Commas
What is the purpose of a comma in a list?
To separate items in a list.*
What does a semi-colon do?
It joins two related sentences.
What does a hyphen do?
It connects words (e.g., well-known)
What do apostrophes do?
Show possession or make contractions.
What do exclamation marks show?
Strong emotion or excitement.
Where should the comma go in this sentence? "We ate dinner then we watched a movie."
After "dinner" — "We ate dinner, then we watched a movie."*
Where should the colon go? "I have one rule be kind."
After "rule" — "I have one rule: be kind."
Fix this sentence: "My friend a great cook made dinner."
"My friend—a great cook—made dinner."
Fix this sentence: "Its raining outside."
It's raining outside.
Fix this sentence: "Wow that was fun!"
"Wow, that was fun!"
What is the Oxford comma?
The comma before "and" in a list (e.g., apples, oranges, and bananas).*
Fix this sentence using a semi-colon: "I like coffee I don't like tea."
"I like coffee; I don't like tea."
When do we use a hyphen in numbers?
In numbers 21-99 (e.g., twenty-one).
Where does the apostrophe go? "The cats toys are missing."
"The cat's toys are missing."
Should you use exclamation marks in formal writing?
No, unless necessary.
Fix this sentence: "My sister who loves to bake made a cake."
My sister, who loves to bake, made a cake.
When should you use a colon?
Before a list or explanation.
Rewrite correctly: "The six year old boy is happy."
"The six-year-old boy is happy."
Difference between "it's" and "its"?
"It's" = "it is," "its" = possession.
Rewrite to show excitement without "!": "That was amazing!"
"That was absolutely amazing."
Why do we use commas in complex sentences?
To separate clauses and make the sentence easier to read.
Give an example of a colon introducing a list.
"We need: milk, eggs, and bread."
Why use a dash in a sentence?
To show a break or add emphasis.
Correct this: "James hat is on the table."
"James's hat is on the table."
Why not use too many exclamation marks?
It makes writing seem unprofessional.