Punctuation . , - ( ) …!? : : ‘ “ ‘’

For a C: use it ALL.

For a B or higher: Use it all to control the pace (speed), tone (mood) and

how you want the reader to respond.

Tip from the exam board: Always write all the punctuation at the top of every piece you do and cross it off as

you use it. Look up at it to remind you to use it!

Full stop . Use this at the end of EVERY sentence. Where there is a big pause – you should have one! For example: Brad Pitt is very handsome.

Commas ,

1. A little pause. If it is a compound sentence (two complete sentences joined with a conjunction like And /Or/BUT) then you DON’T use a comma. If a joining word like BECAUSE is at the beginning then the comma goes in its place. For example: Because he missed the bus, he was late.

LOOK AT THE SENTENCE POSTER TO HELP.

2. They can also be used in lists. For example: The tiger was stripy, aggressive, hungry and irritable.

Pair of commas (formal), dashes (-) or brackets (informal) for extra information.Rule: you can take out what is inside the pair of commas/dashes/brackets and the sentence still makes sense.For example: My cat, Jeffrey, waddled into his bed and fell asleep. OR Jeffrey – my pet cat – is very greedy and often eats too much.

A dash ( in pairs – see above)

It’s INFORMAL and joins two sentences (like a semi-colon).It’s a bit like a comma. Used for a little pause. Can be breathy and frantic if you use a lot of them.

A hyphen -

1a. Joins two words together for example: Ms Butterfield-Smith OR low-budget.

1b. Extension: Sometimes journalists join words together that would not normally be joined. For example: the film was an act of mind-blowing brilliance.

Ellipsis …

This is where the sentence trails off.It is left a little bit unfinished – like a cliff-hanger. For example: She walked into the wood and then the rest was blackness…

Exclamation mark !

Only one - any more is incorrect. Use them to show extreme emotions – like excitement, anger or fear. For example: Help! OR… This cruelty is outrageous!

Question marks ?

These can be rhetorical (you don’t expect an actual reply from the reader but want them to think about the question) For example: Do you think I want you to swing on your chair? OR the question can be one that you do want them to answer.

Semi-colons ;

These join two COMPLETE sentences (you can use it instead of a conjunction like and but the two sentences on either side must be complete). Rule: The sentences must BOTH make sense. The sentences should be about similar things. For example: Call me tomorrow; I will give you my answer then.

Colons :

However, they are easier to use when summing-up or concluding a sentence. The rule is that you should be able to pause where the colon is and you should be able to cover it up and say the words, namely, that is to say, in conclusion, to sum up… and the sentence makes sense.

For example: There is nothing more important than punctuation: it means people can understand what we write. OR Clive was handsome, toned and intelligent: he was a great catch!

Apostrophes ‘

1. Where a letter has been missed out. For example: It’s a great book. (it is used because an i is missing) 2. To show that something belongs + add an s (unless it has already in which case just an apostrophe) for example: John’s bag was blue. (the bag belongs to John)

Speech marks “ ”

Use them when a character speaks.

Rule 1: new line each time it’s a new speaker and look below at where the commas go!Rule 2: Fred said, “Hello.”Rule 3: “Hello,” said Fred.Rule 4: “Hello,” said Fred, “it’s nice to see you.”

- Quotation marks ‘

These go round EVERY quote you ever use. Anything that is not your words and is another writer’s must have quotation marks around it.

You can repeat a piece of punctuation if it is deliberate For example: You could start a persuasive piece with three rhetorical questions or three short sentences to create an assertive and confident feel. However, you MUST show that you can use the FULL range.