Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Nikolas Baron/@Grammarly
” Ignorant people think it’s the noise which fighting cats make that is so aggravating, but it ain’t so; it’s the sickening grammar they use.” -Mark Twain
As we all know, grammar and punctuation can make or break a story. The way I see it, any writer can benefit from getting back to the basics.
I am pleased to feature Nikolas Baron from the Grammarly Marketing team to talk about basic punctuation. Nick says,
“Grammarly is one of the best websites to learn punctuation and grammar because of their teaching tools and grammar check. The grammar check especially helps to correct your most common errors and teach you how to avoid them. Always remember that even as a beginning writer, using a grammar check, monitoring punctuation, and cleaning up your syntax pays off in the end.”
Welcome Nick!
Basic Punctuation Every Beginning Writer Needs to Know
Those who don’t write think many good writers just sit down at a computer and compose perfect prose. They presume the ideas flow freely and the punctuation and grammar just come naturally without any work. As someone who writes for a living and frequently researches writing techniques, I can tell you that becoming well-versed in English grammar and punctuation is hard work. When I was in elementary school, poor grammar and punctuation kept me from receiving A’s on essays. Even as a child, I found it extremely frustrating. I made a vow that in middle school I would clean up my English syntax act and get A’s on my essays. From there, I received almost all A’s on my essays and constantly worked to improve my grammar and punctuation.
Beginning writers need to remember that good writing starts with mechanics. You can have all the best short story, article, and book ideas, but if you fail to practice good writing techniques and mechanics, nobody will ever pick up your work.
However, what are the basic pieces of the puzzle that are necessary to write perfect prose?
1) Commas: A comma, at its most basic, is used to indicate a pause in a sentence. When it comes to commas, one of the most important items of information to know is the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause. An independent clause has a subject and a verb and can stand by itself as a complete sentence. A dependent clause also has a subject and a verb but can’t stand on its own because it is an incomplete sentence. Commas can join independent clauses and dependent clauses, but consider the following as to where they should be used:
- Joining two independent clauses by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, nor, so)
- Using a comma after an introductory phrase, prepositional phrase, or dependent clause
- Using a comma to separate items in a series or list
- Using a comma between coordinate adjectives
- Using a comma after a transitional element (however, therefore, nonetheless, also, otherwise, finally, instead, thus, of course, above all, for example, in other words, as a result, on the other hand, in conclusion, in addition)
- Using a comma with quoted words
- Using a comma in a date, number, personal title, or separating city and state
2) Semicolons: Like the comma, a semicolon is used to connect independent and dependent clauses and causes a pause in the sentence; however, it is a stronger piece of punctuation. It links closely connected ideas and also separates long clauses that would be confusing using a comma. Consider the following uses when you’re thinking of using a semicolon:
- Linking two independent clauses with similar ideas
- Linking clauses connected by conjunctive adverbs or transitional phrases to connect closely related ideas (in fact, for example, that is, for instance, in addition, in other words, on the other hand, even so)
- Link lists where the items contain commas to avoid confusion between list items or clauses
- Joining items in a series that already has commas
3) Colons: A colon is used to point out to the reader that what follows proves, explains, defines, describes, or lists elements in the previous sentence. A complete sentence always precedes a colon, but the items after a colon may not always be complete sentences. Consider the following as examples of when to use a colon:
- Joining two independent clauses to emphasize the second clause
- Using a colon after an independent clause when it is followed by a list, quotation, appositive, or other idea directly related to the independent clause
- Using a colon at the end of a letter greeting
4) Em dash and En dash: An en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen and used in place of a hyphen when combining two items. An en dash can also replace “to” between numbers. An em dash can be used in place of a colon, comma, semicolon, or parentheses. It indicates added emphasis, interruption, or an abrupt change of thought. A great place for a detailed explanation of this topic can be found here.
Author’s Bio:
Nikolas discovered his love for the written word in Elementary School, where he started spending his afternoons sprawled across the living room floor devouring one Marc Brown children’s novel after the other and writing short stories about daring pirate adventures. After acquiring some experience in various marketing, business development, and hiring roles at internet startups in a few different countries, he decided to re-unite his professional life with his childhood passions by joining Grammarly’s marketing team in San Francisco. He has the pleasure of being tasked with talking to writers, bloggers, teachers, and others about how they use Grammarly’s online proofreading application to improve their writing. His free time is spent biking, traveling, and reading.
Website http://www.grammarly.com/
blog: http://www.grammarly.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Grammarly
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grammarly
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Thank you Nick for introducing us to Grammarly and for reviewing these basic punctuation rules for all writers.
How about you? Do you struggle with punctuation? What writing resources have helped you with grammar and punctuation?
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Next Week:
Monday, June 23: “What a Nonagenarian Javelin Thrower Can Teach Us About Memoir Writing by Debra Eve”