The sunset is a beautiful sight to behold it marks the

end of the day and the beginning of the night the sun
slowly descends below the horizon and the sky
becomes a canvas of colors oranges yellows pinks and
purples blend together creating a breathtaking view as
the day fades away into darkness the sunset reminds us
that there is always beauty to be found in endings and
new beginnings to come.
EL 102: STRUCTURES OF ENGLISH

GROUP 7
At the end of the lesson, the
learners should be able to:

a) Appreciate the value of each of the

punctuations by acquiring its proper
rules through writing
b) Demonstrate an understanding of
punctuations through correct usage;
and
c) Determine when each punctuation is
needed
d) d) Point out appropriate punctuation
marks and capitalization to convey
different meaning in texts.
 PUNCTUATION

It is a set of marks and symbols that helps a

write r to clarify their meaning, structure their
sentences, and add emphasis to the words.
TERMINAL PUNCTUATION MARKS

➢ Used to end sentences.

• Period/ Full Stop (.)

• Exclamation mark (!)
• Question mark (?)
➢ The period (.) is used to mark the end of two types of
sentences.

1. DECLARATIVE SENTENCE
2. IMPERATIVE SENTENCE
1. DECLARATIVE SENTENCE

→ The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom.

→ The sea is a vast and mysterious body of water with its
rhythmic waves.
2. IMPERATIVE SENTENCE

→ Shut the door when you leave.

→ Stay focused during the exam.
 ➢ It is used to convey strong emotions.

Examples:
 Someone call the police.
 Someone call the police!
 ➢ It is used to convey strong emotions.
Examples:
• "Wow!"
• "Uh-oh!"
• "Ouch!"
• "Yippie!"
 ➢ It is used to mark the end of a question.

Examples:
• Have you ever been to Paris?
• Is it raining outside?
• Why did you miss the meeting?
• How long have you been studying English?
➢ a mark of punctuation used for indicating a
division in a sentence, as in setting off a word,
phrase, or clause, especially when such a
division is accompanied by a slight pause or is
to be noted in order to give order to the
sequential elements of the sentence.
1. Use commas to separate items in series of three
or more things.

➢ Remember that an ‘item’ may refer to a noun, verb, or adjective

phrase.
1. Use commas to separate items in series of three
or more things.
Examples:
• I bought cheese and bread.
• I bought ham, cheese and bread.

Note: Usage of a comma to separate the second to the last item is

optional, we call this as Oxford comma.

• She wore a red hat, green scarf, and black pants.

2. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction
(FANBOYS) when it joins two complete ideas
(independent clauses).

Examples:
• I want to quit my job, but I need money.
• I’m really tired today, so I’m not going to the party tonight.
• The weather was cold, yet we had a great time. .
3. Use a comma to separate a dependent clause (incomplete
thought) from an independent clause (complete thought).

Examples:
• When I move to Canada, you can come visit me.
• If you finish your reports by Thursday, I’ll give you Friday off.
• When I grow up, I want to be a Teacher.
4. Use a comma to separate any word or phrase from the
rest of the sentence that isn’t essential to the sentence’s
meaning.

Examples:
• Ara, my girlfriend, is coming to the party tonight.
• My great friend, who is pretty, joined beauty pageant.
• Red wine, my favorite drink, is good for heart.
5. Use a comma to separate a quotation from the rest of the
sentence.

Examples:
• “I am exhausted ,” he said.
• Mecha’s boss yelled, “get back to work!”
6. Use a comma to separate introductory element from the
rest of the sentence.

Examples:
• Hey, how are you today?
• Wait, can i call you later?
7. Use a comma to separate the name of a City from
Country, or State.

Examples:
• I lived in Madrid, Spain for early decade.
• Our first date will be in Paris, France next spring.
8. Use a comma to separate the day of the week, the day of
the month, and the year.

Examples:
• Today is Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
• Please join us on Saturday, April 4, 2020, to celebrate our
anniversary.
➢ a punctuation mark (:) used to precede a list of
items, a quotation, or an expansion or
explanation.
1. Use a colon to introduce an item or list, if the list comes
after the complete sentence.

Examples:
• We need many things for the party: cups, napkins, ice, and
balloons.
• Lea have three boyfriends: Kyle, George, and Aaron.
• There are three countries in North America: Canada, United
States, and Mexico.
2. Use colons to provide further clarification in
sentence.

Examples:
• We have two options: eat at home or go to a restaurant.
• I’m not sure what to do: quit my job or stay for another year.
3. Use a colon to show emphasis.

Examples:
• She was always there for one person: her mother.
• I finally met my lifelong hero: Nicholas Cage
4. Use a colon before a quote when the quote is introduce
by a complete sentence.

Examples:
• Jack said, “let’s go to the cinema”.
• Jack had one rule: ‘’we will not watch a horror movie”.
• She advised, “bring a jacket tomorrow”.
• She offered the following advise: “bring an umbrella and jacket
because it’s going to rain tomorrow”.
5. In a presentation, we use colons to introduce a bulleted
form or number list.

Examples:
In today’s lesson we will practice:
• Grammar
• Spelling
• Writing
• Punctuation
5. In a presentation, we use colons to introduce a bulleted
form or number list.

Examples:
Campers need to bring:
1. Backpack
2. Jacket
3. Water
4. Hiking boots
➢ Semi-colons are kind of hybrids between
periods and commas.
1. Use semi-colon to connect closely related independent
clauses.

Examples:
• I’m going to order fish. He is going to order steak.
• I’m going to order fish and he is going to order steak.
• I’m going to order fish; he is going to order steak.
2. Use semi-colons between independent clauses joined by
a conjunctive adverb.

Examples:
• I can come to your party tomorrow; however, i will arrive late.
• He was very tired; nevertheless, he went on walking.
• Amari just got married; meanwhile, i am single.
3. Use semi-colons between items in a series containing
internal punctuation.

Examples:
• I travelled to Madrid, Spain; Rome, Italy; and Paris, France last year.
• The company invited Steve, the accountant; Carl; the office
manager; and Ryan, the book keeper to the conference.
➢ There are two types of dashes: em dash and en
dash. Both get their names from their length.
➢ An em dash is about as long as the letter "m"
(—), whereas an en dash is only about half that
length, or the length of the letter "n" (–).
 –
➢ An en dash is a midsize dash (–) (longer than a hyphen
but shorter than an em dash) that is mostly used to show
ranges in numbers and dates.
➢ It can also be used for clarity in forming complex
compound adjectives.
1. Using an en dash with number and date ranges.
➢ A properly executed en dash is especially important in scientific
and mathematical writing because it is used between numbers to
represent the word to.

➢ It is also used when writing times, dates, and page numbers in the
sense of up to and including or through.
1. Using an en dash with number and date ranges.

• Our part-time employees work 20–30 hours per week.

• By Monday, you should have read pages 79–113.
• The years 1861–1865 were a dark time in American history.

Keep in mind that if a number or date range is introduced with

from, the word to should be used instead of an en dash to keep the
construction parallel. Similarly, when a range is introduced with
between, the word and should be used.
1. Using an en dash with number and date ranges.

I NCORRECT C ORRECT

Nelson Mandela was president of Nelson Mandela was president of

South Africa from 1994–1999. South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

Homer eats between 60–75 Homer eats between 60 and 75

donuts per month. donuts per month.
2. Use an en dash with scores and directions.
➢ When used with things such as sports scores, votes, and
directions, an en dash bears the sense of to.

• The final score was 4–2 in favor of the Lakers team.

• By a vote of 55–45, the chamber passed the new bill.
• The north–south trail was longer than I expected.
3. Using an en dash with complex compound adjectives.
➢ An en dash should be used for clarity when one of the elements in
a compound adjective is an open compound (made up of two
words with a space between them) or when both elements
contain hyphenated terms.
➢ In terms of clarity, this is especially helpful when one of the terms
is a capitalized proper noun.

• I plan on wearing my great-grandmother’s World War I–era

dress at my wedding.
 —
➢ An Em Dash (—) is a substitute punctuation mark used
instead of parentheses, commas, or colons.
➢ They are useful for inserting interruptions,
clarifications, and additional informations.
• Four of my friends — Jake, Amy, Eric, and Leonard —
decided to go to a movie.
1. Used to convey explanations or clarifications.

• Every student in the school — some teachers even — protested

against the reduced school holidays.
2. Used to display interruption.

• Where did I put my — never mind, found it.

• While traveling across Western China, I—
3. Mark a sudden change in a sentence’s tone.

• I thought I had everything under control—until I received the

unexpected news that turned my world upside down.
 -
➢ is a mark that join words or parts of words and is placed
directly between letters and with no space.

• My brother-in-law is coming to visit.

1. Use a hyphen to join two or more words serving as a
single adjective before a noun.
• He is a well-known celebrity in the entertainment industry.
1. Use a hyphen to join two or more words serving as a
single adjective before a noun.
However, when compound modifiers come after a noun, they are
not hyphenated.
• The celebrity is well known in the entertainment industry.
2. Use a hyphen with compound numbers.
• forty-six
• sixty-three
3. Use a hyphen to avoid confusion or an awkward
combination of letters.
• The man-eating tiger escaped from the zoo.
4. Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex- (meaning former),
self-, and all-; with the suffix - elect; between a prefix and
a capitalized word; and with figures or letters.
• The ex-president delivered a speech at the conference.
• The president-elect will be sworn in next month.
• The pre-Renaissance art was characterized by religious themes.
• The project was rated B-minus by the committee.
5. Use a hyphen to divide words at the end of a line if
necessary.
• basket → bas-ket
• equipping → equip-ping
 DIFFERENCES
Hyphen (-) En dash (–) Em dash (—)

• It is used to join • It is used to indicate • It is used to indicate

words together or ranges or a break or
to separate syllables connections interruption in a
within a word. between two sentence or to add
things. emphasis or
additional
information.
➢ Shows what words have been added to a direct quotation.

➢ It may be necessary to use square brackets if you are providing

extra information in order for a quote to make sense.

 "We went and had a brilliant time."

 "We went [to a theme park] and had a brilliant time."
1. Square brackets are used to explain further, correct, or
comment within a direct quotation.
• According to one student, “the [writing] center is a helpful resource.”

• The dance instructor eventually becomes frustrated with Teresa’s

missteps and scolds her: “…Teresa, donde estas hoy? [where are you
today?]”

• Mrs. Martin indicated on Ava’s report card that she has been “well
behaved, eager to participate, and friendly [sic] with her peers.”
2. Square brackets are used alter part of a word, indicating
necessary changes from its original form.
Original sentence: “In a paper, use brackets to signify important
information added to direct or block quotes.”

Modified sentence: After reading the bracket handout, Sally writes

her science paper “us[ing] brackets to signify important information
added to direct or block quotes.”
➢ Parentheses are a form of punctuation to be used around
words in a sentence to add or clarify information. Generally
anything placed in parentheses is considered to be less
important than anything outside of it.

• She is coming to our house after work (around six o’ clock).

• I am going to visit my grandma (my dad’s mom) today.
1. Use parentheses to enclose an interrupting word or word
group that adds information, but does not change the
meaning of a sentence.
• Our teacher (a good-looking man in his 40s) introduced himself.
2. Use parentheses to show equivalent measures or values.
• Her newborn baby boy weighed 7 pounds (or approximately 3.2
kilograms) at birth.
3. Use parentheses to enclose directions and references.
• To get to the park, turn right at the second traffic light (across
from the gas station).

• According to a recent study (Smith et al., 2022), regular meditation

has been linked to reduced stress levels.
4. Use parentheses to enclose additional or supplemental
information that clarifies or illustrates a point.
• Everything that went wrong that day (the accident, the missed
appointment, the argument) was eventually forgotten in the
midst of the joyful celebration.
5. Use parentheses to enclose numbers or letters
introducing items in a list or outline.
• There are five steps to cleaning an aquarium: (a) Put the fish
somewhere else; (b) drain the water out; (c) scrub the inside of the
glass; (d) add dechlorinated fresh water; and (e) return the fish.
➢ Quotation marks are used to denote texts,
speech, or words spoken by someone else. It
also used to indicate dialogue.
Examples:
• “Where is the emergency room?” he asked the nurse urgently.

• Saying “Don’t do this” was a mistake.

• “May I see you again?” he asked. There was an endearing

nervousness in this voice.
• One of the most common points of confusion with quotes
is when to use single versus double quotation marks.

• In American English, single quotation marks are used only

for quotes that appear inside other quotes
➢ if you’re quoting a passage that already has a quote in it,
use double quotation marks for the main quote and
single quotation marks for the quote within a quote.

.
Example:
• “My last boss used to always say, ‘You sell more before
lunch than the others sell in a week,’” Amira mentioned
in her job interview.
➢ However, this applies only to American English, which is
also used by the majority of Canada, Australia, and New
Zealand. In British English, the rules are reversed: Single
quotes are used primarily for quotes, dialogue, titles, etc.,
and double quotes are used only within other quotes.
1. Always capitalize the first word in a complete quotation,
even midsentence.

Example:
• Lamarr said, “The case is far from over, and we will win.”
2. Do not capitalize quoted material that continues a
sentence.
Examples:
• Lamarr said that the case was “far from over” and that “we will
win.”
3. Use commas to introduce or interrupt direct quotations of
dialogue or text.
Examples:
• He said, “I don’t care.”
• “Why,” I asked, “don’t you care?”
This rule is optional with one-word quotations.
Example: He said “Stop.”
4. If the quotation comes before, end the quoted material
with a comma, even if it is only one word.

Examples:
• “I don’t care,” he said.
• “Stop,” he said.
5. Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside quotation marks.

Examples:
• The sign read, “Walk.” Then it said, “Don’t Walk,” then, “Walk,” all
within thirty seconds.
• He yelled, “Hurry up.”.
6. If a quotation functions as a subject or object in a
sentence, it might not need a comma.

Examples:
• Is “I don’t care” all you can say to me?
• Saying “Stop the car” was a mistake.
6. The placement of question marks with quotation marks follows
logic. If a question is within the quoted material, a question mark
should be placed inside the quotation marks.
Examples:
• Albert asked, “Will you still be my friend?”
• Myla yelled in frustration, “I cannot be your friend!”
➢ is a punctuation mark that is most often used
to form possessive nouns, to represent omitted
letters, and to form some plurals.
1. If a singular noun or a plural noun not ending in s, add
apostrophe (‘) and an “s” at the end.

Examples:
• university’s, women's
2. If a plural noun ends in s, only (') should be added.

Examples:
• students', teachers’
3. If ownership of something is shared, use 's after the
second owner.

Example:
• Lily and Leia's comb
4. If ownership of something is separate, use 's after each
owner.

Example:
• Lily's and Leia's combs
5. Numbers can be shortened by adding an apostrophe in
place of the omitted number.

Examples:
• The Batch ‘10 (The Batch 2010)
• In the ’90s (In the 1990s)
6. You need apostrophes in contractions.
List of contractions
• 'd when contracting would or had (he'd)
• 'm when contracting am (I'm)
• 's when contracting is or has (she's)
• 'll when contracting will (I'll)
• 're when contracting are (they're)
• 've when contracting have (we've)
• n't when negating some helping or linking verbs (wasn't, shouldn’t)

Examples: • I’ll be there soon.

• Don’t break my heart!
7. You don't need to put apostrophes in:
Time Periods
• The 1800s

Forming plural form of abbreviations

• CDs
Possessive Pronouns
• its, yours, his, hers
➢ Also known to some as "dot-dot-dot" because
it consists of three periods, or dots, in a row.
➢ Used to indicate the omission of words or
suggest an incomplete thought. In general, an
ellipsis should be treated as a three-letter
word, with a space, three periods and a space.
1. Use an ellipsis to show an omission, or leaving out, of a
word or words in a quote. Use ellipses to shorten the
quote without changing the meaning.

Example:
• "After school I went to her house, which was a few blocks away,
and then came home." to "After school I went to her house … and
then came home."
2. Ellipses can express hesitation, changes of mood,
suspense, or thoughts trailing off. Writers also use
ellipses to indicate a pause or wavering in an otherwise
straightforward sentence.
Examples:
• She opened the door . . . and saw . . . a cake!
• I was thinking . . . maybe we should call home.
2. Ellipses can express hesitation, changes of mood,
suspense, or thoughts trailing off. Writers also use
ellipses to indicate a pause or wavering in an otherwise
straightforward sentence.
Examples:
• I know I saw my keys somewhere . . .
• "I'm not sure what to do . . .," he said.
• I never thought . . .
➢ A slash, in punctuation, is a slanting line that is generally used
instead of the conjunction ‘or’.

➢ It is also used to denote the availability of options and choices.

➢ The symbol / used in writing to separate letters, numbers, or words.

(Cambridge Dictionary)

➢ A mark / used typically to denote “or” (as in and/or), “and or” (as in
straggler/deserter), or “per” (as in feet/second). (Merriam-Webster
Dictionary)
1. A slash is often used to indicate "or"

Example:
• Dear Sir/Ma’am (Sir or Ma’am)
• Please press your browser’s Refresh/Reload button. (Refresh or
Reload)
2. Use a slash for fractions:

Examples:
• 1/2 (one half)
• 2/3 (two thirds)
3. Use a slash to indicate "per" in measurements of speed,
prices etc:

Examples:
• The speed limit is 100 km/h. (kilometres per hour)
• He can type at 75 w/m. (words per minute)
• The eggs cost $3/dozen. ($3 per dozen)
4. People often use a slash in certain abbreviations:

Examples:
• This is my a/c number. (account)
• Please turn on the a/c. (air conditioning)
• I’m happy w/o you. (without)
5. A slash is often used in dates to separate day, month and
year.

Examples:
• He was born on 30/11/2007. (30th November 2007 - BrE)
• He was born on 11/30/2007. (November 30, 2007 - AmE)
6. The slash is used to separate parts of a website address
(URL) on the Internet, and to separate folders on some
computer systems:

Example:
• www.example.com/writing/slash.htm
 G ROUP 7 M EMBERS:
Gutierrez, Blessel Kate R.
Bautista, Christine Mae M.
Bullagay, Matthew Robin James J.
Villanueva, Regine V.