Business Writing

Firefly Electric and Lighting Corp. Learning and Development

Human Resources Department

Module 1C

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Business Writing

Firefly Electric and Lighting Corp. Learning and Development

Human Resources Department

Module 1C

Lesson 2

Punctuation

Punctuation Marks

Punctuation marks: the standardized non-alphabetical symbols or marks that are used to organize writing into clauses, phrases and sentences, and in this way makes the meaning of the group of words clear.

Punctuation Marks

Punctuation marks used to end sentences:

1. Period or Full stop (.) is used to end declarative sentences and imperative sentences. It is also used in sentences that are indirect questions.

o Amber travels to Thailand frequently.

o Clean the table after you have eaten.

o Jason asked if he could borrow your laptop.

Punctuation Marks

2 . Question mark (?) is used to end interrogative sentences or sentences that ask questions.

o What project are you working on? o Is Lucy free for lunch? o Why?

Punctuation Marks 3. Exclamation point is a punctuation mark

(!) used to end a sentence, clause, phrase or a single word that indicates strong emotions or feelings such as surprise, command, admiration, pain, anger or anguish.

o How beautiful the sunset is!

o God in heaven!

o Wow!

Punctuation Marks Other commonly used punctuation marks:

4. Comma is a punctuation mark (,) that is used to separate words and figures in a series of three or more items, phrases, clauses and to separate independent clauses connected by coordinating conjunction.

o Marian bought three pears, six apples, six mangoes, a bunch of bananas, and a kilo of grapes.

Punctuation Marks o Rolly resigned from his job, sold his car,

left his house to his brother, and went to live in the Bahamas.

Note: the comma before the last word or phrase in a series can be omitted but not in independent clauses.

o The motor sputtered and stopped, and Therese realized she was out of gas.

Please see notes for other uses of commas.

Punctuation Marks 5. Semicolon is a punctuation mark (;) used to

separate independent clauses not joined by coordinating conjunction or is used together with conjunctive adverbs such as hence, however, therefore, etc.

o Kenneth is the class valedictorian; he is also an outstanding student in community service.

o The entire family is very proud of him; moreover, he won a full scholarship at a prestigious university in Manila.

Punctuation Marks 6. Colon is a punctuation mark (:) used to

introduce a list, quotation, or speech; used after a salutation in a formal letter or written speech; to introduce a long formal statement. (see notes)

o These are the things you will need for your art class: colored paper, water color, glue, paint brushes and rags.

o This is our concern: the time allotted for studying is rather limited.

7. Apostrophe is a punctuation mark (‘) used in contractions to show a missing letter or number.

o Ma’am for madam

o Class of ‘71

It is also used to show possession and to form plural of letters and figures

o Lenny’s daughter

o p’s and f’s

o +’s

Punctuation Marks

Punctuation Marks 8. Quotation Mark is a punctuation mark (“ “ or ‘ ‘) used to enclose direct speech, quotations, and titles of printed articles, musical compositions, plays, and works of art or to give special emphasis to a word or phrase

o Jenny asks,“ Are you coming with us?” (direct speech)

Punctuation Marks

o It was Dalai Lama who said, ” We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace within ourselves.” (quotation)

o Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star-Spangled Banner”. (title of a song)

o The most popular of Da Vinci’s work is “Mona Lisa” (name of a painting)

Punctuation Marks

o Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road not Taken” deals with choices. (title of a poem)

o People often err in differentiating “allusion” from “illusion” (to emphasize a word)

Punctuation Marks 9. Parenthesis is a punctuation mark ( )

consisting of a pair of shallow curved signs used to enclose:

• material that is not part of the main sentence, but is too relevant to omit.

• numbers or letters that designate each item in a series

• a numerical figure used to confirm a spelled-out number that precedes it.

Punctuation Marks

o The speech of Maria Ressa to 2015 graduates of Ateneo (published by Rappler) pinpoints corruption as the main culprit in the poor economy of the Philippines. (points a relevant source for reference)

Punctuation Marks o In K-12 curriculum, a grade 7 student will take (a) General Science in first quarter, (b) Biology in second, (c) Chemistry in third, and (d) Physics in fourth. (letters designate each item in a series)

Punctuation Marks

o Received from Mrs. Purita Javellana the amount of ten thousand pesos (PHp 10,000.00) as payment for the repair of the engine of her car. (a numerical figure used to confirm a spelled-out number that precedes it.)

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Let’s Review

Punctuation Marks

Punctuation Marks 2-3: Direction: Choose the appropriate punctuation mark to fill in the blank in each sentence. 1. Harold__s mother is angry with him. 2. __His mother could not believe he failed in four subjects.__, Jim reported. 3. “Four___ “, Jason exclaimed. 4. How did it happen____ 5. He was involved in a lot of things ___ sports, campus politics, choir, and lately, drugs.

Punctuation Marks

6. Take the LRT when you go to Cubao ___ it is faster.

7. The following data _refer to the chart_ , show the trajectory of the spacecraft as it will approach Saturn.

8. Today_ April 28_ is the birthday of my BFF.

9. Gosh_ you surely wowed them_

10. We will be leaving the hotel in twenty minutes_

Words in Context If you got a score of 6 or less in the

practice exercises, please review the notes in punctuation marks before taking the quiz.

Please look over the uploaded words in context notes in Quia and check whether there are other facts you need to include in your Cheat Sheet.

Creating a Cheat Sheet

A cheat sheet is a ready reference of facts you need to remember, written in a brief, simple and easy to understand manner. There are several types Punctuation marks but you need only to take note of the punctuation mark that you commonly have problems with. Tables and bullet points make a cheat sheet more effective.

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Module 1C

LESSON 2

Answers to

Punctuation Quiz

Punctuation Marks 2-3: Direction: Choose the appropriate punctuation mark to fill in the blank in each sentence. 1. Harold’s mother is angry with him. 2. “His mother could not believe he failed in four subjects” Jim reported. 3. “Four! “, Jason exclaimed. 4. How did it happen? 5. He was involved in a lot of things: sports, campus politics, choir, and lately, drugs.

Punctuation Marks

6. Take the LRT when you go to Cubao; it is faster.

7. The following data (refer to the chart) , show the trajectory of the spacecraft as it will approach Saturn.

8. Today, April 28, is the birthday of my BFF.

9. Gosh, you surely wowed them!

10. We will be leaving the hotel in twenty minutes.

Module 1C, Lesson 2: Punctuation Quiz

1. Please proceed to www. Quia.com/web

2. On the space provided, enter your log in name and your password.

3. Under “Quiz”, please select Module 1C, Lesson 2

4. Follow the instructions in the quiz.

5. Follow these same steps when you go to succeeding quizzes after every lesson.

End of Module 1C Lesson 2