punctuation(Caps,commas,:,;)

How to Use English Punctuation Correctly

Part 1 : Using Proper Capitalization

1) Always start a sentence with a capital letter. Unless you're an avant-garde poet or you're starting a sentence with a brand name like "wikiHow" or "iPod," you will need to capitalize the first letter of every sentence.

• Here is an example of proper capitalization at the beginning of a sentence:

  She invited her friend over after school.

2) Use capital letters to start proper nouns and titles. In addition to starting sentences, capital letters should also occur at the start of proper nouns and titles. Proper nouns are the names of specific people, places, and things. Titles, which are a type of proper noun, are the names of works of art (books, movies, plays, etc.), institutions, geographical areas, and much more. Titles can also be honorifics (Her Majesty, Mr. President, etc.).

• Titles and proper nouns consisting of more than one word should have every word capitalized, except for small words and articles like "the," "an," "and," etc. The first word of a title should always be capitalized (with the above "brand name" exception).

Here are a few examples of capital letters being used for proper nouns and titles:

Genghis Khan quickly became the most powerful man in Asia, if not the world.

In her opinion, Queen Roberta's favorite museum in the world is theSmithsonian, which she visited during her trip to Washington, D.C., last year.

3) Use capital letters for acronyms. An acronym is a word (or a "coined" word) formed from the first letter of every word in a long proper noun or title. Acronyms are frequently used to shorten long proper nouns that would be awkward to reprint in their entirety every time they are mentioned. Sometimes the letters of an acronym are separated by periods.

• Here is an example of acronyms made from capital letters:

  The CIA and the NSA are just two of the USA's many intelligence agencies.

Part 2 : Using Commas

1) Use a comma to indicate a break or pause within a sentence. The comma (",") is a very versatile punctuation mark. There are dozens of situations that might require the use of a comma. One frequent case is the appositive -- a break within a sentence that supplements and adds information to the subject.

Here is an example of commas being used to create a break in a sentence:

Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, is the developer of the operating system known as Windows.

2) Use a comma when listing three or more items in a series. A common use of commas is to separate items that are being listed in a sequence. Usually commas are written between each of the items and between the second-to-last item and a subsequent conjunction.

• However, many writers omit the comma before the conjunction (called a serial comma or "Oxford comma"), as conjunctions like "and" will signal the end of the list even without the final comma.
• Here are two examples of commas used in listed series -- one with an Oxford Comma and one without.

  The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.

  The computer store was filled with video games, computer hardware and other electronic paraphernalia.

3) Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives describing a noun.Sometimes consecutive adjectives are used to describe a single subject with multiple qualities. This use of commas is similar to using them to separate items in a series, with one exception: it is incorrect to place a comma after the final adjective.Here are examples of correct and incorrect comma usage when it comes to separating adjectives:

CORRECT: The powerful, resonating sound caught our attention.

INCORRECT: The powerful, resonating, sound caught our attention.

4) Use a comma to separate a larger geographical area from a smaller one located within it. Specific geographical places or areas are usually named by starting with the smallest location's name and then proceeding to the larger area. For instance, you might refer to a specific city by naming the city itself, followed by the state or province it is in, followed by the surrounding country. Each geographic name (except the last) is followed by a comma. Note that a comma is used after the last (largest) geographical area if the sentence continues.Here are two examples of correct comma usage when it comes to naming geographical areas:

I am originally from Hola, Tana River County, Kenya.

Los Angeles, California, is one of the largest cities in the United States.

5) Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence. An introductory phrase (which is usually one or more prepositional phrases) briefly introduces the sentence and provides context but is not part of the sentence's subject or predicate. Therefore, it should be separated from the main clause by a comma.Here are two examples of sentences with introductory phrases separated from the rest of the sentence by commas:

After the show, John and I went out to dinner.

On the back of my couch, my cat's claws have slowly been carving a large hole.

6) Use a comma to separate two independent clauses. Having two independent clauses in a sentence simply means that you could split the sentence into two shorter sentences while preserving the original meaning. If your sentence contains two independent clauses that are separated by a conjunction (such as and, as, but, for, nor,so, or yet), place a comma before the conjunction.Here are two examples of sentences containing independent clauses:

Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.

Water bills usually rise during the summer, as people are thirstier during hot and humid days.

7) Use a comma when making a direct address. When calling one's attention by saying his/her name at the start of a sentence, separate the person's name from the rest of the sentence with a comma. Note that this comma is somewhat rare in writing, because this is something normally done while speaking. It's more common for a writer to employ other methods to indicate who is speaking to whom.Here is an example of a direct address:

Amber, could you come here for a moment?

8) Use a comma to separate a direct quotation from the sentence introducing it.

A comma should occur after the word immediately preceding a quotation that is being introduced with context or a description. On the other hand, it is not necessary to use a comma before an indirect quote (where you are paraphrasing someone's words without quoting them exactly). Additionally, a comma is usually not necessary if you are not quoting an entire statement, but only a few words from it.

• Here is an example of a direct quotation that requires a comma:

  While I was at his house, John asked, "Do you want anything to eat?"

• Here is an example of an indirect quotation that does not require a comma:

  While I was at his house, John asked me if I wanted anything to eat.

Here is an example of a partial direct quotation, which, due to its brevity and its use within the sentence, does not require a comma:

According to the client, the lawyer was "lazy and incompetent."

Part 4 : Using Colons and Semicolons 

1) Use a semicolon to separate two related but independent clauses. The proper use of a semicolon is similar, but not identical, to that of a comma. The semicolon marks the end of one independent clause and the start of another within a single sentence. Note that, if the two clauses are very wordy or complex, it is better to use aperiod (full stop) and form two sentences instead.

Here's an example of a semicolon being used correctly:

People continue to worry about the future; our failure to conserve resources has put the world at risk.

2) Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items. Usually, the items in a series are separated by commas, but for cases in which one or more items require comment or explanation, semicolons can be used in conjunction with commas to keep the reader from becoming confused. Use semicolons to separate items and their explanations from one another. To separate an item from its own explanation, use a comma.Here's an example of semicolons being used correctly in a list whose meaning might otherwise be ambiguous:

I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend, Jane; and her best friend, Jenna.

3) Use a colon to introduce a list. Be careful, however, not to use a colon when stating an idea that requires naming a series of items. The two are similar, but distinct. Often the sentence-ending words "the following" or "as follows" will call for the use of a colon when they are followed by new, explanatory information.

• Here's an example of a colon being used correctly in this fashion:

  The professor has given me three options: to retake the exam, to accept the extra credit assignment, or to fail the class.

• Here, on the other hand, is an incorrect example:

  The Easter basket contained: Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits, and other candy. In this case you would simply omit the colon.

 4) Use a colon to introduce a new concept or example. Colons can also be used after a descriptive phrase or explanation to imply that the next piece of information will be the thing being described or explained. It can help to think of this as introducing a list containing only one item.

Here's an example of a colon being used properly in this way:

There's only one person old enough to remember that wedding: 

5) Use a colon to separate parts of a title. Some works of art, particularly books and movies, can have long, subdivided titles. In these cases, what follows the main title is called a subtitle. Use colons to separate them.

• Here's an example of colons being used in this way to subdivide lengthy titles:

  Fred's favorite movie was The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, though Stacy preferred its sequel, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.