Proper Punctuation & Capitalization
These are very simple rules that you’ve probably already heard of before, in school or otherwise. Please keep them in mind while writing, as mastering the basics is a great way to start improving your writing.
Quotation Marks
Capitalization
Italics
Apostrophes
Colons and Semicolons
Commas
Dashes
Parentheses
Brackets
Diagonals
Quotation Marks
1. Use quotation marks in direct quotation (when you record someone’s exact words).
Sally screamed, “Get that fish!”
2. Don’t use quotation marks in an indirect quotation (when you record in your own words what someone else said).
Sally screamed for someone to get that fish.
3. Use quotation marks around short pieces of work such as short stories, poems, and songs.
The Story “Hold Your Tongue” was suspenseful.
4. Dialogue:
Each time a new person is speaking in a direct quotation, you must begin a new paragraph, even if each speech is very short.
Put quotation marks on the outside of all end punctuation.
Sally asked, “You love grape jelly?”
“I only eat grape jelly on snails,” said Bob.
“Well,” replied Sally, “You couldn’t pay me to eat snails!”
5. When a direct quotation is long, it may consist of two or more paragraphs. In such a case, open each paragraph with a quotation mark but do not use an end quotation mark until the whole speech is finished.
6. With a quotation inside another direct quotation, single quotation marks are used. The whole quote is enclosed in quotation marks.
Steven observed, “That sign says, ‘No Trespassing.’”
Capitalization
1. Capitalize the first word of every sentence, even if it is part of a name that is not usually capitalized.
2. Capitalize the first word in a direct quotation, but not the first word of the second part of a divided quotation.
“The Calgary Flames,” said Tony, “are the best team!”
3. Capitalize the days of the week and months of the year, but not the seasons.
Does summer begin on the first Tuesday of July?
4. Capitalize the names of people and places.
Canada, Colorado, Southern Texas, doctor *, teacher
5. Capitalize the regions of the country, but do not capitalize directions or points on the compass.
Traveling north, you’ll reach the Arctic.
6. Capitalize titles with names.
Doctor* Smith, Principle Ballinger, Ms. Smith
* Doctor is specific, where as doctor isn’t specific.
7. Capitalize the first word and all important words in the titles of books, poems, paintings, movies, etc.
“Hold Your Tongue.” “The Street that Got Mislaid.” The Outsiders. Julie of the Wolves.
8. Words like school, hotel, church, and street, are not capitalized unless they are part of a proper name.
Sarah’s school is on Front Street.
Italics
In our online writing, italicize the following:
- Your character’s thoughts
- Saidar and saidin (and other words that Robert Jordan has italicized in his writing)
- Old Tongue words
- Emphasized words
- Book titles
- Memories/flashbacks that aren’t too long (if they’re four or more paragraphs longer, don’t italicize them but separate them from the rest of your post)
- Song or poem lyrics
Apostrophes
Use an apostrophe:
- To show possession: the dog’s bone; Kaitlyn’s homework
- To show where missing letters go in contractions: didn’t; wouldn’t; I’m
- To pluralize numbers: 24’s; 6’s
Colons and Semicolons
Colons are used to introduce a list or series.
For the game, they needed the following: sticks, pucks, pads, and their jerseys.
Semicolons are used to separate items in a list.
They came from: Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; London, England; and Melbourne, Australia.
Semi colons are also used to join two separate ideas in a sentence.
Players work hard at every practice; they need to get ready for each game.
Commas
Commas are used to:
- Separate items in a list
You will need books, pens, paper, and calculators. - Connect ideas with and, or, or but
The class was very boring, but it got better. - Surround additional, non-essential information in a sentence
Jamie, the class clown, stood on his head. - Add a pause after an introductory idea in the sentence
When the teacher entered the class, she was very surprised. - Separate two adjectives
Her long, black hair fell down nearly to her waist. - Address or respond to someone
Charlene, what did we have for homework last night?
Dashes
Dashes are used to indicate an abrupt shift in the sentence.
We might take the train—actually, we’ll take my car.
The trip—one of the best ever—will remain in our memories.
Parentheses
Parentheses are used to indicate a not so sudden shift in the sentence, and enclose extra information.
The essay (due on Thursday) was on everybody’s mind.
The essays (what a lot of writing) were all handed in on time.
Brackets
Square brackets are used to add words to direct quotations.
“Now, when we see them [the other team], you had better be well behaved!” announced the coach.
Diagonals
Diagonals are used to indicate two options in a sentence.
You will be sent an accept/reject notice.
They are also used to separate lines of poetry or song lyrics.
“Everybody knows that the dice are loaded / everybody rolls with their fingers crossed / everybody knows the war is over / and everybody knows the good guys lost.”
