diff -r bb66c099afea -r 2450d5cbb783 en-punctuation_en.rst --- a/en-punctuation_en.rst Tue Jul 10 13:00:53 2012 +0300 +++ b/en-punctuation_en.rst Tue Jul 10 13:11:42 2012 +0300 @@ -1,8 +1,12 @@ --*- mode: outline; coding: utf-8 -*- +.. -*- coding: utf-8 -*- - English Punctuation Guide. +============================ + English Punctuation Guide. +============================ -* Punctuation symbol. +Punctuation symbol. +=================== +:: ! exclamation mark "" single quotation marks @@ -16,36 +20,39 @@ ? question mark ... ellipsis -* General rules. +General rules. +============== * Put end-of-sentence punctuation inside quotation marks. * Put commas and other sentence punctuation outside of parentheses. - * Put a comma (plus a space) before and, but, or, and nor when they join two - sentences. - * The semicolon (;) is not used widely in English and probably should be - avoided by non-native writers. - * Names of newspapers, books, movies, ships, magazines, journals, and poems - are usually italicized or underlined. + * Put a comma (plus a space) before and, but, or, and nor when they + join two sentences. + * The semicolon (;) is not used widely in English and probably should + be avoided by non-native writers. + * Names of newspapers, books, movies, ships, magazines, journals, and + poems are usually italicized or underlined. -** Capital letter. +Capital letter. +=============== - 1 A capital is used for the first letter of a new sentence, of quoted speech - or proper nouns. - 2 The first letter of a sentence does not need to be capitalized if it is - included in parenthesis within another sentence. - 3 A capital letter is always used for the first person singular subjective - personal pronoun I. - 4 A capital is used for the first letter of key words in headings and titles. - If such titles are hyphenated then both components are given capitalized - first letters. - 5 A capital is used for the first letter of key words in historical events. - 6 A capital is used for the first letter of religions and many other - religious words. - 7 A capital is used for the first letter of names of months and days of the - week, but not of seasons. - 8 Holidays should also be capitalized. + 1. A capital is used for the first letter of a new sentence, of quoted + speech or proper nouns. + 2. The first letter of a sentence does not need to be capitalized if it + is included in parenthesis within another sentence. + 3. A capital letter is always used for the first person singular + subjective personal pronoun I. + 4. A capital is used for the first letter of key words in headings and + titles. If such titles are hyphenated then both components are given + capitalized first letters. + 5. A capital is used for the first letter of key words in historical + events. + 6. A capital is used for the first letter of religions and many other + religious words. + 7. A capital is used for the first letter of names of months and days of + the week, but not of seasons. + 8. Holidays should also be capitalized. -Example: +Examples:: [3] My boss and I agreed that I should make up for the time I had lost. [4] The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries @@ -57,7 +64,8 @@ [7] After a long, hot summer she married him on a sultry Saturday in September. [8] January 1 is New Year's Day. -** Spaces. +Spaces. +======= * Put one space after punctuation. * Put no spaces before punctuation, but always put a space between words. @@ -70,206 +78,231 @@ * Put two spaces after colons and between sentences. - -* Exclamation mark, '!'. +Exclamation mark, '!'. +====================== * Exclamation marks act as a full stop. - * An exclamation mark is most often used to show shock, surprise, horror or - pleasure. - * No space is needed before an exclamation mark, at least one space after one - (two spaces for purists). + * An exclamation mark is most often used to show shock, surprise, + horror or pleasure. + * No space is needed before an exclamation mark, at least one space + after one (two spaces for purists). -Example: +Examples:: Oh! Wow! Brilliant! It was shocking! -* Apostrophe, "'". +Apostrophe, "'". +================ * Apostrophes next to the letter ('s) indicate possession or belonging. * They are also used to show missing letters in shortened words, especially in informal writing. * No space is needed before or after the apostrophe. -Example: +Examples:: This is Lynne's web site. It's a nice day today, isn't it? I've got an idea. Let's go out. -* Comma, ','. +Comma, ','. +=========== - 1 Separate items in long lists. - 2 Commas point out brief pauses in a complex sentence or a long prepositional - phrase. - 3 Comma is included before the conjunction 'and' which comes - before the final element of a list (for purists). - 4 Introduce a direct quote. - 5 Separate appositives (a noun, or noun phrase) or non-defining relative - clauses. - 6 Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjectives describing it. - * You do not put a space before a comma, but you do need a space after one. - ? We don't usually put a comma before the word 'and'. + 1. Separate items in long lists. + 2. Commas point out brief pauses in a complex sentence or a long + prepositional phrase. + 3. Comma is included before the conjunction 'and' which comes before + the final element of a list (for purists). + 4. Introduce a direct quote. + 5. Separate appositives (a noun, or noun phrase) or non-defining + relative clauses. + 6. Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjectives describing + it. + 7. You do not put a space before a comma, but you do need a space after + one. + 8. We don't usually put a comma before the word 'and'. -Example: +Examples:: [1] There were a lot of people in the room, teachers, students and parents. [2] The teachers were sitting, the students were listening and the parents - were just worrying. + were just worrying. [2] Although he wanted to come, he wasn't able to attend the course. [3] I like reading, listening to music, and visiting with my friends. [4] The boy said, "My father is often away during the week on business trips." [4] His doctor replied, "If you don't stop smoking, you run the risk of a - heart attack." + heart attack." [5] Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, comes from Seattle. [5] My only sister, who is a fantastic tennis player, is in great shape. [6] The powerful, resonating sound caught our attention. -* Colon, ':'. +Colon, ':'. +=========== - 1 Colons precede a list, an explanation or an example. - 2 The colon is used to separate two main clauses where the first is an - introduction to the second. - 3 To introduce a direct quote (a comma can also be used in this situation). - * You do not put a space before a colon, but you do need a space after one. + 1. Colons precede a list, an explanation or an example. + 2. The colon is used to separate two main clauses where the first is an + introduction to the second. + 3. To introduce a direct quote (a comma can also be used in this + situation). + 4. You do not put a space before a colon, but you do need a space after + one. -Example: +Examples:: [1] There are two main shopping areas in Nottingham: Broadmarsh Centre and - Victoria Centre. + Victoria Centre. [2] The pilot had an awful realization: he had forgotten to turn off the gas - at breakfast time. + at breakfast time. [3] He announced to his friends: "I'm getting married!" -* Full stop (period), '.'. +Full stop (period), '.'. +======================== - 1 Full stops (periods in the USA) go at the end of sentences that are - statements. - 2 They are also used to mark abbreviations. If such an abbreviation occurs at - the very end of a sentence, the final dot is not usually written twice. - * You do not put a space before a full stop, but you do need at least one - space after one (two spaces for purists). + 1. Full stops (periods in the USA) go at the end of sentences that are + statements. + 2. They are also used to mark abbreviations. If such an abbreviation + occurs at the very end of a sentence, the final dot is not usually + written twice. + * You do not put a space before a full stop, but you do need at least + one space after one (two spaces for purists). -Example: +Examples:: [1] My name is Lynn. I am a teacher. [2] An overhead projector is often referred to as an O.H.P. -* Hyphen, '-'. +Hyphen, '-'. +============ * Hyphens are used to connect words or syllables, or to divide words into parts. * You don't use a space on either side of a hyphen. -Example: +Examples:: There were ninety-nine red balloons. -* Question mark, '?'. +Question mark, '?'. +=================== - 1 Question marks go at the end of sentences that are questions. - 2 You need a question mark at the end of tag questions. + 1. Question marks go at the end of sentences that are questions. + 2. You need a question mark at the end of tag questions. * For quotes within quotes, use single quotes. - * You do not put a space before a question mark, but you do need at least one - space after one (two spaces for purists). + * You do not put a space before a question mark, but you do need at + least one space after one (two spaces for purists). -For example: +Examples:: [1] Is my name Lynn? Of course it is. [2] It's a nice day, isn't it? -* Semicolon, ';'. +Semicolon, ';'. +=============== - 1 Semicolons are used to separate two sentences that would otherwise be - joined with a word such as 'and', 'because', 'since', 'unless' or 'while'. - 2 To separate groups of words that are themselves separated by commas. - * You do not put a space before a semicolon, but you do need a space after one. + 1. Semicolons are used to separate two sentences that would otherwise + be joined with a word such as 'and', 'because', 'since', 'unless' or + 'while'. 2 To separate groups of words that are themselves separated + by commas. + * You do not put a space before a semicolon, but you do need a space + after one. -Example: +Examples:: [1] I'm looking forward to our next lesson; I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. [2] They plan to study German, for their travels; chemistry, for their work; and literature, for their own enjoyment. - -* Quotation mark (speech mark), '""', "''". +Quotation mark (speech mark), '""', "''". +========================================= Double quotes '""', single quotes "''". - * Quotation marks (single or double) are used to show words that are directly - spoken (direct speech). + * Quotation marks (single or double) are used to show words that are + directly spoken (direct speech). * Only the words actually being quoted are enclosed by speech marks. - * You need a space before the opening speech mark, but no space after it, and - a space after the closing one, but no space before it. - * Another general rule is to use a comma after the introduction to quoted - speech or writing. - * Sometimes when writing a spoken sentence it is split in two. The speech - marks must then be placed at the beginning and end of each part of the - sentence. Commas are used to separate the spoken part from the rest of the - sentence. - * If you need a question mark or exclamation mark the markers that punctuate - the quoted words are enclosed by the speech marks. + * You need a space before the opening speech mark, but no space after + it, and a space after the closing one, but no space before it. + * Another general rule is to use a comma after the introduction to + quoted speech or writing. + * Sometimes when writing a spoken sentence it is split in two. The + speech marks must then be placed at the beginning and end of each + part of the sentence. Commas are used to separate the spoken part + from the rest of the sentence. + * If you need a question mark or exclamation mark the markers that + punctuate the quoted words are enclosed by the speech marks. -Example: +Examples:: "Could everyone sit down please," said the teacher. Jaime said, "I love you." "I wonder," she said quietly, "whether people will ever truly understand each other." - "I don't understand," replied Nathan. "Do you understand?" asked Nathan. "I don't understand!" shouted Nathan. - Nathan replied, "I don't understand." Nathan asked, "Do you understand?" Nathan shouted, "I don't understand!" + "I don't understand," replied Nathan. + "Do you understand?" asked Nathan. + "I don't understand!" shouted Nathan. + Nathan replied, "I don't understand." + Nathan asked, "Do you understand?" + Nathan shouted, "I don't understand!" He wrote in 1946 that, "The key word in digital computer is 'digital'." -* Ellipsis, '...'. +Ellipsis, '...'. +================ - 1 Ellipsis used to show that something has been omitted, indicate missing - words in an incomplete quotation. + 1. Ellipsis used to show that something has been omitted, indicate + missing words in an incomplete quotation. -Example: +Examples:: [1] Chomsky suggested that, "Language is a system that...can be described in - an algebraic notation." + an algebraic notation." -* Dash, '-', '--'. +Dash, '-', '--'. +================ + + 1. The dash should be used when making a brief interruption within a + statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a + dramatic qualification. - 1 The dash should be used when making a brief interruption within a - statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a dramatic - qualification. +Parentheses '()'. +================= -* Parentheses '()'. + 1. Use parentheses to clarify, to place an afterthought, or to add a + personal comment. Be sure to include the period after the closing + parenthesis. - 1 Use parentheses to clarify, to place an afterthought, or to add a personal - comment. Be sure to include the period after the closing parenthesis. - -Example: +Examples:: [1] Steve Case (AOL's former CEO) resigned from the Time-Warner board of - directors in 2005. + directors in 2005. [1] You will need a flashlight for the camping trip (don't forget the - batteries!). + batteries!). [1] Most grammarians believe that parentheses and commas are always - interchangeable (I disagree). + interchangeable (I disagree). -* Brackets '[]'. +Brackets '[]'. +============== - 1 Use brackets to signify an editor's note in a regular piece of writing. You - can also use brackets to clarify or to revise a direct quote so that it - appeals to your own writing. - 2 The first brackets are rounded, and brackets inside brackets are squared. + 1. Use brackets to signify an editor's note in a regular piece of + writing. You can also use brackets to clarify or to revise a direct + quote so that it appeals to your own writing. + 2. The first brackets are rounded, and brackets inside brackets are + squared. -Example: +Examples:: [1] "[The blast] was absolutely devastating," said Susan Smith. -* Slash '/'. +Slash '/'. +========== - 1 Use the slash to separate "and" and "or", when appropriate. - 2 The slash can replace the word "and" to join two nouns. - 3 The slash is used when quoting lyrics and poetry to denote a line break. Be - sure to add spaces between your slashes here. + 1. Use the slash to separate "and" and "or", when appropriate. + 2. The slash can replace the word "and" to join two nouns. + 3. The slash is used when quoting lyrics and poetry to denote a line + break. Be sure to add spaces between your slashes here. -Example: +Examples:: [1] To register, you will need your driver's license and/or your birth - certificate." + certificate." [2] The student/part-time employee has very little free time. [3] "Row, row, row your boat / gently down the stream / life is but a dream."