The period – punctuation mark of sentences In the post on the use of periods in texting, I noted that the period, or the full stop as it is commonly called in British English, has been around since the early 1600s to signal the termination of a sentence (just as a capital letter signals the …
The title of this post can be read two ways – that it deals with matters or topics about punctuation, or it deals with why punctuation is a matter of concern, or of importance. Most people would include period, commas, semicolons, and question or exclamation marks in this section, relegating parentheses, quotation marks and capitals, …
In the field of languages, graphics means the devices that are used only in writing, not speech. As discussed in the post on mechanical errors with quotations, grammar is the structure of written and spoken language, but mechanics covers the rules of written language, such as spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. When one is speaking, it …
Note: The WritingEssentials blog is on hiatus. Meanwhile, favorite posts will be published with updates. Ellen ~~ This blog has focused a lot on surface errors, such as those of punctuation, partly because it’s a way to give writers quick and focused tips on common mistakes that appear in writing by beginners and professionals. “Mistakes …
Note: The WritingEssentials blog is on hiatus. Meanwhile, favorite posts will be published with updates. Ellen ~~ As my Adult Ed Writing Workshop goes virtual this year, I am reminded by the work of issues that plague writers, whether beginning or experienced. Despite being good readers, participants are not always able to decide on the …
The use of these terms in grammar and language study can be inconsistent and individual. There is sometimes even confusion within one document by the same author. We saw with previous post that some people label mistakes in usage (which primarily deals with the use of a word) as an error in grammar. And indeed …
What’s the difference between grammar, punctuation, and mechanics? Read More »
This blog has focused a lot on surface errors, such as those of punctuation, partly because it’s a way to give writers quick and focused tips on common mistakes that appear in writing by beginners and professionals. “Mistakes are a fact of life,” as the Lunsfords say in an essay with that as its title …
Parentheses and brackets are usually grouped under the term “other punctuation marks” in writing handbooks and resources. These two marks of graphics are used to set off material. Though sometimes confused or used in place of each other, their uses are specific, and using parentheses where brackets are required or vice versa would be seen …
When do you use parentheses vs brackets in a sentence? Read More »
“If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.” Doug Larson The apostrophe, a small punctuation mark that looks like a comma suspended near the top of letters, causes many writers problems—no matter their education level or writing experience. R.L. Trask in The Penguin Guide to Punctuation calls it …
The hyphen, this small punctuation mark, can cause writers a lot of trouble. As with the previous post on errors in capitalization, the error of missing or unnecessary hyphen did not appear on the original Twenty Most Common Errors list, though unlike capitalization errors at #8, errors with hyphens occurs at the bottom of the …