The Punctuation Handbook

Punctuation brings to the written language what facial expression, body movement, tone of voice, and emotion provide for the spoken language. All of these help the writer or speaker convey ideas. Punctuation marks are the means by which we clarify what we want to say on paper. A person who can punctuate effectively, can write effectively. Difficult to understand? Don't you believe it. The three basic uses of punctuation marks are to terminate, separate, and enclose. Understanding these simple applications is the key to successfully putting your ideas on paper. The Punctuation Handbook illustrates by word and by example how to punctuate. From Apostrophe to Virgule, the punctuation marks are engaged alphabetically, making it easy to locate the entry you need. Each entry is divided into principle uses, followed by example sentences illustrating that use. Underlining is used in the examples to highlight and clarify the uses described. The more you use The Punctuation Handbook, the better you will become at getting your ideas across in writing. Within a short time, you should be able to use punctuation marks with complete confidence. Joan I. Miller received her Ph.D. in History from the University of Connecticut, and is the Head Archivist of the Wesleyan University Cinema Archives. She lives in Connecticut with her son. Bruce J. Taylor is a former Newspaper writer and community college English instructor. He is retired and lives in Oregon with his wife, Bonnie.