Page 1 of 11

Basic Punctuation
Correct punctuation is essential for clear and effective writing. The following list contains
some of the most critical punctuation rules.
1. Commas;-
Commas separate parts of a sentence. They also tell readers to pause between words,
and they can clarify the meanings of sentences.
•Commas are used to separate three or more words or phrases in a series.
EXAMPLE: Practice will be held before school, in the afternoon, and at night.
•Commas are used after introductory words and introductory dependent clauses
(groups of words before the subject of a sentence that do not form complete
sentences).
EXAMPLES:
If your friends enjoy Chinese food, they will love this restaurant.
Incidentally, I was not late this morning.
Hoping for a bigger fish, Rob spent three more hours fishing.
•Commas are used between independent clauses (groups of words with a subject and
verb that can stand alone as a sentence) joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so).
EXAMPLE: My dog had fleas, so we gave him a bath.
•Commas set off nonessential phrases or clauses.
EXAMPLE:
The man, I think, had a funny laugh.
Tanya, Debbie's sister, gave a brilliant speech last night.
See our Comma Rules handout for more information on independent and dependent
clauses.
End of Sentence Punctuation
End of sentence punctuation is used to let the reader know when a thought is finished.
2. Periods;-
A statement (or declarative sentence) is followed by a period.
EXAMPLE: Orem is the home of Utah Valley University.
3. Question Marks;-
A direct question (or interrogative sentence) is followed by a question mark.
EXAMPLE: When did Joe buy a red shirt?
Do not use a question mark after a declarative sentence that contains an indirect
question.
EXAMPLE: Marie wants to know when Joe bought a red shirt.
4. Exclamation Points;-
An exclamatory sentence is followed by an exclamation point.
Page 2 of 11

EXAMPLE: What a good movie!

Use exclamation marks sparingly because they can unnecessarily exaggerate sentences
or create an informal tone.
EXAMPLE: Monet was the most influential painter of his time! (Most emphasizes influential
painter; therefore, an exclamation point is not needed.)
5. Semicolons;-
Semicolons are used to separate clauses or phrases that are related and that receive
equal emphasis.
•Semicolons join independent clauses in a compound sentence if no coordinating
conjunction is used.
EXAMPLE: Michael seemed preoccupied; he answered our questions abruptly.
•Semicolons are used before a conjunctive adverb (transition word) that joins the
clauses of a compound sentence.
EXAMPLE: The emergency room was crowded; however, Warren was helped immediately.
•Semicolons help avoid confusion in lists where there are commas within the listed
items.
EXAMPLE: We traveled to London, England; Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; and Sofia,
Bulgaria.
6. Colons;-
• Colons follow independent clauses and are used to call attention to the information
that comes after them.
EXAMPLE:
Joe has only one thing on his mind: girls. (word)
Joe has only one thing on his mind: the girl next door. (phrase)
Joe has only one thing on his mind: he wants to go out with Linda. (clause)
Joe has several things on his mind: his finals, his job, and Linda. (list)
•Never use a colon after a verb that directly introduces a list.
INCORRECT: The things on Joe’s mind are: finals, work, and Linda.
CORRECT: The things on Joe’s mind are finals, work, and Linda.
7. Hyphens;-
Hyphens are used to form compound words and to join prefixes, suffixes, and letters to
words.
•Use hyphens with compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine and with
fractions used as modifiers.
EXAMPLES:
forty-two applicants
two-thirds majority (Two-thirds is an adjective modifying majority.)
three-fourths empty (Three-fourths is an adverb modifying empty.)
Page 3 of 11

two thirds of the voters (Two thirds is not being used as an adjective here because
thirds is a noun being modified by two.)
•Use hyphens in a compound adjective only when the adjective comes before the word
it modifies. However, some compound adjectives are always hyphenated, such as well-
balanced. Look up compound adjectives in the dictionary if you are unsure whether or
not to hyphenate them.
EXAMPLES:
a well-liked author
an author who is well liked
a world-renowned composer
a composer who is world renowned
•Use hyphens with the prefixes ex-, self-, and all-; with the suffix -elect; and with all
prefixes before a proper noun or proper adjective.
EXAMPLES:
all-star
ex-mayor
pro-Canadian
senator-elect
anti-Semitic
non-European
self-control
self-image
8. Dashes;-
•In the middle of a sentence, a dash can put special emphasis on a group of words or
make them stand out from the rest of the sentence.

NO DASHES: Simpson's prescription for the economy, lower interest rates, higher
employment, and less government spending, was rejected by the president's
administration.
WITH DASHES: Simpson's prescription for the economy—lower interest rates, higher
employment, and less government spending—was rejected by the president's
administration.
•The dash can also be used to attach material to the end of a sentence when there is a
clear break in the sentence or when an explanation is being introduced.
EXAMPLES: The president will be unable to win enough votes for another term of office—
unless, of course, he can reduce unemployment and the deficit soon.
It was a close call—the sudden gust of wind pushed the helicopter to within inches of
the power line.
Page 4 of 11

9. Parentheses;-
•Parentheses section off additions or expressions that are not necessary to the sentence.
They tend to de-emphasize what they section off.
EXAMPLE: We visited several European countries (England, France, Spain) on our last trip.
•Parentheses enclose figures within a sentence.
EXAMPLE: Grades will be based on (1) participation, (2) in-class writing, and (3) exams.
•When parentheses are used to enclose an independent sentence, the end punctuation
belongs inside the parentheses. When the parentheses enclose part of the sentence,
however, the punctuation belongs outside the parentheses.
EXAMPLES:
Mandy told me she saw Amy’s new car. (I saw Amy’s car before Mandy.) She said it was
a nice car.
Mandy told me she saw Amy’s new car (which I had already seen). She said it was a nice
car.
10. Apostrophes;-
Apostrophes are used to show possession and to form contractions.
Possessives
•To show possession, add an apostrophe and an -s to singular nouns or indefinite
pronouns that end in one or body.
EXAMPLES: Susan's wrench, anyone's problem
•Add only an apostrophe for plural possessive nouns ending in -s.
EXAMPLES: my parents' car, the musicians' instruments
•Add an apostrophe and an -s for plural possessive nouns that do not end in -s.
EXAMPLES: the men's department, my children's toys
•Add an apostrophe and an -s for singular possessive nouns that end in -s.
EXAMPLES: Chris's cookbook, the business's system
•Do not use an apostrophe with possessive personal pronouns including yours, his, hers,
its, ours, their, and whose.
•Apostrophes show where letters have been omitted in contractions.
EXAMPLES:
I am= I'm
I have = I've
who is = who's
let us = let's
cannot = can't
he is, she is, it is = he's, she's, it's
you are = you're
they are = they're
Page 5 of 11

Note: It's is a contraction for it is; its is a possessive pronoun even though it doesn’t
have an apostrophe.
11. Quotation Marks;-
• Quotation marks enclose the exact words of a person (a direct quotation).
EXAMPLE: Megan said, "Kurt has a red hat." •
Do not use quotation marks around a paraphrase (using your own words to express the
author’s ideas) or a summary of the author's words.
EXAMPLE: Megan said that Kurt’s hat was red.
•Quotation marks set off the titles of magazine articles, poems, reports, and chapters
within a book in MLA. (Titles of books, magazines, plays, and other whole publications
should be italicized in MLA.)
EXAMPLE: "The Talk of the Town" is a regular feature in Time magazine.
 Quotation Marks with Other Punctuation
•Place periods and commas inside quotation marks, except when citations follow.
EXAMPLES:
Aida said, “Aaron has a blue shirt.”
Aida said, “Aaron has a blue shirt,” but I think it might be green.
Jong writes, “Potatoes may inhibit weight loss in some patients” (4).
•Place semicolons and colons outside quotation marks.
EXAMPLE: He calls me his "teddy bear"; I'm not a bear.
•Place question marks or exclamation points inside the quotation marks if they
punctuate the quotation only.
EXAMPLE: "Are we too late?" she asked.
•Place question marks or exclamation points outside the quotation marks if they
punctuate the entire sentence.
EXAMPLE: Why did she say, "We are too late"?
Quotation marks enclose the exact words of a person (a direct quotation).
 Page 6 of 11

PARTS OF SENTENCE

A sentence has two parts ;

Subject and predicate

• Ali goes to school.

Subject predicate

• Lahore is a big city.

Subject predicate

THE SUBJECT ;-

A word or a group of words in a sentence about which any information is given called
subject.

Kinds of subjects

I. Complete subject

• The subject with all its words is called complete subject .A complete subject
may have one or more than one word.

Examples

• The principal of our college is a rich man.

• The manager of our factory announces bonus for the labour.

• Lahore is called the city of gardens.

In the above given examples the italicized; The principal of our college, The manager
of our factory and Lahore are complete subjects.

II. Simple subject

The key word in the complete subject is called simple subject.

Examples

• The principal of our college is a rich man.

• The manager of our factory announces bonus for the labour.

 Page 7 of 11

• In the above given examples the italicized;The principal and the manager are
simple subjects.

III. Compound subject

A compound subject consists of two or more words which are joined by using
conjuntion.

Examples

• Ali and Aslam are good players.

• The principal and the members of staff are attending the meeting .

• Her shoes and ankles were covered with mud.

In the above given examples the italicized; Ali and Aslam ,The principal and the
members of staff and Her shoes and ankles are compound subjects.

THE PREDICATE ;-

The part of the sentence that says something about the subject is called predicate.

Ali goes to school.

Subject predicate

Kinds of predicates

I. Complete predicate

The predicate with all its words is called complete predicate.A complete predicate may
have one or more than one word .

Examples

• They laughed.

• They built a new house.

• Ali wrote a letter.

• In the above given examples the italicized l aughed, built,a new

house and wrote a letter are complete predicates.

II. Simple predicate

Page 8 of 11

• The verb in the complete predicate is called simple predicate.

Examples:

• He prefers milk to tea.

• They built a new house.

• Ali wrote a letter.

In the above given examples the italicized;prefers, built and wrote are simple
predicates.

III. Compound predicate

A compound predicate consists of two verbs which are joined by conjunction.

Examples:

• Ali wrote the letter and posted it.

• We completed our work and went home.

• He wrote a book and published it

• In the above given examples the italicized; wrote the letter and posted
it,completed our work and went home and wrote a book and published it are
compound predicates.
Page 9 of 11

PARAGRAPH WRITING
PARAGRAPH
Definition :-
A paragraph is a number of sentences grouped together and relating to one topic; or, a
group of related sentences that develop a single point. There is, therefore, no rule as to the
length of paragraphs. They may be short or long according to the necessity of the case. A
paragraph may consist of a single sentence, or of many sentences.
The Structure of a Paragraph
•Topic Sentence (T.S.)
•Supporting Sentences (S.S.)
•Closing Sentence (C.S)
 Topic Sentence (Main Idea)
•Is usually at the beginning of a paragraph.
•Expresses the main idea of the paragraph.
•Provides additional information related to the characteristics of the paragraph (narrative,
expository, descriptive, and persuasive).
 Supporting Sentences
•Provide information that strengthens the topic sentence.
•Typically consist of a minimum of three sentences.
•Illucidate the main idea by explaining, describing, stating a consequence or providing
examples.
 Closing Sentences
•Tell the reader that your paragraph is ending.
•Summarize the discussion of your paragraph.
•Include the keypoints of your paragraph.
•Create a transition to the next paragraph.
•Are also called concluding sentences.
PRINCIPLES OF PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
1. UNITY:- The first and most important principle to be observed in constructing a
paragraph is that of Unity. Just as each sentence deals with one thought, each
paragraph must deal with one topic or idea- and with no more than one. And
every sentence in the paragraph must be closely connected with the main topic of the
paragraph.
2.ORDER:- The second principle of paragraph construction is Order - that is, logical
sequence of thought or development of the subject. Events must be related in the order
of their occurrence, and all ideas should be connected with the leading idea and
arranged according to their importance or order.
3.VARIETY:- A third principle of paragraph construction is Variety; by which is meant
that, to avoid monotony, the paragraph of composition should be of different lengths,
and not always of the same sentence construction.
Page 10 of 11

Summary Writing
Writing summaries is a very important but challenging skill. Summarizing is also
a very common academic activity. Teachers and professors often require summary
papers because when we clearly summarize a reading, we show that we have clearly
interpreted and understood it. Writing a summary of a reading is also an excellent way
to remember what we have read because it helps us to focus on the author’s main ideas.
A summary is basically a shorter version of a reading. Summaries are one-tenth
to one-fourth the length of the original. When you summarize, first find the author’s
main idea of the whole reading (thesis) and main supporting idea in each paragraph.
Leave out small, unimportant details and examples. Then paraphrase those ideas, which
means write those ideas in your own words. Since you are writing the author’s main
ideas in your own words, a summary is really a collection of paraphrases.
 BASIC STEPS IN WRITING A SUMMARY
1. Find the one main idea (thesis) for the entire reading.
2. Find the main supporting ideas in the reading. Usually, each paragraph has one
main supporting idea.
3. Make an outline of the reading that includes all of the main ideas.
4. Use your outline to write a draft of your summary. Make sure that you
paraphrase (don’t copy) the author’s ideas.
5. Add an introductory sentence at the beginning. This will include the author’s
thesis. (See below.)
6. Add a concluding sentence at the end. (See below.)
7. Compare your summary with the “Summary Checklist.”
8. Revise your draft for grammar and clarity.
 WRITE AN INTRODUCTORY SENTENCE
You must give credit to the author, which means you must tell us who wrote the
original reading. In the U.S. academic world, we must always give credit to original
authors. If we don’t, it is considered plagiarism or stealing.
The introductory sentence includes the title of the reading in quotation marks, the
author’s first and last name, and the author’s thesis.
Example:
In the article “The Urge to Explore,” David Dobbs claims that the desire to
explore our world is essential to human nature.
(Note that the comma goes inside the quotation marks. Periods also go inside
quotation marks.)
 WRITE A CONCLUDING SENTENCE
The last sentence of your summary should be a concluding sentence that gives the
Page 11 of 11

summary a sense of closure. You might find a good sentence to paraphrase for this in
the last paragraph of the reading.
Example: The human species is curious, and we explore just to see what we can find.
 MENTION THE AUTHOR’S NAME AGAIN
You need to mention the author’s last name at least one more time near the end of
your summary. This reminds us that you are summarizing the ideas of someone else.
Examples:
Dobbs goes on to say…
Dobbs also points out that…
Dobbs concludes by saying…
 LEAVE OUT DETAILS AND YOUR OPINION
Only write the main ideas, not details. Don’t add your own ideas or opinion.
Example of deleted detail:
“…people long ago who had explored…this vast ocean without any of the
navigational tools…”
 LENGTH
In most academic reading, each body paragraph has one main supporting idea.
Therefore, your summary will consist of one sentence for each body paragraph plus one
introductory sentence and one concluding sentence.
 FINAL TIPS
If you don’t understand the reading, you won’t be able to write a good summary.
Spend lots of time with the reading and make sure you understand it before you start
writing your summary.
Write your summary in paragraph format. Use transitions to create a smooth,
clear summary.