Plagarized Punctuation Guide #3
I give credit, though. This is from https://allthingsfreelancewriting.com/blog/punctuation-guide/
The article is just too good not to share. More next time and the two before.
If you’re thinking, “Quotation marks aren’t confusing,” hold my beer. Just kidding, but they can get a bit tricky — especially when you’re dealing with quotes inside quotes. Here’s a quick look at single and double quotation marks.
**Disclaimer: The rules on quotation marks change depending on whether you’re writing in UK or US English. In US English, the default is the double quotation marks (“quote”). In UK English, the default is single marks (‘quote’).
How to type quotation marks
Both single and double quotation marks are on the same key to the right of the colon and semicolon. The single quote is default and the double requires you to push the shift key.
Double quotation marks
You are likely familiar with double quotation marks. They are used to signal that a piece of text is a quote from a person aside from the writer. For example:
- “By paying off your credit cards, you can improve your credit score,” said Cindy Truman, CFP at Sixty Five Finance.
Double quotation marks are also used to emphasize the titles of shorter pieces of work such as articles, episodes of TV shows, and poems.
- I think the best episode of Friends is “The Last One.”
Finally, double quotation marks can signal to readers that you’re using a word in a sarcastic or ironic way. This usage is known as sneer or scare quotes.
- His so-called “friend” stabbed him in the back.
Single quotation marks
Single quotation marks are used when you have a quote, a title, or a scare quote inside a quote. Here are a few examples:
- “I’m going to go to the ‘grocery store’ later today,” she said with a wink.
- “I love the Oscar Wilde quote, ‘Be yourself; everyone else is already taken,’” said John.
- “I think ‘The Road Not Taken’ is Robert Frost’s best poem,” Hank remarked.
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Plagarized Punctuation Guide #2
I give credit, though. This is from https://allthingsfreelancewriting.com/blog/punctuation-guide/
The article is just too good not to share. More next time and last time.
Now that we’ve covered dashes in-depth, let’s move on to colons and semicolons. Semicolons look a lot like colons, have similar uses, and are even located on the same computer key — no wonder so many people get them confused! But, they are different so let’s take a closer look at when to use each.
Colons
A colon looks like two stacked periods (:).
How to type a colon
The colon is found to the right of the “L” on the middle row of U.S. keyboards. It’s on the same key as the semi-colon and you must press shift along with the button to get the regular colon.
When to use a colon
Colons signal to readers that important information is coming, whether that’s a list, an example, a quote, or a noun or noun phrase. Here’s an example:
- In the words of Nelson Mandela: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Writers also use colons in article titles to tack on interesting subtitles as you can see below:
Much like an em dash, a colon can be used to connect two sentences in a way that adds emphasis. The second sentence will usually explain, demonstrate, or add extra detail to the first.
- Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get.
Semicolons
A semicolon looks like a period stacked on top of a comma (;).
How to type a semicolon
As mentioned above, the colon and semicolon share the same key to the right of the “L” key. To type a semicolon, simply tap that key. Easy peasy!
When to use a semicolon
Like colons, semicolons can be used to link two related sentences, but they don’t provide as much emphasis. They usually take the place of connecting words and conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so), as shown in the example below.
- I like ice cream; I eat it all the time.
Semicolons can also be used in conjunction with linking adverbs (e.g. however, likewise, further, also, besides).
- I would love to pursue a side hustle; however, I don’t think I have enough time.
Finally, you can use semicolons in lists to separate items that contain commas so readers don’t get confused.
- Recently I visited New Orleans, Louisiana; Mobile, Alabama; and Los Angeles, California.
Plagarized Punctuation Guide #1
I give credit, though. This is from https://allthingsfreelancewriting.com/blog/punctuation-guide/
The article is just too good not to share. More next time.
Dashes may seem pretty simple and straightforward. But did you know there are three main types — the en dash, em dash, and triple-em dash? Here, we’ll cover all three (plus the hyphen which can be easily confused with a dash).
- hyphen (-)
- en dash (–)
- em dash (—)
- triple em dash (— — —) [This one is new to me]
Hyphens
The hyphen (-) is not technically a dash, but it looks like a short one.
How to type a hyphen
Hyphens are easy to type as they have a dedicated key on U.S. keyboards that’s shared with the underscore.
When to use hyphens
Hyphens should be used when:
- A word has more than one syllable and is divided between two lines.
- You want to spell out a word letter by letter in your writing (g-o-o-d-b-y-e).
- You need to join two or more words to form compound adjectives before a noun (kind-hearted person).
- Two vowels make a word awkward (pre-elect).
- A lack of a hyphen would cause the word to be misread (re-creation).
- You write compound numbers (thirty-two).
- You want the text to be read as a stutter (I’m s-s-s-sorry).
- You use certain prefixes like all- and self- (self-sufficient).
- You use certain suffixes like -elect (president-elect).
En dashes
The en dash (–) is a dash that’s the length of the letter “n.”
How to type an en dash
You can type an en dash on a Mac by pressing the “option” key and the hyphen key at the same time. On Windows, press the “Alt” key, type 0150, and release the “Alt” key.
When to use en dashes
En dashes are used to replace the words “to” and “through” in ranges of numbers, spans of time, and scores. For example:
- I read chapters 1–3 of my book.
- The seasonal resort is open April–October.
- The Eagles are winning 21–19.
They’re also used if you’re writing a compound adjective and a hyphen doesn’t work. This often happens when the compound adjective is a proper noun. Here’s an example:
- She’s a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist.
You wouldn’t put a hyphen between Pullitzer and Prize so you add the en dash which tells the reader the two preceding words are part of the compound adjective.
Em dashes
Now, for the favorite of many writers — the em dash. Em dashes are longer dashes that are the length of the letter “m.”
How to type an em dash
To type an em dash on a Mac, press “option+shift+hyphen key” at the same time. Note, some mac keyboards have an “alt” key instead of the “option” key. On a PC, press “control+alt+hyphen key.”
If you have trouble, you can always head over to Google, search for em dash, and copy and paste the mark into your document.
When to use em dashes
Em dashes are a very versatile type of punctuation that can be used to replace other marks, such as parentheses or commas. They work well when you want to set information apart, mark an abrupt turn in a sentence, or expand on something without creating a run-on sentence.
Here are some examples:
- My favorite dress — which had beautiful floral appliques all over it — was destroyed in the wash.
- I love to cook — I’m always trying new recipes.
- We went to the lake and had a great day but — never mind, I don’t want to talk about it.
3-em dashes
The 3-em dash is created by typing the em dash three times in a row with spaces between each em dash (— — —)
When to use 3 em dashes
The 3-em dash is commonly used by journalists to signal that words have been left out or names have been omitted — like names of sources who don’t want to go on the record.
It can also be used to cite works by the same author in a Chicago format paper.
Another “Literal-Figurative” Lesson
You can look up more examples in the search box.
Any more I’d say would be literally unnecessary.
Copied from a friend on Facebook
Thanks, Wayne.
Vocabulary Tip: Unsolved mysteries are just mysteries.
We call this error a solecism, a pleonasm, or a redundancy. If you use either of those first two words with redundancy, it’s an example of itself!
Details:
- Solecism: any mistake in grammar
- Pleonasm: extra word
- Redundancy: saying the same thing twice unnecessarily
