partit: Tools of theTrade 9 Quoth the Maven V/ Often, the word following is used to introduce a list. Take My Word for It Place colons outside closing quotation marks. • Use a colon before a long quotation, especially a formal one. Example: Abraham Lincoln said: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." • Use a colon before part of a sentence that explains what has just been stated. Example: Life is a series of rude awakenings: It is what happens to you while you are making other plans. • Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter. Examples: Dear Mr. President:, To Whom It May Concern: • Use a colon to distinguish chapter from verse in a biblical citation, hours from minutes, titles from subtitles. Example: Song of Songs 4:15 Semi-Tough Add semicolons and colons as needed to complete each sentence. 1. Old postal carriers never die they just lose their zip. 2. Documented sightings of UFOs go back a long time in fact, the first sightings were reported in 1896. 3. Woodrow Wilson appears on the $100,000 bill Grover Cleveland appears on the $1,000 bill. 4. There are four dimensions width length depth and time. 5. Old magicians never die they just lose their hare. 6. Here's a fascinating fact about the writer Mark Twain Halley's Comet appeared when he was born in 1835 and again when he died, in 1910. Chapter 16: Punctuation: Commas Are Our Friends 215 Answers 1. Old postal carriers never die; they just lose their zip. 2. Documented sightings of UFOs go back a long time; in fact, the first sightings were reported in 1896. 3. Woodrow Wilson appears on the $100,000 bill; Grover Cleveland appears on the $1,000 bill. 4. There are four dimensions: width, length, depth, and time. 5. Old magicians never die; they just lose their hare. 6. Here's a fascinating fact about the writer Mark Twain: Halley's Comet appeared when he was born in 1835, and again when he died, in 1910. Quotation Marks: Quote/Unquote Nothing spices up your writing like a few juicy quotations. Just consider what a letter would be like without a little dialogue—as dry as rice cakes. Here's how to use these cute little partners in crime. • Use quotation marks to set off a speaker's exact words. Example: "Is that person a man or a woman?" we asked. • Use quotation marks to set off the titles of short works such as poems, essays, songs, short stories, and magazine articles. Example: "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" • Use single quotation marks to set off quoted material or the titles of short jgm^ /H* "^ works within a quotation enclosed by ^5*>v / Quoth the Maven — double quotation marks. \$T Place P eriod s and commas Example: As the wit said, "'Health' is the slowest possible rate of dying." • Use quotation marks to set off a defin- ition. Example: The word karaoke means "So you think you can sing? Think again." inside of the end quotation mark; place colons and semicolons out- side of the end quotation mark. Question marks and exclamation marks go inside or outside of the end quotation mark, depending on the meaning. 216 Part 4: Tools of the Trade A Little Dabba Do Ya Add quotation marks and commas as needed to make sense of the following joke: There once was a farmer who was raising three daughters on his own. He was very concerned about their well-being and always did his best to watch out for them. On one particular evening, all three girls were going out on dates. The farmer greeted each young suitor at the door holding his shotgun to show who was boss. The doorbell rang and the first of the boys arrived. The farmer answered the door and the lad said Hi my name's Joe I'm here to see Flo. We're going to the show. Is she ready to go? The father looked him over and sent the kids on their way. The next lad arrived and said My name's Eddie. I'm here to see Betty. We're gonna get some spaghetti. Do you know if she's ready? The father felt this one was okay so off the two kids went. The final young man arrived and the farmer opened the door. The boy began Hi my name's Chuck and the farmer shot him. Answer There once was a farmer who was raising three daughters on his own. He was very concerned about their well-being and always did his best to watch out for them. On one particular evening, all three girls were going out on dates. The farmer greeted each young suitor at the door holding his shotgun to show who was boss. The doorbell rang and the first of the boys arrived. The farmer answered the door and the lad said, "Hi, my name's Joe, I'm here to see Flo. Chapter 16: Punctuation: Commas Are Our Friends 217 We're going to the show. Is she ready to go?" The father looked him over and sent the kids on their way. The next lad arrived and said, "My name's Eddie. I'm here to see Betty. We're gonna get some spaghetti. Do you know if she's ready?" The father felt this one was okay, so off the two kids went. The final young man arrived and the farmer opened the door. The boy began, "Hi, my name's Chuck " and the farmer shot him. Not Separated at Birth: The Dash and the Hyphen (and Let's Add the Ellipsis for Fun) The dash and the hyphen are like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito: con- fused so often they are taken for each other. But like these two fine actors, the dash and the hyphen are not the same, no sireee. • A hyphen is one click on the keyboard: - • A dash is two clicks on the keyboard: — • An ellipsis is three spaced periods: Therefore, the dash is twice as long as the hyphen. That's not all; the dash and hyphen have totally different uses. Not to mention the ellipsis. Strictly Speaking You could make it through life fine and dandy without a dash, but you'd be the poorer for it. Like argyle socks, the dash shows flair and style. It creates rhythm and emphasis in your writing. The Dash: Long and Lean Basically, the dash is used to show emphasis. Here's how: • Use a dash to show a sudden change of thought. Example: An archaeologist—of course I don't mean you—is a person whose career lies in ruins. 218 ParU: Tools of ttieïrade • Use a dash before a summary of what is stated in the sentence. Example: Avoiding work, getting liposuction, becoming a finalist in the George Hamilton Cocoa Butter Open—everything depends on that trust fund. The Hyphen: Short and Sweet The hyphen, in contrast, is used to show a break in words. • Use a hyphen to show a word break at the end of a line. Example: When you finish The Complete Idiots Guide to Grammar and Style, Sec- ond Edition, your written work will be as sharp as your appearance. • Use a hyphen in certain compound nouns. Example: great-grandmother • Use hyphens in fractions and in compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety- nine. Examples: one-half, sixty-six The Ellipsis: Dot, Dot, Dot The ellipsis, in contrast, indicates a break in continuity. • Use an ellipsis to show that you have deleted words or sentences from a passage you are quoting. TON\ Danger, Will Robinson Don't use an ellipsis to show that words have been omit- ted from the beginning of a sen- tence. Just omit the words and keep right on going. Example: Abraham Lincoln said: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." • Use an ellipsis to show a pause or interruption. Example: "No," I said. "I I need my space." Parentheses and Brackets: Bosom Buddies Like hot dogs and heartburn, parentheses and brackets always come in pairs. But unlike tube steaks and burps, parentheses and brackets are not at all the same. Chapter 16: Punctuation: Commas Are Our Friends 219 • These are parentheses: ( ) • These are brackets: [ ] You use parentheses much more often than you use brackets. Follow these rules for using these marks of punctuation correctly. (Parentheses) Use parentheses to set off nonessential information. In essence, the information in the parentheses is a nonessential modifier; it gives the reader additional information that's by no means crucial. • Use parentheses to enclose additional information in a sentence. Example: Isn't a thesaurus an ancient reptile with an excellent vocabulary (see Chapter 16)? • Use parentheses to enclose numbers or letters. Example: Recipe for a great day: (1) Drive to the mall; (2) Whip out the charge card; (3) Shop 'til you drop. [Brackets] Use brackets for editorial clarification. And editorial clarification only. • Use brackets to enclose a comment that interrupts a direct quotation. Example: She said, "I helped Richard with his memos [in fact, she wrote them all] when he was pressed for time." Slash and Burn This is a slash (/). It's like a Green Acres TV marathon; you don't need it often, but when you do, nothing else will fit the bill. • Use slashes to separate lines of poetry. Leave a space before and after the slash to show when the line of poetry ends. Example: The opening of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" goes like this: "Whose woods these are / I think I know, / His house is in the village, though. / He will not see me stopping here / To watch his woods fill up with snow." 220 Part <t: Tools of the Trade • Use slashes to show choice. Example: Be sure to use the right temperature scale (Fahrenheit/Centigrade). • Use slashes in fractions or formulas. Example: Vz, 3 4 Apostrophes The apostrophe (') is used in three ways: • To show possession (ownership) • To show plural forms • To show where a letter or number has been omitted This is a snap in speech, but in writing it does present difficulties. This is especially true where the three different uses of the apostrophe overlap. The worst offenders are butchers who sell "pork chop's" or "hamburger's." It's still another reason to become a grammarian or a vegetarian. In the meantime, here are the rules for using apostrophes. 1. Use an apostrophe to show possession. • With singular nouns not ending in s, add an apostrophe and s. Examples: girl, girl's manuscript; student, student's ideas • With singular nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe and s. Examples: Charles, Charles's book; hostess, hostess's menu If the new word is hard to say, leave off the s. For example: James' book, Louis' menu. You won't get arrested by the grammar police for using your brain. • With plural nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe after the s. Examples: girls, girls' manuscript; students, students' ideas • With plural nouns not ending in s, add an apostrophe and s. Examples: women, women's books; mice, mice's tails Chapter 16: Punctuation: Commas Are Our Friends 221 2. Use an apostrophe to show plural forms. • Use an apostrophe and s to show the plural of a letter. Example: Mind your p's and q's. • Use an apostrophe and s to show the plural of a number. Example: Computers will be even more important in the late 1990's. • Use an apostrophe and s to show the plural of a word referred to as a word. Example: There are too many distracting like's and urn's in her speech. 3. Use an apostrophe to show where a let- ter or number has been omitted. • To show that letters have been left out of contractions. Examples: can't, won't, I'll • To show that numbers have been left out of a date. Examples: the 70s, the '90s You Could Look It Up Contractions are two words combined. When you contract words, add an apostro- phe in the space where the let- ters have been taken out. Example: does + not = doesn't Danger, Will Robinson Don't confuse contractions with possessive pronouns. Study this list. Contraction Possessive Pronoun it's (it is) its you're (you are) your they're (they are) their who's (who is) whose Once More, Dear Friends Rewrite each phrase to use an apostrophe. Example: the mood of my sister my sister's mood 1. the talents of Matt Damon 2. the courage of the police officer 222 ParU: Tools of theTrâde 3. the liberation of women 4. the union of the steelworkers 5. the books of Laurie Rozakis 6. the wages of the waiters Answers 1. Matt Damon's talents 2 the police officer's courage 3. women's liberation 4. steelworkers' union 5. Laurie Rozakis' books 6. waiters' wages The Least You Need to Know • Punctuation helps convey the meaning of your sentences to your readers. • Between sentences, the most common mark of punctuation is the period; within sentences, the most common mark is the comma. • Semicolons separate complete sentences; colons introduce lists. • Hyphens separate word parts; dashes separate sentence parts or sentences. • Godzilla is frightening; punctuation isn't. . she's ready? The father felt this one was okay so off the two kids went. The final young man arrived and the farmer opened the door. The boy began Hi my name's Chuck and the farmer shot. dates. The farmer greeted each young suitor at the door holding his shotgun to show who was boss. The doorbell rang and the first of the boys arrived. The farmer answered the door and the lad . ready?" The father felt this one was okay, so off the two kids went. The final young man arrived and the farmer opened the door. The boy began, "Hi, my name's Chuck " and the farmer