FULL STOPS

My name is Marion Field I’m a freelance writer and I write articles for various magazines I live near several motorways so I can easily drive around the country to do my research the airport is also near me I love travelling and I’ve visited many different parts of the world this gives me the opportunity to write travel articles I enjoy taking photographs.

There are no full stops in the above passage so it would be very difficult to read.

Writing it correctly

The correct version with full stops follows.

My name is Marion Field. I’m a freelance writer and I write articles for various magazines. I live near several motorways so I can easily drive around the country to do my research. The airport is also near me. I love travelling and I’ve visited many different parts of the world. This gives me the opportunity to write travel articles. I enjoy taking photographs.

Because the passage has now been broken up into sentences, it makes sense. Each statement is complete in itself and the full stop separates it from the next one.

COMMAS

Look at the following:

She entered the library, it was crowded with people, she didn’t know any of them and she wished she’d stayed at home, she felt so lonely.

Here is the corrected version:

She entered the library. It was crowded with people. She didn’t know any of them and she wished she’d stayed at home. She felt so lonely.

Commas have a particular role to play but they can never take the place of full stops. Full stops are used to separate sentences, each of which should make complete sense on its own. Each one must be constructed properly and end with a full stop.

Commas can be used to separate items in a list. In this case the last item must be preceded by ‘and’:

Johnny played hockey, soccer, rugby, lacrosse and tennis.

not:

Johnny played hockey, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, tennis.

Commas can be used to separate a list of main clauses. The last one must also be preceded by ‘and’.

Kit was listening to her Walkman, David was trying to do his homework, Mum was feeding the baby and Dad was reading the paper.

If the ‘and’ had been missed out and a comma used instead after ‘baby’, it would have been wrong. Here is the incorrect version:

Kit was listening to her Walkman, David was trying to do his homework, Mum was feeding the baby, Dad was reading the paper.

Look at the following example:

The sea was calm, the sun was shining, the beach was empty, Anne felt at peace with the world.

This is wrong because there is a comma after ‘empty’ instead of ‘and’. Here is the correct version.

The sea was calm, the sun was shining, the beach was empty and Anne felt at peace with the world.

If you begin a sentence with a conjunction, use a comma to separate the dependent clause from the main. In the previous sentence ‘if is a conjunction and there is a comma after ‘conjunction’.

Here are two more examples with the conjunctions underlined. Notice where the comma is placed:

Because it was raining, we stayed inside.

As the sun set, the sky glowed red.

Commas are also used to separate groups of words which are in the middle of the main sentence as in the following sentence:

Clive, who had just changed schools, found it difficult to adjust to his new surroundings.

‘Clive’ is the subject of the sentence and ‘who had just changed schools’ says a little more about him so therefore it is enclosed by commas. It is a dependent clause.

If commas are missed out, the sense of the sentence is sometimes lost or it has to be read twice. Sometimes the meaning can be changed by the placing of the comma. Look at the following:

As mentioned first impressions can be misleading.

The positioning of the comma could change the meaning:

As mentioned, first impressions can be misleading.

As mentioned first, impressions can be misleading.

Questions

Here is another example of the use of a comma:

I don’t like her dress, do you?

A comma is always used before expressions like ‘do you?’, ‘don’t you?’, ‘isn’t it?’, ‘won’t you?’ These are usually used in dialogue. There will be more about this in the next chapter.

‘You will come to the play, won’t you?’

‘I’d love to. It’s by Alan Ayckbourn, isn’t it?’

Names

A comma should also be used when addressing a person by name. This would also be used in dialogue:

‘Do be quiet, Sarah.’

‘John, where are you?’

Direct speech

Always use a comma to separate direct speech from the rest of the sentence unless a question mark or an exclamation mark has been used. There will be more about direct speech in the next chapter.

He pleaded, ‘Let’s go to McDonalds.’

‘I can’t,’ she replied.

THE SEMI-COLON

The semi-colon is a useful punctuation mark although it is not used a great deal. It can be used when you don’t feel you need a full stop; usually the second statement follows closely on to the first one. Don’t use a capital letter after a semi-colon.

It was growing very dark; there was obviously a storm brewing.

The idea of ‘a storm’ follows closely the ‘growing very dark’. A full stop is not necessary but don’t be tempted to use a comma. A semi-colon can be used to separate groups of statements which follow naturally on from one another:

The storm clouds gathered; the rain started to fall; the thunder rolled; the lightning flashed.

A semi-colon can also help to emphasise a statement:

The thieves had done a good job; every drawer and cupboard had been ransacked.

The strength of the second statement would have been weakened if a conjunction had been used instead of a semi-colon. Look at the altered sentence:

The thieves had done a good job because every drawer and cupboard had been ransacked.

A semi-colon can also be used when you wish to emphasise a contrast as in the following sentence:

Kate may go to the disco; you may not.

‘You may not’ stands out starkly because it stands alone.

THE COLON

A colon can be used for two purposes. It can introduce a list of statements as in the following sentence:

There are three good reasons why you got lost: you had no map, it was dark and you have no sense of direction.

Like the semi-colon, you need no capital letter after it. It can also be used to show two statements reinforcing each other:

Your punctuation is weak: you must learn when to use full stops.

THE DASH

A dash is used for emphasis. What is said between dashes – or after the dash if there is only one – is more emphatic than if there were no dash. If you break your sentence in the middle to make an added point, use a dash before and after it:

Janice, Elaine, Maureen, Elsie – in fact all the girls – can go on the trip to London.

If the added section is at the end of the sentence, only one dash is needed:

This is the second time you have not done your English homework – or any of your homework.

THE QUESTION MARK

The question mark is obviously placed at the end of a question. Do remember to put it there. Students frequently miss it out through carelessness.

Is it raining?

You won’t go out in the rain, will you?

If you are using direct speech, the question mark takes the place of the comma and is always placed inside the inverted commas.

‘When is your interview?’ asked Lucy.

‘Are you travelling by train?’ queried John.

THE EXCLAMATION MARK

The exclamation mark should be used rarely or it loses its impact. It should not be used for emphasis; your choice of words should be sufficient. It is used in direct speech – again in place of a comma – when the speaker is exclaiming. There should always be an exclamation mark if the word ‘exclaimed’ is used:

‘I don’t believe it!’ he exclaimed.

However, the word ‘exclaimed’ is not always necessary. It can merely be suggested:

‘I can’t reach it!’ she cried.

In this example a comma could have been used but an exclamation mark is more appropriate.

The only other place where an exclamation mark can be used is where there is an element of irony in the statement. The speaker or writer comments with ‘tongue in cheek’. What is said is not literally true but is said to make a point:

Jean’s Christmas card arrived a year late. It had been on a trip round the world!

CHECKLIST

• A full stop should be used to separate statements that are complete in themselves.
• Commas should never be used instead of full stops.
• Use commas to separate words and groups of words in a list.
• Use a comma to separate the clauses if you begin a sentence with a conjunction or to separate groups of words within the main sentence.
• Use a comma before expressions like ‘isn’t it?’ and also when addressing someone by name.
• Use a comma to separate direct speech from the rest of the sentence.
• Use semi-colons to separate clauses.
• Don’t forget to put the question mark after a question.

EXERCISES

Punctuate the following extracts:

• 1.John was furious he stormed out of the house slamming the door behind him never again would he try to help anyone he’d gone to see Peter to offer financial aid and Peter had angrily thrown his offer back in his face surely he could have shown some gratitude now he would be late for work and he had an early appointment with an important client.
• 2.The sun shone down from a brilliant blue sky the slight breeze ruffled the long grass the scent of roses was all around and the birds were twittering happily in the trees Emma who had been feeling sad suddenly felt more cheerful the summer had come at last hadn’t it while she wandered down the garden path she thought about the letter she’d received that morning.
• 3.The team those who were present lined up to meet the new manager they had had a bad season Clive hoped Brian would improve their chance of promotion at the moment the team was a disaster the goalkeeper never saw the ball until it was too late the defence players were too slow and the captain was indecisive.
• 4.I don’t believe it she exclaimed
  Why not he enquired
  Surely it could not be true why hadn’t she been told before it wasn’t fair why was she always the last to hear anything if she’d been the one going to New York she’d probably only have heard about it after she should have left why had Pat been offered the chance of a lifetime hadn’t she worked just as hard.

See pages 172-3 for suggested answers.