Teaching English, How To.... Essential Ideas 06

Punctuation is not the exact science that some people think it is. Check the thousands of pages published each day and you will find numerous inconsistencies. Some people, for instance, put commas after every introductory phrase and clause and some do not. You should probably err on the side of using the comma after introductory expressions. No one will complain if you do, but some purists will complain if you don’t. The purpose of the comma in that location is to avoid confusion with the words following the introductory expression. Example: “After I left, the train pulled slowly out of the station.” p. 193+

How to teach punctuation effectively without overwhelming your students. Construct a reference guide giving examples of easily observed and remembered uses of the comma, semicolon, colon, dash, parentheses, etc. The examples will enable students to use most punctuation marks accurately with little effort and without having to look up the item in a 900-page textbook. The reference guide can be put quickly to use during editing. “Let’s see. Did I remember to put the second parenthesis after my thought and do I put the period before the parenthesis or after it?” The reference chart will show clear examples of each situation. p. 193+

About the comma. Three essential uses of the comma need to be taught and emphasized again and again: after introductory expressions, around “interrupters,” and before “afterthoughts.” These uses of the comma help readers follow the writer’s flow of thought. The comma after introductory expressions avoids confusion with the words that follow. The most frequent problem with “interrupters” is forgetting the second comma: “Tom, the captain of the team, lectured us on team spirit.” Finally, the comma before “afterthoughts” is characteristic of sophisticated writing: “I pulled my car to the side of the road, expecting the police car to do the same.” Chapter 9: Grammar and Composition.”

What is the most frequent mistake in punctuation? In America, failing to put commas and periods inside closing quotation marks. Example: The short story, “Most Dangerous Game,” caught my interest right away. Example: We read the short story, “Most Dangerous Game.” [Periods and commas INSIDE closing quotation marks.]
Question marks and exclamation points are placed inside closing quotation marks if the entire sentence is in quotes. If only a part of the sentence is in quotes, then the question mark or exclamation point is placed outside the closing quotation marks. Example: I loved the story, “Most Dangerous Game”! [Part of the sentence.] “Boy, that was a great story!” [The whole sentence.]
Finally, the semicolon is always placed outside of closing quotation marks. Example: We read the story, “Most Dangerous Game”; it was one of the best stories I have ever read.
In Great Britain and Canada, commas and periods are punctuated in the same way that Americans use question marks and exclamation points with closing quotation marks. In America, COMMAS AND PERIODS ARE PLACED INSIDE CLOSING QUOTATION MARKS! Chapter 9: Grammar and composition.”

Revising and editing. I define revising as deleting, inserting and rearranging words, sentences and paragraphs. I define editing as checking spelling, sentence structure, usage and punctuation. The purpose for revising and editing is to polish writing, to achieve “flow” in which the reader begins to read and feels almost compelled to keep reading from beginning to end without being distracted by mistakes. A knowledge of grammar helps the writer to polish prose. Chapter 9: “Grammar and Composition.”