How can i use punctuation

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Please bring the typical evening hiking gear: a flashlight, a comfortable pair of hiking boots, and a jacket. Please bring : a flashlight, a comfortable pair of hiking boots, and a jacket. If explanatory matter can be omitted without changing the general meaning of the sentence, it should be set off with commas. If the explanatory matter is essential to the meaning of the sentence, do not set it off with commas.

The novelist , Don DeLillo , seldom gives interviews. Explanation: The identity of the specific novelist is essential to the meaning of the sentence. Otherwise, there is nothing to indicate which of the multitude of novelists is being referred to.

Explanation: America has only one first president. Identifying him by name is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Is it U. Co-worker or coworker?

Though these examples implicate punctuation marks the use or omission of periods, hyphens, or apostrophes , the correct form can be easily determined with a good dictionary.

The easiest way to solve a vexing punctuation problem is to avoid it. Assemble the product. Use to separate subtitles from titles — Helen Keller: The Untold Story Use to introduce quotations that are more than three lines long block quotes Use after a salutation in formal correspondence Comma: Use to separate two sentences joined by a conjunction — Joanna enjoys playing golf, but she also has other interests.

Use to separate introductory phrases and clauses from the main parts of sentences — Besides being a good golfer, Joanna is an exceptional speller and has won many spelling bees. Use to separate items in a series — Joanna is a golfer, speller, writer and organizer. Use to separate adjectives in a series — This is a clear, simple, easy-to-understand guide.

Use to set off transitional words from the rest of the sentence — Furthermore, she is always right. Use to separate items in dates, addresses and geographical locations — Mary Anne published her first book on August 17, Use to take the place of colons — It comes in three colors—pink, blue and yellow. Use to insert a thought into a sentence — The beagle—my personal favorite—won Best in Show.