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Tips to correctly use punctuation when writing essays

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Tips to correctly use punctuation when writing essays

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Commas (,): Use to separate items in a list, after introductory phrases, and before conjunctions in compound sentences. - Example: "She bought apples, oranges, and bananas." "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain."

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Example: However, I found some milk at another store.Sentence Enders: The period marks the end of a complete thought. It's like a full stop, signifying the reader can take a breath and move on to the next idea.

Example: The cat chased the mouse.

Abbreviations: Periods are used after most abbreviations (but not all!).

Examples: Mr., Dr., U.S.A. (but not Inc. or AM)

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The colon is used chiefly to introduce a list, quotation, or explanation following an independent clause (complete sentence). Use a colon at the end of a complete statement to introduce a list.

Examples:

-"She needed to buy three things: bread, milk, and eggs."

-"He made an important announcement: the project was a success."

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Parentheses (()): Use to add extra information or clarify. - Example: "The committee (which meets every Thursday) decided to postpone the event."

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The apostrophe is used to indicate possessive case, contractions, and omitted letters. The apostrophe is not strictly a punctuation mark, but more a part of a word to indicate possessive case, contractions, or omitted letters.

Examples:

-"John's book is on the table."

-"It's a beautiful day."

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Quotation marks are used primarily to enclose or set off exact words. They are used to indicate a person's exact written or spoken words, and in certain situations they are also used to set off words, phrases, or specific types of titles.

Examples:

-"She said, 'Meet me at the park.'"

-"We read 'The Road Not Taken' in class."

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Make puppets representing different punctuation marks (period, comma, question mark, etc.). Write a silly story with missing punctuation and have students act it out, inserting the correct puppets at the right moments.

Comment one of your classmates' post.

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Dashes (– or —): Use to add emphasis, indicate an interruption, or set off additional information. - Example: "He was late to the meeting—again."

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Prepare a "picnic" with sentence strips on napkins or plates. Some sentences will have correct punctuation, while others will be missing it. Students can identify the correct sentences and enjoy a metaphorical picnic treat.

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Semicolons (;): Use to link closely related independent clauses or separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas. - Example: "She loves reading; he prefers watching movies."

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Create Bingo cards with squares containing different punctuation marks. Read sentences with missing punctuation. Students mark the square with the punctuation that fits the sentence.