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Resources - Grammar
Punctuation

Too many commas are as bad as too few, since they make writing choppy and awkward to read. (Making Sense, Northey, 1993; see also Purdue University's Online Writing Lab http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_overvw.html; Ottawa University's Web page http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/punct.html; Punctuation Made Simple, Olson, 1999, http://www.stpt.usf.edu/pms/)

Original
Revised
He went out for dinner with his sister and his room-mate joined them later.

Use a comma to separate two main clauses(sentences) joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, not, yet, so). By signalling that there are two clauses, the comma will prevent the reader from confusing the beginning of the second clause with the end of the first:

 He went out for dinner with his sister, and his room-mate joined them later.
He can stick-handle well, but he can't shoot.

When the second clause has the same subject as the first, you have the option of omitting both the second subject and the comma.

 He can stick-handle well but can't shoot.
He took his family to the zoo, it was closed for repairs.

If you mistakenly punctuate two sentences as if they were one, the result will be a run-on sentence; if you use a comma but forget the coordinating word, the result will be a comma splice.

 He took his family to the zoo, but it was closed for repairs.
He took his family to the zoo; however, it was closed for repairs.
He took his family to the zoo. It was closed for repairs.
 

Use commas to set off an interruption.

The film, I hear, isn't nearly as good as the book.
My tutor, however, couldn't answer the question.

The music, they say was adapted from a piece by Mozart.

Remember to put commas on both sides of the interruption:

 The music, they say, was adapted from a piece by Mozart.
 

Use commas to set off words or phrases that provide additional but non-essential information

 Our president, Sue Stephens, does her job well.
The black retriever, his closest companion, went with him everywhere.
My oldest friend, who lives in Antigonish, was married last week.
 

If the information is necessary to the meaning of the sentence, commas should not be used. Without the clause who came to dinner, the reader would not know which man was the uncle.

 The man who came to dinner was my uncle.

Be sure to distinguish carefully between essential and additional information. The difference can be important.

 Students, who are unwilling to work, should not receive grants.

Students who are unwilling to work should not receive grants.
On the balcony above the singers entertained the diners.

Use a comma after an introductory phrase when omitting it would cause confusion.

 On the balcony above, the singers entertained the diners.
When he turned away the prisoner disappeared. When he turned away, the prisoner disappeared.
 

Use a comma before a quotation in sentences using this form:

 He said, "Life is too short to worry."
"The children's safety," he warned, "is in your hands."
 

For more formality, or if the part preceding the quotation is a complete sentence, use a colon.

 The leaders of the anti-nuclear group repeated their message: "The world needs bread before bombs."

Using semicolons is an effective way to join complete thoughts and vary your sentences. However, make sure you use them properly.(Grammar to Go, Goldstein, Waugh, & Linsky, 2004)

Original
Revised
The conference room is available, we can have it for our group meeting this evening.

A semicolon joins two closely linked independent clauses. Both sentences are complete in themselves and can stand alone.

 The conference room is available; we can have it for our group meeting this evening.
 

Often , semicolons are followed by conjunctive adverbs or transitional expressions. These linking words or phrases emphasize the relationship between the two independent clauses.

 The conference room is available; therefore, we can have it for our group meeting this evening.
Note: the semicolon precedes the transition word therefore and a comma follows it.

Possession and Apostrophes
(Handbook for Writers, Troyka, Buckley, David Gates)
Student often confuse plurals (books, employees) and possession or ownership (the students' books, the employees' entrance).Many students are unsure if a word requires an apostrophe, so they add one just in case. This is not a good idea. Purdue University's Online Writing Lab is another excellent resource for information on apostrophes: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html

Original
Revised
 

Possession means ownership.

Nancy's sweater
Nancy's is a possessive adjective modifying sweater. Another way to think of this is the sweater that belongs to Nancy.
The students' are working on two different assignments.

In this case there is no possession; therefore, do not use an apostrophe.

The students are working on two different assignments.
 

Use 's when the possessive adjective is singular, the assignment of one student

 The student's assignment arrived a week early.

Add only an apostrophe when the possessive adjective is plural.

 The students' assignments arrived on time.
Cholesterol plays' an important role in how long we live.

Do not use an apostrophe with the present-tense verb form.

 Cholesterol plays an important role in how long we live.
Medical studies' reveal that cholesterol is the primary cause of coronary disease.

Do not add an apostrophe at the end of a non-possessive noun ending in "s."

 Medical studies reveal that cholesterol is the primary cause of coronary disease.
The medical community is seeking more information from doctor's investigations into heart disease.

Use an apostrophe after the "s" in the possessive plural of a noun.

 The medical community is seeking more information from doctors' investigations into heart disease.
Team's of doctors are trying to predict who might be most harmed by cholesterol.

Do not use an apostrophe to form a non-possessive plural.

 Teams of doctors are trying to predict who might be most harmed by cholesterol.
 

Another word that often causes confusion for writers is the three letter word "its." This is the possessive form.

 The dog wagged its tail. (the tail that belongs to the dog).
The lab reported its findings to the medical board (the findings of the lab).
The hospital was told to balance its budget (the budget belonging to the hospital).

This is another case where students often become apostrophe crazy. "It's," on the other hand, is the contraction for it is and does not show possession.

 It's time to report on our findings.

At the university level, use of contractions is considered too informal. Write the words in their proper, full form instead of the contraction: "should have, cannot, they will."

 It is time to report of our findings

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