The Quotable Guide To Punctuation

This book is designed to help readers punctuate confidently and effectively through enjoyable and illuminating lessons that draw on the words of great writers, celebrities, and historical figures. Chapters begin with quotes that exemplify good punctuation so that readers build proper punctuation skills from context. The quotations themselves are instructive and interesting, coming from notable or amusing historical and cultural figures. Brief essays illuminate the history of each punctuation mark and its rules of usage.

This book makes punctuation more fun and easier to learn than traditional approaches do. It teaches the natural way, by example: each lesson begins with quotes that exemplify good punctuation and sentence structure. Quotations are humorous and informative, drawn from the words of notable figures--Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Jerry Seinfeld, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lawrence, and many others. Short essays accompany each lesson, showing how each punctuation mark originated and how its use has altered over time. Correct punctuation is vital for clear, accurate, and natural writing. Anyone preparing a course assignment, applying for a job or for college admission, or doing any other formal writing needs to know the standard conventions of punctuation. Yet many people have never been taught how to punctuate. A necessary addition to any writer's bookshelf, this enjoyable book will teach readers to punctuate effectively and confidently--through over 500 memorable quotes and clear explanations of the rules.

Are you confounded by commas, addled by apostrophes, or queasy about quotation marks? Do you believe a bracket is just a support for a wall shelf, a dash is something you make for the bathroom, and a colon and semicolon are large and small intestines? If so, language humorists Richard Lederer and John Shore (with the sprightly aid of illustrator Jim McLean), have written the perfect book to help make your written words perfectly precise and punctuationally profound. Don't expect Comma Sense to be a dry, academic tome. On the contrary, the authors show how each mark of punctuation—no matter how seemingly arcane—can be effortlessly associated with a great American icon: the underrated yet powerful period with Seabiscuit; the jazzy semicolon with Duke Ellington; even the rebel apostrophe with famed outlaw Jesse James. But this book is way more than a flight of whimsy. When you've finished Comma Sense, you'll not only have mastered everything you need to know about punctuation through Lederer and Shore's simple, clear, and right-on-the-mark rules, you'll have had fun doing so. When you're done laughing and learning, you'll be a veritable punctuation whiz, ready to make your marks accurately, sensitively, and effectively.

This all-in-one reference is a quick and easy way for book, magazine, online, academic, and business writers to look up sticky punctuation questions for all styles including AP (Associated Press), MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association), and Chicago Manual of Style. Punctuate with Confidence—No Matter the Style Confused about punctuation? There’s a reason. Everywhere you turn, publications seem to follow different rules on everything from possessive apostrophes to hyphens to serial commas. Then there are all the gray areas of punctuation—situations the rule books gloss over or never mention at all. At last, help has arrived. This complete reference guide from grammar columnist June Casagrande covers the basic rules of punctuation plus the finer points not addressed anywhere else, offering clear answers to perplexing questions about semicolons, quotation marks, periods, apostrophes, and more. Better yet, this is the only guide that uses handy icons to show how punctuation rules differ for book, news, academic, and science styles—so you can boldly switch between essays, online newsletters, reports, fiction, and magazine and news articles. This handbook also features rulings from an expert “Punctuation Panel” so you can see how working pros approach sticky situations. And the second half of the book features an alphabetical master list of commonly punctuated terms worth its weight in gold, combining rulings from the major style guides and showing exactly where they differ. With The Best Punctuation Book, Period, you’ll be able to handle any punctuation predicament in a flash—and with aplomb.

The Penguin Guide to Punctuation is indispensable for anyone who needs to get to grips with using punctuation in their written work. Whether you are puzzled by colons and semicolons, unsure of where commas should go or baffled by apostrophes, this jargon-free, succinct guide is for you.

More people write for the Associated Press than for any other news service, and more writers take their style and word-usage cues from this world-famous institution than from any other journalism source. In the no-nonsense, authoritative tradition of the best-selling AP Stylebook, the top editors at the AP have now written the definitive guide to punctuation. From the when and how of the ampersand to the rules for dashes, slashes, and brackets; from the correct moment for the overused exclamation point to the rules of engagement for the semicolon, The AP Guide to Punctuation is an invaluable and easy-to-use guide to the most important aspect of clear and persuasive writing.

Do you struggle with punctuation in your writing? Are you unsure of when to use a comma or how to properly indicate possession with an apostrophe? Look no further! "English Punctuation Made Easy" is here to help. In this comprehensive and accessible guide, you'll embark on a journey to master the art of punctuation in the English language. Whether you're a student, a professional, or simply someone who wants to improve their writing skills, this book provides a step-by-step approach to demystifying punctuation rules and enhancing the clarity and meaning of your writing. Starting with an introduction that highlights the importance of punctuation in English, you'll quickly understand the vital role it plays in effective communication. From there, each chapter focuses on a specific punctuation mark, providing clear explanations and practical examples to ensure you grasp its usage and placement. You'll explore the proper use of full stops (periods), commas, apostrophes, question marks, exclamation marks, colons, semi-colons, quotation marks, dashes, hyphens, parentheses, brackets, and ellipses. Through engaging explanations and helpful tips, you'll learn how to navigate these punctuation marks with confidence, avoiding common errors and creating polished writing. "English Punctuation Made Easy" also addresses common challenges and tricky situations, such as distinguishing between abbreviations and acronyms, punctuating quotes within quotes, and utilizing brackets for editorial clarifications. Each chapter is designed to reinforce your understanding, with practical exercises to test your newfound knowledge. No matter your level of expertise, this guide is tailored to meet your needs. Beginners will appreciate the clear explanations and gradual progression, while more advanced writers can use it as a handy reference for quick reminders and clarification. Say goodbye to punctuation confusion and hello to precise and impactful writing. With "English Punctuation Made Easy," you'll gain the essential skills to punctuate like a pro and elevate the quality of your written work. Start your punctuation journey today and unlock the power of effective communication.

Punctuation Revisited is an advanced, comprehensive guide to the importance of punctuation in conveying meaning and augmenting the power of a message. Richard Kallan provides guidance on how to structure sentences accurately and in a manner that enhances their readability and rhetorical appeal. This book discusses in fine detail not just when and how to employ specific punctuation marks, but the rationale behind them. It also notes when the major academic style manuals differ in their punctuation advice. These unique features are designed to benefit beginning, intermediate, and advanced students of standard punctuation practice. Punctuation Revisited is a wonderful resource for students of composition and writing, an essential read for writing center tutors and faculty, as well as the perfect addition to anyone’s professional library.