Are you ready for another dose of Comma Usage rules???
Let's dive right in! Here goes...
1) Commas can be used with parenthetical (supplementary/non-essential) elements for slight breaks. Use an em-dash for a stronger break.
Examples:
She bought the thigh-high boots, even though she'd never wear them in public.
Romance heroes are handsome and muscular, for the most part.
The trip wasn't cancelled, in spite of the nasty weather.
2) Use commas with non-restrictive phrases. If a descriptive phrase isn't essential to the sentence's meaning, it's non-restrictive.
Examples:
The boy, with the helmet perched sideways on his head, turned toward the rumbling Harley.
The doe, trailed by her trio of fawns, grazed her way across the yard.
3) Always use commas with dependent clauses that begin sentences, including participial and adverbial phrases.
Examples:
If he saw one more tear, he'd break down and forgive her. (dependent clause)
Without any money, they couldn't rent a room for the night. (dependent clause)
Exhausted from the chase, she ducked into the tangle of briars to catch her breath. (participial phrase)
After hours of waiting, he no longer had any patience. (adverbial phrase)
4) Use commas to separate a listing of two or more adjectives before a noun when they can be connected by "and" and adding commas won't affect the meaning. The order of the adjectives can be reversed and still make sense. Repeated adjectives also need commas.
Examples:
He shoved his fingers into the sticky, gooey dough.
The forecast is calling for a cold, rainy, overcast day.
Many, many people have phobias.
5) Direct addresses require commas. Remember "Let's eat Grandma." vs. "Let's eat, Grandma."???
Examples:
When did you arrive, Aunt Millie?
Miss, please close the door.
You, Mr. Drake, aren't welcome here.
6) Use a comma after an introductory "yes" or "no."
Examples:
Yes, you may sit there.
No, I wasn't expecting you.
In case you missed my other comma-related posts, check out Comma Usage Part 1, Comma Splices and Punctuation for Dialogue.
Next week, I'll tackle more ways to use commas. No, I don't expect you to remember them all!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Showing posts with label Punctuation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Punctuation. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Punctuation Rules
By the time this blog posts, I'll be at the RWA National Conference!!! So, HELLO from Atlanta!!!
Let's review basic Punctuation Rules. Here's a simple list:
1) Period - Use at the end of sentences and fragments. Examples: Callum cradled his fallen comrade's head in his lap. "My friend. My brother."
2) Question Mark - Use at the end of interrogative sentences and fragments (questions). Example: How could he exact revenge upon his enemies?
3) Exclamation Point (or Mark) - Use at the end of exclamatory sentences and fragments (exclamations). Example: "You will suffer for this!" Callum yelled into the darkening sky.
4) Em-dash - Use at the end of interrupted internal and spoken dialogue. Example: Jane kicked at her captor. "Unhand me, you filthy--" "Beware yer words, fine English lass."
5) Ellipses - Use to show hesitation or trailing off of internal and spoken dialogue. Does he mean to...kill me?
6) Semi-colon - Use to connect two independent clauses that are closing related. Example: Being kidnapped hadn't been in her plans; being forced to marry a stranger was no better.
7) Quotation Marks - Use to enclose spoken dialogue, titles of poems, songs, etc., and emphasized words. Example: "The Raven" is one of her favorite poems.
8) Colon - Use to indicate a list. Example: Here are some types of punctuation: period, question mark, exclamation point, and em-dash.
Yes, I've left off hyphens and commas, but both really deserve their own posts because of their number of uses. In the meantime, crack open your copy of Chicago Manual of Style! You'll find lots of help with punctuation!
Next week, we'll tackle those hyphens!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Let's review basic Punctuation Rules. Here's a simple list:
1) Period - Use at the end of sentences and fragments. Examples: Callum cradled his fallen comrade's head in his lap. "My friend. My brother."
2) Question Mark - Use at the end of interrogative sentences and fragments (questions). Example: How could he exact revenge upon his enemies?
3) Exclamation Point (or Mark) - Use at the end of exclamatory sentences and fragments (exclamations). Example: "You will suffer for this!" Callum yelled into the darkening sky.
4) Em-dash - Use at the end of interrupted internal and spoken dialogue. Example: Jane kicked at her captor. "Unhand me, you filthy--" "Beware yer words, fine English lass."
5) Ellipses - Use to show hesitation or trailing off of internal and spoken dialogue. Does he mean to...kill me?
6) Semi-colon - Use to connect two independent clauses that are closing related. Example: Being kidnapped hadn't been in her plans; being forced to marry a stranger was no better.
7) Quotation Marks - Use to enclose spoken dialogue, titles of poems, songs, etc., and emphasized words. Example: "The Raven" is one of her favorite poems.
8) Colon - Use to indicate a list. Example: Here are some types of punctuation: period, question mark, exclamation point, and em-dash.
Yes, I've left off hyphens and commas, but both really deserve their own posts because of their number of uses. In the meantime, crack open your copy of Chicago Manual of Style! You'll find lots of help with punctuation!
Next week, we'll tackle those hyphens!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Writing Tip Wednesday--Punctuation for Dialogue
I admit it. I'm a bit of a grammar nerd.
As PRO Liaison and Push to PRO coordinator for my local RWA chapter, I try to educate members in how to create the best manuscripts they can for submission and publication. A large part of this tends to focus on writing craft. I participate in critique groups and offer new writers a first-chapter crit when I'm not hiding in the writing cave under deadline. My chapter sponsors a writing contest each summer, and I typically judge the maximum number of entries allowed. I've also judged the Golden Heart contest every year since joining RWA.
Punctuation for dialogue seems to be an area where many writers have problems, so here are the basics...
Dialogue tag--identifies the speaker; not required for every piece of dialogue.
Action tag--uses action to identify the speaker instead of using "said," "asked," etc. Also not required for every piece of dialogue.
Examples: Note where periods, commas, and other punctuation are placed in the sentences.
1) "I had a new book release this week," she said.
2) "I had a new book release this week!" she said.
3) "Did you have a new book release this week?" she asked.
4) "The dog ate my manuscript," Mellanie said.
**first word inside quotes is capitalized; comma/exclamation mark/question mark is inside closing quotes; use one space between closing quotes and beginning of dialogue tag, dialogue tag is in lower case unless a proper name is used; period is at end of dialogue tag**
5) She said, "I had a new book release this week."
6) Mellanie said, "I had a new book release this week!"
7) She asked, "Did you have a new book release this week?"
**comma follows the dialogue tag; use one space between comma and opening quotes; first word inside quotes is always capitalized; period/exclamation mark/question mark at the end of the dialogue is inside the closing quotes**
8) Jumping for joy, she said, "I got an offer of publication from my favorite publisher!"
9) "I got an offer of publication from my favorite publisher!" she said, jumping for joy.
**when adding action to a dialogue tag, use a comma between the tag and the action; use lower case for tag after a beginning action except when using a proper name**
10) She grinned. "I completed my first manuscript."
11) "I completed my first manuscript." She grinned at her critique partners.
**action tags are separate sentences with appropriate capitalization and punctuation; period/exclamation mark/question mark is inside the quotes**
Do you have a headache yet? Take a deep breath and get to work fixing those dialogue problems. Your writing career will thank you for it :)
Next week--Comma splices
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
As PRO Liaison and Push to PRO coordinator for my local RWA chapter, I try to educate members in how to create the best manuscripts they can for submission and publication. A large part of this tends to focus on writing craft. I participate in critique groups and offer new writers a first-chapter crit when I'm not hiding in the writing cave under deadline. My chapter sponsors a writing contest each summer, and I typically judge the maximum number of entries allowed. I've also judged the Golden Heart contest every year since joining RWA.
Punctuation for dialogue seems to be an area where many writers have problems, so here are the basics...
Dialogue tag--identifies the speaker; not required for every piece of dialogue.
Action tag--uses action to identify the speaker instead of using "said," "asked," etc. Also not required for every piece of dialogue.
Examples: Note where periods, commas, and other punctuation are placed in the sentences.
1) "I had a new book release this week," she said.
2) "I had a new book release this week!" she said.
3) "Did you have a new book release this week?" she asked.
4) "The dog ate my manuscript," Mellanie said.
**first word inside quotes is capitalized; comma/exclamation mark/question mark is inside closing quotes; use one space between closing quotes and beginning of dialogue tag, dialogue tag is in lower case unless a proper name is used; period is at end of dialogue tag**
5) She said, "I had a new book release this week."
6) Mellanie said, "I had a new book release this week!"
7) She asked, "Did you have a new book release this week?"
**comma follows the dialogue tag; use one space between comma and opening quotes; first word inside quotes is always capitalized; period/exclamation mark/question mark at the end of the dialogue is inside the closing quotes**
8) Jumping for joy, she said, "I got an offer of publication from my favorite publisher!"
9) "I got an offer of publication from my favorite publisher!" she said, jumping for joy.
**when adding action to a dialogue tag, use a comma between the tag and the action; use lower case for tag after a beginning action except when using a proper name**
10) She grinned. "I completed my first manuscript."
11) "I completed my first manuscript." She grinned at her critique partners.
**action tags are separate sentences with appropriate capitalization and punctuation; period/exclamation mark/question mark is inside the quotes**
Do you have a headache yet? Take a deep breath and get to work fixing those dialogue problems. Your writing career will thank you for it :)
Next week--Comma splices
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
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