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Business Communications Punctuation

Punctuation Mastery

A Non-Technical Guide To Using Punctuation With Style
Bestseller
Rating: 4.6 out of 54.6 (4,114 ratings)
25,121 students
Created by Shani Raja
Last updated 9/2020
English
English, French [Auto], 
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

What you'll learn

  • Learn how to apply punctuation stylishly
  • Write with more confidence and flair
  • Spruce up your reports, essays, resumes, books, blogs and articles
Curated for the Udemy for Business collection

Requirements

  • Pen and paper, or computer for taking notes and doing exercises

Description

From the creator of one of Udemy's most popular courses, Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer, comes Punctuation Mastery, a non-technical guide to using commas, dashes and other types of punctuation more stylishly.

"Every once in a while, you find that one person who understands you, and teaches you exactly what you wanted to know..." -- JAYANTH S, UDEMY STUDENT

"Didn't realize punctuation could be so cool..." -- RYAN, UDEMY STUDENT

"Exactly what I needed to clear up all confusions I had about punctuation without reading through boring grammar lessons..." -- NIKKI BRUSOE, UDEMY STUDENT

PLEASE NOTE: This program is not for you if you're seeking a strict guide to formal punctuation rules, which can be obtained from any number of books and grammar experts. It offers the author's personal, often unorthodox, take on punctuation based on decades of experience in the news business. The program adopts mostly a non-technical, intuitive approach to the subject with the aim, above all, of fostering clear and elegant writing that is easy (and pleasurable) for readers to navigate. 

Are you among the growing army of people seeking to make a mark on the world by writing an outstanding book or creating a magnificent blog read by thousands?

If so, you will find it easier to make an impact once you discover how to use punctuation more stylishly.

Conversely, if you don't yet know how to use commas, colons, semi-colons, hyphens, apostrophes and dashes with a certain kind of flair, you may never be able to weave magic with your words.

While studying all aspects of grammar in a formal setting is highly recommended, a strictly technical approach to punctuation can often leave students bored and uninspired.   

That's why, here, you will find a more intuitive and flexible approach: one that focuses exclusively on the purpose of communicating powerfully and beautifully, rather than on just blindly following rules. 

The goal is to help make your writing more effective, while steering clear of the dense jungle of jargon that can destroy your enthusiasm.   

"One of the best courses I have ever taken..." -- RICHARD HAKE, UDEMY STUDENT

"Good for any writer looking to work on their clarity and form..." -- BRENDAN TERRY, UDEMY STUDENT

"Will agonize less when editing..." -- JOAN SALANITRI, UDEMY STUDENT

"Puts you behind the steering wheel..." -- CHRIS HEMMES, UDEMY STUDENT

"Take this course if you want to write like a pro..." -- AARON LEBLANC, UDEMY STUDENT

"Thought I knew how to effectively use punctuation..." -- IGOR MILOSAVLJEVIC, UDEMY STUDENT

"Covers just about everything..." -- KNOWLEDGE GATHERING, UDEMY STUDENT

"Will now write with more confidence..." -- DEVON HALL, UDEMY STUDENT

"Clarified a lot of questions..." -- ARIEL JACOBY, UDEMY STUDENT

"One of those people whose products I don't even think about buying. I just buy them..." -- IVAN JURAS, UDEMY STUDENT

So, if you spend ages wondering whether a comma should go here or there, and then doubt yourself straight afterwards because of all the complex rules around comma placement... Or, if you frequently end up with a random mess of semi-colons littering the page and distracting from your message... Or, if you don't yet know how to use a dash or colon to create dramatic tension in your writing....

Then this course, developed by someone who has written edited for top news organisations, including The Wall Street Journal, should help put you on a firmer footing.

To reiterate, this course is NOT for those interested in a "purist" approach to punctuation based on traditional grammar rules. There is certainly a place for such an approach, and you can, if you want, find it elsewhere. The program is for nonfiction writers seeking a more intuitive and commonsense guide to punctuation, as well as for those interested in learning about some of its more hidden aspects.

Some of the best professional writers don't treat punctuation as a set of rigid rules to obediently follow. They see it, rather, as a tool for making their communication more engaging and captivating. 

Your school and college tutors may have discussed punctuation in a largely jargon-laden way that may have left you bored or mystified. You may even dread going back to the subject.

This course steers clear of all that. By the end, you may wonder why nobody told you punctuation could be so interesting.

You'll discover, for instance, that a comma doesn't just help create useful pauses in a sentence, but that it can be a mighty weapon letting you express your ideas with more clarity and gracefulness. You'll discover that colons don't just give you a neat way of introducing lists; they can be used to heighten drama and anticipation.

In fact, you'll come to see that each little symbol that you thought was so mundane has its own unique power to create special effects right across your writing.

Who this course is for:

  • Anyone unsure of how to use punctuation
  • Anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of punctuation
  • Marketers, salespeople, communications professionals
  • Writers and journalists
  • Students

Featured review

John Cepoi
John Cepoi
152 courses
71 reviews
Rating: 5.0 out of 5a year ago
Being someone who didn't understand where to place a comma, it has helped me make use of many writing tools I didn't have any command over. Covering differences between American, British; formal and informal writing standards, Shani Raja will break down all of those principles with ease. Not one to usually write reviews, I was completely amazed. Highly recommend to anyone who writes a lot or wishes to improve on this skill.

Course content

11 sections • 37 lectures • 2h 33m total length

  • How To Use Punctuation Like A Pro
    Preview04:16
  • Punctuation: Why Bother?
    05:48

  • Commas For Clarity
    04:14
  • Preview03:42
  • Commas To Add Elegance
    06:50
  • Commas To Extend A Point
    02:51
  • Commas To Insert A Point
    02:21
  • Quiz
    09:41

  • Colons To Introduce Lists
    02:20
  • Colons To Answer A Thought
    02:10
  • Colons To Create Anticipation
    02:47
  • Quiz
    05:06

  • Semi-Colons To Tidy Up Lists
    Preview05:21
  • Semi-Colons To Complete Thoughts
    03:27
  • Quiz
    04:21

  • The Function Of Exclamation Marks
    03:17
  • Quiz
    02:50

  • Quote Marks (Or Inverted Commas) For Speech
    07:30
  • Other Uses For Quote Marks
    05:00
  • Dangers Of Quote Marks
    02:12
  • Quiz
    05:16

  • How To Use Apostrophes
    03:44
  • Apostrophes To Sound Less Formal
    03:55
  • Quiz
    02:41

  • Why Brackets Aren't So Cool
    05:12
  • Brackets To Aid Comprehension
    01:59
  • Quiz
    02:51

  • Dashes To Add Drama
    03:28
  • Dashes For Definition & Significance
    02:36
  • Dashes To Prevent Getting Lost
    02:57
  • Quiz
    05:19

  • Hyphens Can Be Tricky
    02:54
  • Hyphens To Prevent Confusion
    01:35
  • Hyphens To Quicken Comprehension
    03:42
  • Quiz
    05:18

Instructor

Shani Raja
Ex-Wall Street Journal editor
Shani Raja
  • 4.5 Instructor Rating
  • 49,555 Reviews
  • 394,096 Students
  • 8 Courses

                                         Shani Raja teaches top journalists how to improve their writing and has written and edited for some of the world's biggest news organizations, including The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Financial Times and Bloomberg News. Shani has also taught advanced writing skills to professionals and edited for leading global companies from Microsoft and IBM to PwC. He also teaches journalism to undergraduates. 

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