
Master essential punctuation by learning comma, semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parentheses, and apostrophe through direct address rules, examples, and practical practice for clear, professional writing.
Master comma rule #1: use commas to separate items in a series, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, with clear examples that improve readability and avoid misreadings.
Master comma usage after introductory words or phrases, from one word to four words or more, to clearly signal the main action.
Apply comma rule three to coordinate adjectives by placing a comma between two adjectives that jointly modify a noun, as in slippery, treacherous roads.
Master comma rule #4: use a comma to join two independent clauses only with a coordinating conjunction (fanboys: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) with clear examples.
Learn the appositive comma rule: use commas to set off extra, nonessential information (the appositive) and test by removing it to see if the sentence still makes sense.
Learn to introduce quotations with the comma rule: put a comma after a verb before a complete sentence, or use 'that' without a comma and 'according to' with a comma.
Master comma rule seven: place a comma before direct addresses, such as grandma or Tom, to avoid misreading and strengthen your writing.
Learn how to use a semicolon to join two independent clauses, connect complex ideas in one sentence, and improve clarity in academic writing.
Apply semicolons to separate items in a series when items contain commas, clarifying meaning as shown in the video examples.
Learn how to use the colon to introduce lists after an independent clause and apply common grammatical uses like salutations, Bible verses, and ratios, with examples from the lecture.
Use the colon to introduce quotes or important information and highlight it for readers. Left side must be independent; capitalize after colon only if the following is a complete sentence.
Learn to use the colon for formal salutations in business communications and to separate time units, including hours, minutes, and optional seconds, in both regular and military time.
Explore using a colon to separate main titles from subtitles and learn the rules for exceptions with question marks, exclamations, and multiple subtitles.
Master the hyphen as a writing enhancer. Use two rules: hyphenate numbers twenty-one to ninety-nine and hyphenate compound adjectives like off-campus and 19th-century to modify nouns.
Master dash usage to highlight key information, create emphasis, and pace reading, using two hyphens to form the dash and dashes in pairs for emphasis.
Learn rule 1 for the apostrophe: place it where letters or numbers are missing to show omissions, with examples like wasn't, y'all, and the nineteen eighties.
Master how to use the apostrophe to indicate possession, distinguish singular and plural nouns, and apply the plural rule by adding an apostrophe after s, with inherently plural exceptions.
Master how to use parentheses to add non crucial information or asides, compare with commas and dashes, and ensure correct placement for clear, grammatical sentences.
Master the use of double quotation marks for direct quotes and single quotation marks. Learn how quotation marks cast suspicion on word usage and on the titles of smaller works.
Learn when to use quotation marks versus italics for titles, applying quotes to works like stories, essays, articles, songs, and TV episodes, and use single quotes for quotes within quotes.
Learn how to punctuate around quotation marks, placing commas and periods inside the quotes unless a parenthetical reference, and placing colons and semicolons outside.
Learn how to place question marks and exclamation points with quotation marks based on whether they belong to the quoted material or the surrounding sentence.
Celebrate finishing the perfect your punctuation course with a final video, then leave a review and explore the full-length college essay writing course and core academic writing crash course.
Welcome to Perfect Your Punctation, a non-technical guide to using commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, parentheses, and other types of punctuation with style and flair.
As our world becomes increasingly digital, we must present ourselves increasingly in writing--meaning, our writing often determines whether we get the job, grant, scholarship, or promotion, or not...
If you struggle with writing or worry you're not presenting yourself in the most favorable light via the written word, worry no more! Once you master the major punctuation rules, you'll soon find it easier (and more enjoyable) to write with confidence.
As a writer, you need punctuation as a tool of your trade, but many people think there are just way too many rules to learn and that they're too difficult to master. Happily, this is NOT the case!
You need not memorize a grammar book the size of the Bible to write well! Instead, you need only master a few key punctuation rules--and in this course, you'll learn what those rules are and how to use them. We'll cover not only the rules but also examples illustrating those rules so you can immediately see how to apply them.
Think of these punctuations rules as akin to a carpenter's tools in his toolbox. If he needs a hammer, he goes to his toolbox and pulls it out, then uses that hammer with authority. Similarly, once you complete this course, you'll have all the punctuation rules firmly in your "toolbox," and you'll feel comfortable pulling out those tools and using them when needed.
For example, you'll learn to use these punctuation marks, and more: .
Commas
Semicolons
Colons
Hyphens
Dashes
Apostrophes
Parentheses
Punctuation can be a dry, boring, and uninspiring topic--but not in this class. We'll have a fun, flexible approach to learning punctuation so you can focus on just that--learning--rather than blindly memorizing boring rules. Through this approach, you'll soon discover that punctuation helps you communicate your meaning more clearly and effectively.
Your only regret will be you didn't take this course and master these rules sooner!