Punctuation

What Punctuation means

In this grammar section we're talking about how to use punctuation in your child's writing. So let's start by looking at all the different types of punctuation that you're going to be using in your writing we're starting off with a period. This here is a period we use a period at the end of informative sentences in the paragraphs. So whenever you're ending your sentence you use a period.

Next we have exclamation marks. Now notice that we do not use exclamation marks in academic writing. This means that you should not be using any exclamation marks in the writing task one or the writing task too. Generally speaking we use the commas whenever we hear a brief audible pause.

How to use it

So whenever you hear this brief audible pause in a sentence we use a comma. Next we have apostrophes apostrophes are used to show possession. For example you could say France's population. OK whose population are we talking about.

We're talking about France's population. So we use the apostrophe up here. Or you could say Germany's cars whose cars Germany's cars. So again we use an apostrophe here.

Now keep in mind that you should not be using apostrophes to show contraction in your writing. So contractions are words like isn't doesn't. So instead of writing isn't. Instead of writing doesn't you should write does not Next we have capitalization.

Basically we capitalize all the words that come at the start of the sentence. And we also capitalize all proper nouns so words like names of a country of a person and so on. Lastly we have semicolons we use semicolons to join two independent clauses together and we do this if the two independent clauses are very closely related in ideas OK only if they're related and we don't want to start another sentence then we can connect the two independent clauses by just using a semicolon. Now I want to spend more time talking about commas since you're going to be using a lot of them.

Now there are many different rules to using commas. However for your child's essays these four rules are the most relevant. So let's talk about these four most important rules when it comes to using commas. The first rule is that whenever the dependent clause comes before the independent clause we have to use a comma at the end of the dependent clause.

We've already talked about this before but just to remind you let's take a look at an example so here's our complex sentence the sentences even though junk food is unhealthy. Many people consume it due to cheaper costs so I want you to note that here we have the dependent clause even though junk food is unhealthy. That's our dependent clause. And here is our independent clause so whenever the dependent clause comes before the independent clause we use a comma at the end of the dependent clause.

Practice focus

Now let's look at the next rule we use a comma before any coordinating conjunction that links to independent clauses together. We've talked about this as well. But let's look at an example computers doubled in sales from 2003 to 2004 but the price had dropped to half. So in this case we have two independent clauses.

Here is our first independent clause and here's our second independent clause. And here we have a coordinating conjunction that is linking these two independent clauses together so whenever we have a coordinating conjunction that links to independent clauses we use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Next we have rule number three we use commas to separate the items in a list so here we have an example of a list. People can improve their mood with a healthy diet exercise and a healthy social life.

So here we have our commerce before exercise and before and so whenever you have a list. Use the commerce to separate the different items in the list. I want you to note that this comma here which comes before the and is optional. So if you want you can use it.

If you don't want to then you don't have to here's our last rule. Whenever you have an introductory cohesive device we use a comma after it. Here we have a few different introductory cohesive devices. So if you're starting a new sentence you may start the sentence with a word finally or alternatively.