Thursday, November 28, 2019
A Quick Guide to Punctuation
A QUICK GUIDE TO PUNCTUATION Punctuation may seem like a small thing: After all, whatââ¬â¢s so bad about one, teeny-tiny misplaced comma or the occasional wayward apostrophe? Nobody pays attention to à that stuff, right? Wrong. Bad punctuation ââ¬â whether itââ¬â¢s in your web copy, your newsletter, or even in an email to a prospective client ââ¬â is a credibility killer, plain and simple. In most cases, all it takes is a careful proofreading job to avoid common punctuation mistakes. Not sure when to use an apostrophe or where to place a comma? Read on for a quick guide to good punctuation: Plurals vs. Possessives This is one of the most common mistakes out there. A plural noun means ââ¬Å"more than oneâ⬠ââ¬â in most cases, you add an ââ¬Å"sâ⬠to the end of the word. For example: Most of my clients work in the oil and gas industry. In this sentence, weââ¬â¢re talking about more than one client. So, we add an ââ¬Å"sâ⬠. A possessive noun shows ownership ââ¬â you usually add an apostrophe and an ââ¬Å"sâ⬠. For example: My clientââ¬â¢s latest advertising campaign won an award. In this sentence, weââ¬â¢re talking about the advertising campaign that belongs to your client. So, itââ¬â¢s possessive. Commas Not sure if your sentence needs a comma? Youââ¬â¢re not alone. Commas are often misplaced, misused, and downright abused by well-intentioned folks who just didnââ¬â¢t know any better. Here are a few guidelines for when ââ¬â and how ââ¬â to use commas correctly. In lists, commas help keep information separate. For example: She put butter, milk, pancakes, and eggs on the table. Without the commas to separate the items, we wouldnââ¬â¢t be sure if we had ââ¬Å"buttermilkâ⬠or ââ¬Å"buttermilk pancakes.â⬠When using conjunctions, commas help prevent run-on sentences. For example: I went to the store, and then I went home. When you join two sentences (ââ¬Å"I went to the storeâ⬠and ââ¬Å"I went homeâ⬠), a comma helps keep your message clear. Keep in mind that if youââ¬â¢re not dealing with two complete sentences, you donââ¬â¢t need a comma. For example: Our products are great and affordable. You donââ¬â¢t need a comma because youââ¬â¢re not joining two complete thoughts (ââ¬Å"Our products are great.â⬠ââ¬â complete sentence. ââ¬Å"And affordableâ⬠ââ¬â not a complete sentence). The next time you post a blog or update your web copy, do a quick punctuation check to make sure that youââ¬â¢re not sending the wrong message. And, just for fun, my ââ¬Å"Bad Punctuation of the Weekâ⬠award goes to my apartment complex, who recently posted this sign at the entrance of the parking lot: ââ¬Å"TENANTââ¬â¢S PARKING ONLYâ⬠That lucky tenant. Wonder where the rest of us are supposed to park.
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