I. Grammar 3.

7: More About Punctuation

MORE ABOUT PUNCTUATION

In this final lesson, we will review what you have learned about the comma, period,
question mark, and exclamation point. Then we will look at other punctuation marks.
But first, let us examine some new words.

WORDS TO REMEMBER

1. "associate" (verb) ------ To join together in a relationship, as a partner or

companion.
Example: "Paul did not want to be associated with Satan."
2. "confess" (verb) ----- To admit, disclose, and acknowledge one's faults.
Example: "Many of the believers began to confess all the bad things they had
done."
3. "conflict" (noun) ----- A fight or struggle; a war; a clash.
Example: "The kingdom of God is in conflict with the kingdom of Satan."
4. "heaven" (noun) ----- The dwelling place of God, the angels, and the souls of saved
people; a place of supreme happiness in the presence of God.
Example: "After death comes the judgment, then heaven or hell."
5. "Judgment Day" (proper noun) ----- The last day at the end of the world when God
will judge all people.
Example: "By raising Jesus from death, God proved that there will be a Judgment
Day."
6. "magic arts" (noun) ----- The use of charms, spells, and rituals in an effort to
control natural and supernatural forces.
Example: "At Ephesus, some people thought they could be Christians and still
practice the magic arts."
7. "scales" (noun) ----- The small, thin, flat plates that form the outer covering of
many fish, snakes, and lizards.
Example: "Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes and Saul was
able to see again."
8. "scatter" (verb) ----- To separate and drive in many different directions.
Example: "The believers were scattered everywhere. Every place the believers
went, they told the people the Good News about Jesus."
9. "vision" (noun) ----- Something seen in a dream or a trance; a supernatural
revelation.
Example: "In a vision, Peter learned that God accepts any person who worships
him and does what is right."

THE COMMA (,)

Commas are used to separate items in a series (a group of three or more words,
phrases, or clauses listed in a row). A comma is placed after every item in the series
except the final one. Each item may be a single word or a group of words.
Examples: "God is eternal, powerful, intelligent, and personal."
"Jesus healed sick people, drove out evil spirits, calmed a storm, walked on water,
and raised people from death."

Although it is common practice to drop the comma before the final conjunction, it is
wise to include the final comma in order to avoid confusion.
Examples: "He must preach about me to kings, to the Jewish people, and to other
nations."

A comma is not used to separate a modifier from the word it explains.

Example: "I have never eaten unholy, impure food." Notice that there is not a comma
between "impure" and "food." As a rule, if you can substitute "and" for a comma,
leave the comma in. Otherwise, leave the comma out.

A comma is used to set off introductory words, phrases, or clauses at the beginning
of a sentence.
Introductory word: "Now, don't wait any longer."
Introductory phrase: "At Troas, Paul saw a vision."
Introductory clause: "When they arrived at Caesarea, Cornelius was waiting for
them."

Commas are used to separate an "appositive phrase" from the rest of the sentence.
An appositive phrase is a group of words placed beside another word to tell more
about it. ("Apposition" means "putting side by side.") An appositive phrase may come
within a sentence or at the end.
(Within): "There, at the Pool of Bethzatha, Jesus healed a man."
(End): "He was an officer in the service of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia."

A comma is used between two independent clauses that are joined by "and," "but,"
"or," "nor," or "for."
Example: "Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized
him."

A comma is not used when a conjunction is used to join verb phrases that share the
same subject.

Sub. Verb Phrase Conj. Verb Phrase

"Saul dragged out men and women and put them in jail."

A comma is not used when a dependent clause follows an independent clause.

Example: "He was like a lamb that makes no sound (independent clause) when
someone cuts off its wool."

Commas are used to set off side remarks such as "by the way," "incidentally," "I
think," and "of course." These remarks interrupt the sentence and are not absolutely
necessary.
Example: "Peter, of course, was the first person to speak."

A comma is used to set off a "noun of address." A "noun of address" is the name of
the person(s) to whom you are speaking.
Examples: "What would you have me do, Lord?" "Get up, Peter, kill one of these
animals and eat it."

Commas are used to separate items in dates and places.

Example: "Maudine and I were married June 2, 1955, in Garland, Texas."

A comma is used to separate a direct quotation from the clause that tells who is
speaking.
Example: The Ethiopian official said, "Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from
being baptized?"

As you can see, there are many uses for the comma. The comma is the most widely-
used punctuation mark.

QUOTATION MARKS (")

Quotation marks are used to enclose a "direct quotation," that is, the exact words of
a writer or speaker.
Example: Ananias said, "Now, don't wait any longer. Get up and be baptized and
wash away your sins."
Quotation marks are not used to enclose indirect quotations or summaries of what
has been said or written.
Example: Ananias told Saul to get up and be baptized.

Quotation marks are used to enclose titles of essays, chapters in books,

conferences, government publications, magazine articles, motion pictures, paintings,
poems, short stories, and seminars.
Examples: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is a disturbing poem.
The title of Lesson Twenty-one is "More About Punctuation."

When there is a quotation within a quotation, the outside quotation is enclosed by

double quotation marks ( " ), and the inside quotation is enclosed by single quotation
marks ( ' ).
Example: "The scripture he was reading was this: 'He was like a lamb that makes no
sound when someone cuts off its wool.'"

THE SEMICOLON (;)

A semicolon is used within a sentence to indicate a pause stronger than a comma

but weaker than a period. A semicolon is used to separate independent clauses that
are closely related but not joined by a conjunction.
Example: "His life on earth ended; there will be no story about his descendants."
A semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses when the clauses are
linked by a coordinating adverb such as "then," "however," and "therefore."
Example: "Cornelius explained everything to these three men; then he sent them to
Joppa."

A semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses when they are punctuated
by commas, whether or not the clauses are connected by conjunctions. Example:
"Jesus was beaten, mocked, and shamed; and all his rights were taken away."

THE COLON (:)

A colon suggests a break more complete than a semicolon but less complete than a
period. A colon is used to introduce a word, a list, or a sentence. It suggests that
more information is about to follow. Example: "So this is what I tell people: 'He is the
Son of God.'"

A colon is not used after a linking verb or a preposition. Example: "The three basic
colors are red, blue, and yellow." In this sentence, no colon is used after "are."
However, a colon is used in the following sentences: "These are the basic colors:
red, blue, and yellow." "The three basic colors are as follows: red, blue, and yellow."

Ordinarily, a colon is used after the salutation of a business letter. Example: "Dear
Mr. Smith:"

A colon is also used to divide major divisions from subdivisions in references to time
and scripture. Examples: "It is now 8:45 a.m." "Please read Acts 2:38."

OTHER PUNCTUATION MARKS

In addition to the above-mentioned punctuation marks, there is the APOSTROPHE ( ' )

that is used to show possession and to indicate the omission of letters in
contractions. (Possession): "The men that Cornelius sent found Simon's house."
(Omission): "Go with these men and don't ask questions."

THE HYPHEN (-) is used to join two or more words into a single unit, to join
compound numbers and fractions, and to divide words at the end of a line. There is
no space before or after a hyphen. (Words): "He is staying with Simon the leather-
worker." (Numbers): This is the twenty-first and final lesson." (Fractions): We have
only one-fourth as many children as they do."

THE DASH (-- ) is used to indicate a break in thought and to add related information
to the sentence. Example: "God is inviting you to be a Christian--no matter who you
are."
PARENTHESES ( ) are used to enclose comments added to explain something in the
text of a sentence. Example: Every Sunday (the day Jesus was raised from death),
the followers of Jesus come together to worship God and to partake of the Lord's
Supper.

If the comments enclosed within the parentheses come at the end of a sentence, the
final punctuation mark is placed outside the closing parenthesis. If a complete
sentence is enclosed, the final punctuation mark is placed inside the closing
parenthesis.

Examples: The baby was lying in the manger (a feeding box). The baby was lying in
the manger. (A manger is a feeding box.)

BRACKETS [ ] are used to enclose comments made within quoted material. Example:
"You will name your son 'Jesus' [meaning "Salvation"]."

ELLIPSES (. . .) are used to indicate an omission of words or letters in a direct

quotation. Example: "Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, . . . in the name
of Jesus Christ." In this sentence, the phrase "each one of you" has been left out of
the quotation and replaced by ellipses.

When ellipses are used within a sentence, there are three dots with a space between
each dot. When ellipses are used at the end of a sentence, three dots follow the
period.

PERIOD (.). For information about the period, go back and review Intermediate
Grammar Book 3, Lesson 2.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have just finished the WEI English course! Now, answer
the questions on this lesson. Then, read Reading Assignment 21 and answer the
questions on it.

If you wish to continue your studies, you may do so. The English course that you
have just completed is followed by an Advanced English Course and an Advanced
Bible Course. The Advanced English Course is designed to help students prepare for
the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language.) The Advanced Bible Course will
take you into a deeper study of the Bible.

Copyright ©1990–2023 World English Institute, All Rights Reserved

I. Grammar 3.7: More About Punctuation
1. The word that means "to acknowledge one's faults" is
....
heaven

confess

vision

conflict

scatter

2. The word that means "a fight, struggle, or clash"

is . . . .

confess

heaven

vision

conflict

scatter

3. The word that means "the dwelling place of God"

is . . . .

vision
 conflict

scatter

confess

heaven

4. The word that means "to drive in many directions"

is . . . .

scatter

confess

conflict

vision

heaven

5. The word that means "a supernatural revelation"

is . . . .

confess

vision

conflict

scatter

heaven

6. A period is used at the end of a declarative sentence.

True False
7. A question mark is used after abbreviations.

True False

8. An exclamation point follows an interrogative

sentence.

True False
The question mark is used at the end of an interrogative sentence, that is, a direct
question. (WEI Book 3, Grammar Lesson 2)

9. A period is used at the end of an indirect question.

True False
The question mark is used at the end of an interrogative sentence, that is, a direct
question. It is not used at the end of an indirect question. Example of a direct
question: Where do you live? Example of an indirect question: John asked Henry
where he lived. (Direct Question): "If a man is old, how can he be born again?"
(Indirect Question): "Nicodemus asked Jesus how a person can be born again."
(Grammar Lesson 16)

10. A comma is used between two independent clauses

that are closely related but not joined by a conjunction.

True False
A semicolon is used to separate independent clauses that are closely related but not
joined by a conjunction. Example: "His life on earth ended; there will be no story
about his descendants."

11. A comma is used when a dependent clause follows

an independent clause.

True False

12. A comma is used when an independent clause

comes before a dependent clause.
 True False

13. Commas are used to separate items in a series.

True False

14. A comma separates a modifier from the word it

explains.

True False

15. A comma is used to set off an "appositive phrase."

True False

16. A ( . . . ) is used to set off a "noun of address."

comma

bracket

semicolon

17. A direct quotation is enclosed by . . . .

parentheses

brackets

quotation marks

18. The title of a short story is enclosed by . . . .

brackets

quotation marks
 parentheses

19. A quotation within a quotation is enclosed by ( . . .)

quotation marks.

triple

single

double

20. A ( . . . ) is used to separate independent clauses

that have no conjunction.

colon

semicolon

period

21. A ( . . .) is used to introduce a word, a list, or a

sentence.

period

colon

semicolon

22. A ( . . . ) is used after the salutation of a business

letter.

period

colon
 semicolon

23. The ( . . . ) is used to show possession or the

omission of letters.

dash

apostrophe

hyphen

24. The ( . . . ) is used to join two or more words into a

single unit.

hyphen

apostrophe

dash

25. ( . . . ) are used to indicate an omission of material in

a quotation.

parentheses

ellipses

brackets