English Punctuation Guide - English Writing Lesson

Summary

In this Oxford Online English lesson, Kasia teaches the importance of punctuation in English writing. She covers the use of full stops, commas, colons, semicolons, apostrophes, hyphens, dashes, speech marks, parentheses, question marks, and exclamation marks. Kasia explains their correct application, including in abbreviations and compound words, and how they can prevent misunderstandings. The lesson also touches on the differences between British and American English punctuation styles.

Takeaways

• 😀 The lesson focuses on English punctuation, teaching the names and uses of common punctuation marks.
• 📚 Correct punctuation is crucial for clear English writing and can prevent misunderstandings.
• 🔍 The full stop (period) is used at the end of a complete sentence, with no space before and one after.
• 🚫 Avoid comma splices; use full stops or semicolons to separate independent clauses without conjunctions.
• 🔑 Understanding sentence structure is key to using punctuation marks like full stops and semicolons correctly.
• 🏷 Abbreviations have different punctuation rules: some never have full stops (e.g., BBC), some always do (e.g., e.g.), and some vary (e.g., Dr., AM/PM).
• 📋 Commas serve to separate items in a list, join clauses with conjunctions, and set off non-essential information.
• 📍 Colons introduce examples, explanations, or details that follow a general statement.
• 🔗 Semicolons connect closely related ideas within sentences without the need for conjunctions.
• 🗣️ Apostrophes are used in contractions, to show possession, and to form plurals of letters or with certain proper nouns.
• 🔗 Hyphens create compound words, especially compound adjectives, and are used with certain prefixes and in compound numbers/fractions.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the lesson presented by Kasia?

The primary focus of the lesson is to teach English punctuation, including the names and uses of the most common punctuation marks.

Why is correct punctuation important in English writing?

Correct punctuation is critical for English writing because it prevents misunderstandings and bad impressions, and it helps convey the intended meaning clearly.

What is the difference between a full stop and a period?

A full stop and a period are the same punctuation mark, with 'full stop' being the British English term and 'period' being the American English term.

How should you use a full stop in a sentence?

A full stop should be used at the end of a complete sentence. It is placed without a space before it and with one space after it.

What are the three types of abbreviations mentioned in the script, and how are full stops used with them?

The three types of abbreviations are: 1) those that never have full stops (e.g., BBC, CIA, UN), 2) those that always have full stops (e.g., e.g., i.e., etc.), and 3) those that sometimes have full stops and sometimes don't (e.g., mister, doctor, AM, PM).

What is the main function of commas in English punctuation?

Commas have three main functions: to separate items in a list, to follow certain conjunctions, and to set off non-essential information within a sentence.

How does the use of a colon differ from a full stop?

Colons are used to introduce examples, explanations, or details that follow, whereas full stops are used to end complete sentences.

What is the purpose of semicolons in English punctuation?

Semicolons are used to connect two related ideas within a sentence, indicating a closer relationship than a full stop but allowing for more separation than a comma.

How should you use an apostrophe in contractions?

An apostrophe is used in contractions to replace the omitted letters, such as in 'doesn't' for 'does not' or 'you're' for 'you are'.

What are the two main uses of hyphens in English punctuation?

Hyphens are used to create compound words, especially compound adjectives, and to connect certain prefixes with words, like 'ex-', 'self-', and 'non-'.

What is the difference between en dashes and em dashes, and how are they used?

En dashes and em dashes are both used to add extra information to a sentence, but en dashes are slightly shorter and have spaces on either side, while em dashes are longer and join directly to the words around them.

How should speech marks be used when quoting someone?

Double speech marks are recommended for quoting what someone said directly, while single speech marks can be used for other purposes, such as indicating irony or referring to words as words.

What is the recommended style for using question marks and exclamation marks?

Question marks are added at the end of direct questions, and exclamation marks are used to add emphasis or emotion. It's recommended to use these minimally and consistently.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to English Punctuation

Kasia introduces a lesson on English punctuation, emphasizing its importance in writing to avoid misunderstandings and make a good impression. The lesson is divided into sections, allowing viewers to focus on areas they need to improve. The necessity of correct punctuation is highlighted, and viewers are encouraged to visit Oxford Online English for additional free resources or professional lessons. The paragraph concludes with an introduction to the full stop, its American English equivalent 'period,' and its proper usage at the end of a sentence without a space before but with one after. Examples of both simple and complex sentences are provided, and the importance of sentence structure in punctuation is underscored. The paragraph also discusses the use of full stops in abbreviations, distinguishing between those that never, always, or sometimes use full stops, with specific examples provided for each category.

05:03

📝 Commas, Colons, and Semicolons

This section delves into the usage of commas, highlighting their three primary functions: separating items in a list, accompanying certain conjunctions, and adding non-essential information to a sentence. Examples are given for each use, illustrating the correct placement of commas. The paragraph then moves on to colons, explaining their role in introducing examples, explanations, or details following a general statement. Several examples are provided to demonstrate this structure. Lastly, semicolons are introduced as a punctuation mark similar to a full stop but used to connect related ideas within a sentence. The paragraph suggests that while semicolons are not always necessary, they can be a useful tool for clear and efficient writing, and examples are given to show how they can replace conjunctions or be used with certain linking words.

10:06

🔡 Apostrophes and Hyphens

The paragraph discusses the multifaceted use of apostrophes in English, including their role in contractions, indicating possession, and connecting multiple nouns. It provides rules for using apostrophes with words that already end in 's', advising to add an 's' if it's pronounced, otherwise just an apostrophe. The paragraph also clarifies that apostrophes are not used to make most plurals, except in specific cases like letters. Hyphen usage is then explored, focusing on their function in compound words, particularly compound adjectives. It notes the inconsistency and evolving nature of hyphenation, with a tendency towards using fewer hyphens. However, certain cases, such as those involving numbers or specific prefixes, consistently require hyphens. The paragraph concludes with advice on when to use hyphens and when alternative punctuation might be more appropriate.

15:11

💬 Dashes, Speech Marks, and Parentheses

This section explains the use of dashes, differentiating between en dashes and em dashes, and their role in adding extra information to a sentence. It suggests using dashes for clarity when the additional information does not fit well with the sentence's grammar or flow. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of dashes versus commas. The paragraph then discusses speech marks, recommending double marks for direct quotations and single marks for other uses, with examples demonstrating their application. It also touches on the use of speech marks to express irony or to refer to words as words. Parentheses are introduced as a way to add non-essential information, such as statistics or alternative interpretations, with examples showing their efficient use in writing. The paragraph concludes with advice on the appropriate use of parentheses and a caution against overusing them for lengthy additions.

20:11

❓ Question Marks and Exclamation Marks

The final paragraph covers the use of question marks and exclamation marks. It explains that question marks are added at the end of direct questions, regardless of their length or complexity, but not when reporting someone else's question. The paragraph advises minimal use of exclamation marks to maintain their impact, and notes that, like other final punctuation, no space is added before them, but one is added after. The lesson concludes with an invitation for viewers to share which punctuation they find most confusing in the comments.

👋 Conclusion and Farewell

Kasia thanks the viewers for watching the lesson on English punctuation and expresses her hope to see them in the next session. This brief paragraph serves as a warm conclusion to the video, inviting continued engagement and learning.

Keywords

💡Punctuation

Punctuation refers to the various marks and signs used in writing to separate sentences and structural elements within text. In the context of the video, punctuation is critical for clear and effective English writing, as it helps to prevent misunderstandings and ensures that written communication is properly structured. The video emphasizes the importance of punctuation by discussing various marks such as full stops, commas, and colons, and how they are used to organize thoughts and convey meaning.

💡Full Stop

A full stop, also known as a period in American English, is a punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence. The video explains that it is essential to use a full stop at the end of a complete thought and not after a dependent clause. It also clarifies the spacing rules around full stops, stating that there should be no space before it but one after. The video provides examples of sentences ending with full stops, both simple and complex.

💡Abbreviation

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, often used to simplify writing or save space. The video discusses different types of abbreviations in relation to the use of full stops. It mentions that some abbreviations never have full stops (e.g., 'BBC', 'CIA'), some always have them (e.g., 'e.g.', 'i.e.'), and some may vary (e.g., 'mister', 'Dr.', 'AM', 'PM'). The explanation helps viewers understand when to use full stops with abbreviations in different contexts.

💡Comma

A comma is a punctuation mark used to separate items in a list, clauses, or phrases within a sentence. The video outlines three main uses for commas: to separate items in a list, with certain conjunctions like 'and', 'but', 'so', and 'or', and to set off non-essential information. The video provides examples for each use, such as using a comma before 'and' in a list or to separate additional information in a sentence, which helps to avoid confusion and clarify the sentence structure.

💡Colon

A colon is a punctuation mark used to introduce examples, explanations, or details that follow it. The video explains that colons are often used after a general statement to introduce specific information. Examples given in the script include using a colon to introduce a list of problems or to provide a surprising fact after a promise. The colon helps to show the relationship between the introductory clause and the detailed information that follows.

💡Semicolon

A semicolon is used to connect closely related ideas within a sentence, often where a full stop could also be used. The video points out that semicolons are used when the ideas before and after are connected, and they can be a useful tool for clear and efficient writing. An example from the script is 'He’s so stubborn; it’s impossible to convince him to change his ideas, even a little.' This shows how a semicolon can link two independent clauses that are conceptually linked.

💡Apostrophe

An apostrophe is used in English to indicate possession or to form contractions. The video explains two primary uses of apostrophes: to show possession, as in 'Dean’s jacket', and in contractions to replace missing letters, such as 'doesn’t' for 'does not'. The video also addresses the rule for using 's after an apostrophe for plurals that already end in 's', advising that the extra 's' should be pronounced and written if applicable.

💡Hyphen

A hyphen is used to connect words or parts of words, particularly in compound adjectives. The video discusses how hyphens are used to create compound words, such as 'six-hour' in 'a six-hour flight'. It also notes that hyphenation practices are changing and becoming less frequent, but certain cases, like those involving numbers or specific prefixes, still require hyphens for clarity.

💡Dash

A dash is a punctuation mark used to set off additional or parenthetical information within a sentence. The video distinguishes between two types of dashes: en dashes and em dashes, both of which serve a similar function. Dashes are used to add extra information that doesn't fit well with the sentence's flow, as in 'He had escaped—or so he thought.' The video suggests that dashes can make the text clearer by indicating that the additional information is non-essential.

💡Speech Marks

Speech marks, also known as quotation marks, are used to indicate direct speech or quoted material. The video recommends using double speech marks for direct quotations, such as in 'He said, “I wouldn’t do it if you paid me a million dollars.”' It also mentions that single speech marks can be used for other purposes, like indicating irony or referring to words as words, and advises consistency in their use.

💡Parentheses

Parentheses are used to add extra, non-essential information within a sentence, often in the form of a brief explanation, a name, or a statistic. The video provides examples such as 'Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893-1930) was one of the most famous poets of the revolution era.' It also cautions against using parentheses for longer ideas, suggesting that commas or dashes might be more appropriate in such cases.

Highlights

Introduction to English punctuation and its importance in writing.

The necessity of correct punctuation to avoid misunderstandings and bad impressions.

How to use a full stop and its placement in American vs. British English.

The distinction between simple and complex sentences in punctuation usage.

Guidelines on using full stops with abbreviations, with examples of no full stop, always full stop, and conditional full stop usage.

The three main jobs of commas: separating list items, conjunctions, and adding non-essential information.

How colons introduce examples, explanations, or details in sentences.

The function of semicolons to connect closely related ideas within sentences.

Use of apostrophes in contractions and possession, with rules for words ending in 's'.

Hyphens used to create compound words and their correct application.

Differences between en dashes and em dashes and their usage in sentences.

The use of single and double speech marks for direct quotes and other purposes.

Parentheses for adding non-essential information, such as statistics or alternative readings.

The correct placement of question marks at the end of direct questions.

Exclamation marks for emphasis or emotion, with advice on their minimal use.

Invitation for viewers to share their most confusing punctuation in the comments.

Transcripts

Hi, I’m Kasia.

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

In this lesson, you can learn about English punctuation.

You’ll see the most common punctuation marks in English, what they’re called, and how

to use them.

This lesson has many sections.

If you want, you can just watch the sections you need.

Using punctuation correctly is critical for your English writing.

Punctuation problems can make a bad impression or lead to misunderstandings.

If you need to improve your English writing, check out our website: Oxford Online English

dot com.

There are many free lessons to help you with your writing, or you can take writing lessons

with one of our professional teachers.

But first, let’s look at one of the most basic English punctuation marks.

A full stop is also called a period in American English.

Use a full stop at the end of a full sentence.

Don’t put a space before the full stop; put one after.

A full sentence could be short and simple, like this: ‘I got there early.’

A full sentence could also be longer and more complex, like this: ‘Although my train arrived

late, and I was sure I wouldn’t make it on time, I actually got there slightly early.’

Be careful; the idea of a ‘full sentence’ is not flexible, and it depends on the grammatical

structure of the sentence.

For example, can you see the mistake in this sentence?

The first part, which ends with the word ‘there’, is a full sentence.

You can’t choose to put a comma and continue; you need a full stop, or a semicolon, or you

need to add a conjunction.

Learning about sentence structure, and how to make clauses into longer sentences, is

important if you want to use English punctuation correctly.

Full stops are also used in some abbreviations—when you make words shorter.

There are three kinds of abbreviation.

One: abbreviations which *never* have full stops, like ‘BBC’, ‘CIA’ or ‘UN’.

Two: abbreviations which *always* use full stops, like ‘e.g.’, ‘i.e.’ or ‘etc.’

Three… wait, can you guess?

Some abbreviations are sometimes written with full stops, and sometimes without.

For example, mister, doctor, or AM and PM for talking about the time.

Titles, like ‘mister’, ‘Mrs’ or ‘doctor’, are generally written without a full stop

in British English, and with one in American English.

In British English, it’s more common to write AM and PM in lower-case letters with

full stops.

In American English, it’s more common to use capital letters and no full stops.

However, both forms are commonly used and you can choose which you prefer.

Commas have three main jobs.

Two of them are very simple.

First, use a comma to separate items in a list, like this: ‘Their house has two bedrooms,

a large living room, two bathrooms and a terrace.’

After each item in your list, put a comma.

Use the word ‘and’ between the last two items on your list: ‘To make this, you’ll

need eggs, flour and sugar.’

You can choose to put a comma before ‘and’ or not.

Both styles are possible!

You also need a comma with certain conjunctions, particularly ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’

and ‘or’.

For example: ‘You can ask her, but I don’t think she’ll agree.’

‘I won’t be there till ten, so don’t wait for me.’

The last way to use commas is also the most complicated.

Use a comma—or often two commas, in a pair—to add non-essential information to your sentence.

What does ‘non-essential’ mean?

It means that you could remove the information, and the sentence would still make sense and

have the same basic meaning.

This is common when you use an adverb or linking phrase at the start of a sentence.

For example: ‘Apparently, he’s been suffering from depression for several years.’

It’s also common when you add extra information in the middle of a sentence, like this: ‘Yakutsk,

which is in northern Siberia, has the coldest winters of any city in the world.’

Colons have one main job: they introduce examples, explanations or details.

Look at one example: ‘Rapid urbanisation has led to multiple problems: congestion,

air pollution and a shortage of affordable housing for families.’

Here, the sentence before the colon mentions a general idea—multiple problems—and the

sentence after the colon explains what these problems are.

This is very common with colons; you mention something general before the colon, then you

explain it in more detail after the colon.

Let’s see two more examples of this: ‘I can promise you one thing: you won’t regret

your decision.’

‘He left all of his money to his best friend in the whole world: his cat.’

Semicolons are most similar to a full stop.

They’re used at the end of a full sentence.

So, what’s the difference?

Using a semicolon shows that your ideas before and after the semicolon are connected.

For example: ‘He’s so stubborn; it’s impossible to convince him to change his ideas

even a little.’

Here, you have two sentences, but they’re both talking about the same idea: him and

his stubborn character.

The semicolon emphasises that the ideas are connected.

You never *need* to use a semicolon, but they can be very useful.

Using a semicolon is a very easy way to make connections between your ideas, which can

help you to write clearly and efficiently.

When you use a semicolon, you don’t need to use any conjunctions or linking phrases.

For example: ‘Companies won’t consider applications which look rushed; it’s better

to apply to fewer companies, but put more time into each application.’

However, there are some linking words which can be used with a semicolon, like ‘however’:

‘I don’t regret it; however, I would do things differently if I had another chance.’

Like commas, apostrophes have more than one job, which can make them more difficult to

use correctly.

Firstly, use an apostrophe in contractions to replace a missing letter.

For example: ‘She doesn’t eat cheese.’

‘You’re right about that.’

You also use an apostrophe to show that something belongs to a person: ‘Why have you got Dean’s

jacket?’

You can even connect multiple nouns together like this: ‘Her mother’s cousin’s son

won a Nobel Prize.’

What if the word you want to use already ends with ‘s’?

Here’s the rule: if the ‘s’ after the apostrophe is pronounced, then you should

write it, too: ‘We met at Boris’s barbecue.’

If you don’t pronounce an extra ‘s’, then don’t write one; just add an apostrophe

to the end of the word, like this: ‘We could stay at my parents’ house for a couple of

days.’

Finally, you don’t generally use an apostrophe to write plurals.

Even if you’re making a proper name plural, like: ‘There were four Ambers in my group’,

you don’t use an apostrophe for the plural.

However, there’s one exception to this.

Do you know it?

If you need to make a letter plural, then you add an apostrophe, like this: ‘How many

m’s are there in ‘accommodation’?’

Hyphens are used to make compound words, especially compound adjectives.

Compound words are words made of two or more other words.

For example: ‘It’s a six-hour flight to Mumbai.’

The adjective ‘six-hour’ is made from the two words ‘six’ and ‘hour’, and

you use a hyphen to connect the two parts.

Here’s another example: ‘It was surprisingly tasty for a five-dollar meal.’

However, hyphen use in compound words is inconsistent and changing.

Generally, the trend is to use fewer hyphens, but there are some cases where you need to

use a hyphen every time.

Compound words made with numbers almost always have hyphens.

For example: ‘They have a three-year-old daughter.’

The adjective ‘three-year-old’ is made with a number, and it’s always written with

hyphens.

You also need to use hyphens when you use certain prefixes, like ‘ex-’ or ‘self-’.

Words with the prefix ‘non-’ are also often hyphenated.

For example: ‘His ex-wife was promoted and is now his direct manager.’

‘Non-smokers generally need to pay much less for health insurance.’

‘Self-driving cars may become popular one day, but for now the technology is too underdeveloped.’

If you add a prefix to a proper noun or a number, you also need a hyphen, as in: ‘anti-European’

‘post-1950 politics’ Finally, you also need to use a hyphen in

compound numbers and fractions.

For example: ‘three-quarters of the population’

‘twenty-three’ ‘twenty-three’

If you're not sure whether to use a hyphen in a number or not, just write the number.

Dashes might look like hyphens, but they aren’t the same.

First, there are two kinds of dashes, called en dashes and em dashes.

En dashes have a space on either side of the dash – like this.

Em dashes join onto the words before and after—like this.

You don’t need to worry about this; both en dashes and em dashes do the same job.

Choose one and stick with it.

So, what do you use dashes for?

Dashes are used to add extra information to a sentence.

Remember that commas can also do this.

‘Extra’ information means that you could remove the information from the sentence and

everything would still make sense.

Dashes are preferable when the extra information doesn’t fit well with the grammar or flow

of the sentence.

For example: ‘He had escaped—or so he thought.’

Whether something fits the ‘flow’ of your sentence or not is subjective.

That means you can often choose whether to use dashes or commas to add some extra information

to your sentence.

For example: ‘The number of stars in the Milky Way—including many which are undetectable—is

estimated to be over 400 billion.’

Here, you could replace the dashes with commas.

Both versions are correct.

However, we recommend choosing dashes when you can.

That’s because dashes only do one job, whereas commas can do multiple jobs.

Using dashes makes things clearer, because your reader doesn’t have to think about

why the punctuation is there.

There are two kinds of speech marks: single and double.

Often, they do the same thing, and it doesn’t matter which you use.

However, we recommend that you use double speech marks when you’re quoting what someone

said.

For example: He stood up and said “I wouldn’t do it if you paid me a million dollars.”

“Being lucky is more important than being talented,” were the first words of her speech.

Before the speech marks, you can put a comma, a colon, or nothing.

Using a comma is more common, but we recommend you use nothing, because it’s more efficient.

Whatever you choose, try to be consistent!

There are also different opinions about whether final punctuation—like a full stop at the

end of a quote—should go inside or outside the speech marks.

Again, it doesn’t really matter; the most important thing is to be consistent.

Speech marks can be used in other ways, too.

Look at two examples: Paying 100 euros for ‘luxury economy’ was not a good idea!

Many cities in the ‘special economic development zone’ are practically ghost towns.

Speech marks can be used to express irony, sarcasm or scepticism.

For example, putting ‘luxury economy’ in speech marks shows that there was nothing

luxurious about the plane journey.

In the second example, you put ‘special economic development zone’ in speech marks

to express irony; if many cities are ghost towns, then there’s clearly not much economic

development there.

You also use speech marks when you refer to words as words.

What does that mean?

Look at two examples: ‘Millennium’ is a difficult word to spell!

Why did you use ‘plethora’ here?’

Here, the words ‘millennium’ and ‘plethora’ are used indirectly, to refer to the words

themselves, rather than the ideas.

Generally, we recommend using double speech marks to quote what someone said, and single

speech marks for everything else.

However, you may see different styles.

Like commas and dashes, parentheses can be used to add some extra, non-essential information

to your sentence.

Often, the information in parentheses is a date, a name or a statistic.

For example: ‘Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893-1930) was one of the most famous poets of the revolution

era.’

‘The percentage of under-30s doing regular exercise was lower (45%) than that of people

over 45 (52%).’

Using parentheses to add statistics and figures is an efficient method to add numbers and

other supporting data to your writing.

You can also use parentheses to show that your reader can choose how to understand what

you’re saying.

For example: ‘Write your suggestion(s) here.’

By adding ‘s’ in parentheses, you mean that you can write one suggestion, or more

than one, as you prefer.

Try to avoid using parentheses to add longer ideas to your sentence.

For example: ‘Consumption of processed meat (which has been linked to many diseases, including

colon cancer) is rising in many parts of the world.’

This is not a good example of using parentheses.

It would be better to add the additional information using commas or dashes instead.

In this case, commas would be best.

Question marks are simple to use; add them at the end of a direct question, like this:

‘What time is it?’

‘How old are you?’

Direct questions can be longer, with more complex structure: ‘Could you tell me how

to get to the train station?’

However, if you’re reporting what someone else said, then it’s not a question, and

you shouldn’t use a question mark: ‘She asked me how to get to the train station.’

Exclamation marks add some emphasis or emotion to a sentence.

For example: ‘It’s so cold in here!’

‘There’s a snake!’

Unless you’re writing something very informal, it’s generally good style to use exclamation

marks minimally.

Overusing them will make them meaningless.

Like most final punctuation, you shouldn’t put a space before a question mark or an exclamation

mark, but you do need a space afterwards.

OK, we have a question for you: which English punctuation do you find the most confusing?

Please let us know in the comments!

Thanks for watching!

See you next time!