Most Common Punctuation Errors - Chapter 6 The 25 Most Common Usage Problems - Part 2 Usage and Abusage

English Grammar for the Utterly Confused - Laurie Rozakis 2003

Most Common Punctuation Errors
Chapter 6 The 25 Most Common Usage Problems
Part 2 Usage and Abusage

19. Missing commas or extra commas

Incorrect: Avoid commas, that are not necessary.

Correct: Avoid commas that are not necessary.

Have you ever been advised to “add commas where you would take a breath”? Some­times this advice works—but sometimes it doesn’t. It’s especially dangerous when you’ve gone over and over your writing. At that point, nothing looks correct. To avoid confusion and frustration, don’t wing it. Instead, review the comma rules covered in Chapter 10. Use these rules as you write to help you correctly punctuate your documents.

20. Missing or misused apostrophes

Incorrect: Save the apostrophe for it’s proper use and omit it where its’ not needed.

Correct: Save the apostrophe for its proper use and omit it where it’s not needed.

As discussed in Chapter 10, the apostrophe (’) is used in three ways: to show possession (ownership), to show plural forms, and to show contractions (where a letter or number has been omitted). The following chart shows how its, it’s, and its’ are used:

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21. Misused exclamation marks

Incorrect: Of all U.S. presidents, none lived to be older than John Adams, who died at the age of 91!

Correct: Of all U.S. presidents, none lived to be older than John Adams, who died at the age of 91.

Never overuse exclamation marks. Instead of using exclamation marks, convey emphasis through careful, vivid word choice. Exclamation marks create an overwrought tone that often undercuts your point.

22. Misused semicolons

Incorrect: Use the semicolon correctly always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it is not suitable.

Correct: Use the semicolon correctly; always use it where it is appropriate, and never where it is not suitable.

A semicolon has two primary uses: to separate two complete sentences (“independent clauses”) whose ideas are closely related or to separate clauses that contain a comma. This is covered in detail in Chapter 10.