On May 29, 2023

Let’s Punctuate – Part 3

Let’s Punctuate

(PART-3)

Are you ready for the last ride?

Wait! We are not. For we — with utmost determination — are here to make you comfortable with the punctuation marks. “But we know already. We studied in school,” you might say. But let’s together try to dust the rules that you might have forgotten. So buckle up, as we complete the last ride at our little merry-go-round.

Did you see what I did there? Make you revise all the punctuation marks we have learned in the previous blog. I know you caught me (as I did the same in the previous blog!) but it was worth the try, wasn’t it?

Well, fun apart, let’s jump to some serious matter — punctuation marks! With these last four, we will learn all the rules one needs to follow while using punctuation marks.

Let’s start then, shall we?

Part-1

Part - 2

Pronounced il-LIP-sis, it shows a pause for the words that are purposely left out and instead uses three dots. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “the omission of one or more words that are obviously understood but that must be supplied to make a construction grammatically complete”. It is also used as a pause for dramatic effect, in speech — trailing off into silence, and to suggest that there is more.

Example:

The door opens to reveal… a secret door to the basement.
“You’ve lost him…” said the doctor.
I don’t know… I am not sure.
“He… was… murdered?” she asked, in shock.

It is used to show possession or ownership of someone or something and should be immediately placed after a noun or pronoun followed by the letter s. It is also used to indicate the missing number or letter and is placed exactly in the place of the missing number or letter. It is also used for the contraction of words.

Example:

He is his dad’s son in every manner.
She didn’t come for dinner last night.
I was born in September ’94.
He is fond of ‘80s movies.

This is generally used in place of the word ‘or’. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it is defined as “the symbol / used in writing to separate letters, numbers, or words”. It is also used in dates or fractions and to express “per” as in feet/second. It is also used to represent contradictory and similar relationships and to separate lines in poetry, prose, and songs.

Examples:

You can use yellow/orange to color the sun.
His missing report was published on 12/02/1999.
To authenticate, the court needs a PAN Card/passport.
I wanna grow old with you/I wanna lie dying in your arms/ I wanna die lying in your arms is a song by Westlife.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a bracket is “either of two symbols put around a word, phrase, or sentence in a piece of writing to show that what is between them should be considered as separate from the main part”. Precisely, round brackets () are used to give additional information; curly brackets {} are used to write mathematical expressions, computer programs, and musical notes; square brackets are used to indicate missing letters or words in the sentence; angle brackets are used to mention URLs and email address.