Punctuation Archives

Punctuation

Punctuating a Series

When it comes to punctuation, not all series are created equal. On a discussion board I participate in (as part of Marcia Yudkin’s Marketing for More program), this sentence came up in a discussion about commas: I dropped the pickle jar, it rolled across the… continue reading

Punctuation

Punctuating a Restaurant Menu

Chris wrote me about the menu at Cliff’s Grill in Houston. He wants to make sure the punctuation is correct and sent me a brief description of the patty melt burger. Here it is: Patty Melt Beef patty, grilled onions and Swiss cheese, served on… continue reading

Years’ or Year’s or Years

Is it year’s, years’, or years? Well, all three are perfectly correct depending on the context. Here is the quick rundown: Years is the plural of the word “year” Example: It’s been three years since I last saw him. Year’s and Years‘ are used to express compound time.… continue reading

graphic introducing the placement of punctuation in quotes

Punctuation

Quotation Marks–Before or After?

I was teaching The Keys to Error-Free Writing in Vancouver, Washington, this week, and one of the hot topics was the placement of periods and commas with quotation marks. When we checked this site in class to see if I had written about the topic… continue reading

Punctuation

Commas With “And”

In a Business Writing Skills class last week, a participant raised a familiar question about the use of commas with the word and. She said: I learned the rule that you never use a comma with and. The word and takes the place of the… continue reading

Punctuation

Presidents vs Presidents’ Day

Is it “Presidents” Day or “Presidents’” Day? It’s both. The holiday actually celebrates the lives of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, the 1st and the 16th president of the US, respectively. Washington’s birthday is February 22. Lincoln’s birthday is February 12. Because the holiday celebrates… continue reading

Using Commas With Names and Greetings

Let’s take a look at commas with names and salutations, as we’ve been receiving various questions on the topic from our readers. Are There Commas After Greetings? Question: Do I have to use a comma with a person’s name when I say “Hi” or “Hello”?… continue reading

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Does Punctuation Go Inside or Outside of Quotation Marks?

The proper placement of questions marks inside and outside of quotation marks can be confusing to many writers. This question also applies for all other punctuation, such as colons, semicolons, commas, and more. Let’s take a look at how and when you should use question… continue reading