#separator:tab #html:false #tags column:4 period Ends a statement or command la-punctuation-rules question mark Ends a question la-punctuation-rules exclamation point Shows strong feeling or a shout la-punctuation-rules comma in a list Separate three or more items: red, blue, and green la-punctuation-rules comma after introductory words After words that begin a sentence: First, wash your hands la-punctuation-rules comma before a conjunction Join two complete sentences: I ran, and she walked la-punctuation-rules comma in direct address Separate a name: Maya, come here la-punctuation-rules comma in dates Between day and year: July 4, 1776 la-punctuation-rules comma in addresses Between city and state: Austin, Texas la-punctuation-rules comma in a letter greeting After Dear Sam la-punctuation-rules comma after yes or no Yes, I will la-punctuation-rules comma with quotations Separate a speaker from the quote: She said, "Hello" la-punctuation-rules comma with appositive Sets off a renaming phrase: My dog, Rex, barks la-punctuation-rules semicolon Joins two closely related complete sentences la-punctuation-rules semicolon in a list Separates items that already contain commas la-punctuation-rules colon before a list After a full statement: You need three things: a pen, paper and time la-punctuation-rules colon in time Separates hours and minutes: 3:30 la-punctuation-rules colon after a business greeting Dear Sir or Madam: la-punctuation-rules apostrophe in a contraction Shows missing letters: can't la-punctuation-rules apostrophe for possession Shows ownership: Tom's hat la-punctuation-rules apostrophe never in plurals Plural of dog is dogs, not dog's la-punctuation-rules quotation marks Show a speaker's exact words la-punctuation-rules quotation marks for titles Short works: poems, songs, articles la-punctuation-rules italics or underline Titles of long works: books, movies, magazines la-punctuation-rules hyphen Joins words: well-known, twenty-one la-punctuation-rules hyphen at line end Splits a word between syllables la-punctuation-rules en dash Shows a range: pages 10-20 la-punctuation-rules em dash A strong break or interruption in a sentence la-punctuation-rules parentheses Enclose extra information la-punctuation-rules brackets Enclose added words inside a quote la-punctuation-rules ellipsis Three dots showing omitted words or a pause la-punctuation-rules slash Shows alternatives: and/or la-punctuation-rules Capital at start Every sentence begins with a capital letter la-punctuation-rules Period in abbreviation Mr., Dr., St. la-punctuation-rules Comma splice Do not join two sentences with only a comma la-punctuation-rules Quotation ending Periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark la-punctuation-rules Question inside quotation Question mark inside if the quote is the question la-punctuation-rules Dialogue paragraphs Start a new paragraph when a new person speaks la-punctuation-rules Colon vs. semicolon Colon introduces; semicolon joins la-punctuation-rules Oxford comma The comma before and in a list: apples, pears, and plums la-punctuation-rules Comma between adjectives Use when you can swap the order or put and between: a tall, strong tree la-punctuation-rules Comma before a tag question You are coming, aren't you? la-punctuation-rules Commas with nonessential phrases Set off extra information: My sister, who is ten, swims la-punctuation-rules Run-on fix Use a period, semicolon or conjunction la-punctuation-rules Exclamation overuse Use sparingly so it keeps its power la-punctuation-rules Possessive of plural nouns Add an apostrophe after the s: the dogs' bowls la-punctuation-rules Possessive of names ending in s Add 's or just an apostrophe: James's or James' la-punctuation-rules