SUPREME COURT

STYLEBOOK OF 2023
PUNCTUATI ONS
(PARENTHESIS , APOSTROP HE & QUOTATION
MARKS)
NOLASCO AND ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES

NOL ASCO AND ASSOCIAT E S

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S

PARENTHE SIS
IIT MAY B E U SE D TO SPE C IFY A N
A U T H O R IT Y, D E FIN IT IO N , OR
REFERENCE, OR E X PL A IN
SO ME T H IN G FU RT H E R WIT H IN T H E
SA ME SE N T E N C E T H AT IS L E SS
IMP O RTA N T T H A N T H E MA IN ID E A .
(U SE S PA R IN G LY ).

IT C A N A L S O B E U SE D TO E N C L O SE
T H E N U MB E R S IN A R U N -IN L IST.
 PARENTHE SIS
Example: The company illegally dismissed the
workers (petitioners Cruz, Santos, and Beunafe
N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S
included).

Example: Respondent presented sufficient

evidence to prove ownership of the property in
question: (1) certified true copy of the TCT in his
name; (2) a certified true copy of the latest Tax
Declaration; and (3) notarized copy of the Deed
of Sale conveying the property to him.
N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S

APOSTROPHE
IT IN D IC AT E S PO SSE SSIO N .

SIN G U L A R P O SSE SSIV E N O U N ,

PL U R A L IZ IN G W O R D S A N D
L E T T E R S, O R

C O L L E C T IV E O R IN D IV ID U A L
PO S E S SIO N
 APOSTROPHE
Singular Possessive Noun:

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S
When forming a singular possessive noun, add -
‘s after the word, even if the noun ends in the
letters -s, -x, or -z.

e.g. Reyes’s
Alex’s
bus’s

When forming a plural possessive noun, only

add an apostrophe.

e.g. buses’
 APOSTROPHE
Pluralizing words and letters

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S
pluralize words used as words and letters.

e.g.

The No’s have it.

The seats were marked with large J’s.
 APOSTROPHE
Collective and Individual Possession:

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S
For Collective:
e.g. The fire engulfed Juan and Maria’s car.

For Individual:
e.g. The fire engulfed Juan’s and Maria’s car.
N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S

QUOTATION
MARKS
IIT IS U SE D TO SE T O F D IR E C T
Q U O TAT IO N S O R WH E N W E A R E
D E F IN IN G O R R E FE R R IN G TO A
WORD.
 QUOTAT ION
MARK
It can be double or single and usually comes in
pairs.
N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S

Double quotation marks to directly quote

someone or a source material. When a quotation
is within another quotation use a single quotation
mark.
 QUOTAT ION
MARK
Double Punctuation:

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S
During the trial, the victim testified that she “was so
terrified of my husband”.

Single Punctuation:

We have explained in one case that “the word

‘recommended’ must be given it’s literal meaning”.
 QUOTAT ION
MARK
Defining Words:

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S
The word “and” is used to connect words and
phrases.

We use “that” to point at something.

N O L A S C O A N D A S S O C IAT E S