Chapter XII Punctuation
When we speak, we make our meaning clear by the expression that we put into our words and sentences. Some sentences we say all in one breath and with not much change in emphasis from one word to the next. We may be pretty sure that such a sentence is short and simple, with all its elements arranged in their natural order. In this respect compare the sentences given below.
Notice that the following sentence is spoken as one word group:
Steam and electricity are making one commercial community of all nations.
A part that is subordinate in idea is subordinate in tone; as,
Steam and electricity, which are the greatest of all discoveries, are making one commercial community of all nations.
In the usual order of the sentence the subject comes first. Sometimes for emphasis a participial phrase or an adverbial clause precedes the subject. Such inversion is always indicated; as,
If the grape crop is large, the price of grapes is low.
Sometimes a word or phrase is thrust into the sentence to give clearness or force; as,
If, on the other hand, the season is poor, the price of grapes is high.
What, then, determines the price of grapes?
We cannot become good speakers until we learn to subordinate in tone those groups of words that are subordinate in idea, and to bring out clearly those groups which, for one reason or another, are emphatic. The same thing is true in music. We cannot become good musicians until we learn phrasing; that is, until we learn to group the notes to form distinct musical ideas. But when we write our thoughts, we cannot indicate the tone in which the words are spoken. We must show in some other way which groups of words belong together, which are important, and which are subordinate in idea. For this purpose punctuation marks have been invented. When we write, we unconsciously speak the thoughts to ourselves; we hear the divisions between the parts of ideas; and, if we understand punctuation, we indicate the divisions.
Questions
1. Why in writing and printing do we separate one word from the next? In ancient writing this was not done.
2. Why do we separate one sentence from the next?
3. We use punctuation marks for the same reason. Explain.
4. The word to keep in mind in punctuation is separate. If two words belong together in idea, the two making one idea, allow them to stand unseparated. If they give two ideas, separate them by a mark of punctuation. What is the difference in thought in the two sentences that follow?
(a) She is a pretty, energetic girl.
(b) She is a pretty energetic girl.
Exercise 166—The Apostrophe (‘)
The apostrophe (‘) is used—
1. To show the possessive case of nouns (See Exercise 82); as,
The boy’s writing is excellent.
2. To indicate the omission of one or more letters; as,
I’ll attend to the matter.
3. To show the plural of letters, figures, and words that usually have no plural; as,
Your 3’s are too much like your 5’s, your a’s like your u’s.
Don’t use so many and’s.
Write sentences in each of which you use one of the following words correctly:
| you’re | we’re | who’s | they’re |
| your | were | whose | there |
| it’s | he’s | don’t | their |
| its | his | doesn’t |
Explain why the apostrophe is used in the following:
1. I’ve received no reply.
2. This month’s sales exceed last month’s by one thousand dollars.
3. Politics doesn’t affect the matter very much.
4. The mistake was caused by his making his 7’s like his 9’s.
5. Have you received the treasurer’s report? No, I haven’t.
Point out the mistakes in the following:
1. For sale, A ladies fur coat.
2. The boy’s have gone skating.
3. We wo’nt worry over the political situation.
4. Lets decide now where were to spend our vacation.
5. Dot your is and not your us.
6. Is this book your’s or her’s?
Exercise 167—Capitals
Capitals are used for—
1. The first word of every sentence.
2. The first word of every line of poetry.
3. The first word of a quotation (See Exercise 169).
4. The first word of a formal statement or resolution; as,
Resolved, That women shall be given the right to vote.
5. The first word of every group of words paragraphed separately in an itemized list, as in an order for merchandise.
6. The pronoun I and the interjection O (not oh).
7. The words Bible and Scripture, the books of the Bible, all names applied to the Deity, and all personal pronouns referring to Him.
8. All proper nouns, proper adjectives, and words that are considered proper nouns; as,
a. Names of the days of the week, holidays, and months of the year, but not names of the seasons.
b. North, South, etc., when they refer to sections of the country, but not when they refer to a direction or a point of the compass.
c. Official titles or titles of honor when they are used in connection with names, but not when they are used without names; as,
Vice-President Roosevelt, ex-President Roosevelt.
Nominations are now in order for vice-president.
d. Names of political parties.
e. Names of religious sects.
f. Names of important events or documents; as,
The Revolution, The Declaration of Independence.
g. The salutation in a letter; as,
Dear Sir, Gentlemen.
h. Words indicating relationship, when they are used in connection with a proper name, or when used alone as a name, but not when used with a possessive pronoun; as,
We expect Aunt Ellen at four o’clock.
I expect my mother at four o’clock.
9. The important words in the title of a book, play, or composition. Prepositions, articles, and conjunctions are not capitalized; as,
The Call of the Wild.
10. Such words as Paragraph, Article, or Section, when accompanied with a number; as,
Paragraph 26, Article 3.
11. See Exercise 75.
Exercise 168
The period (.) is used—
1. To indicate the end of a declarative sentence; as,
The business is prosperous.
2. To indicate an abbreviation; as,
The firm of Clark Bros. has opened a new office at 144 Pleasant St., Erie, Pa.
The interrogation mark (?) is used—
To indicate the end of a sentence that asks a question; as,
When did you order the goods?
The exclamation mark (!) is used—
To indicate the end of a sentence or other expression that shows strong feeling; as,
Such demands are inhuman!
Frequently, all that shows exactly how the writer wished his thought to be understood is the punctuation. The same words may express different ideas according to the mark of punctuation that follows them. Read the following to show the meaning that the writer wished to convey by each. Explain the circumstances under which each might have been spoken.
1. The price is too high.
2. The price is too high!
3. The price is too high?
4. The crop will not be good. There’ll be no corn.
5. Corn! There’ll be no corn!
6. You didn’t tell him that.
7. You didn’t tell him that!
8. You didn’t tell him that?
9. You are enjoying yourself.
10. You are enjoying yourself?
11. You are enjoying yourself!