The Writer's Desk Book. William Dana Orcutt
made.
4. Before particulars definitely stated: e.g., These new duties of the management are grouped under four heads: first, they develop a science for each element of a man’s work, etc.
5. Before formal quotations: e.g., In a recent speech attributed to you by the daily press, you are reported to have used these words: “Good principles follow good habits.”
6. After the formal salutatory phrase at the beginning of a letter: e.g., Gentlemen:1 When less formality is desired, the comma may be used: e.g., My dear Mother,
1 See page 117, §§ 2, 3, 4.
7. Between the hours and minutes in indicating time: e.g., 11 : 30 A.M.
8. Between the chapter and verse in scriptural references: e.g., Matt. 1 : 4–8, 12, 16; chap. 3; 8 : 16.
9. Between the city of publication and the name of publisher in literary references: e.g., “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (New York: Harpers).
THE PERIOD
Always place the period inside the quotation-marks and inside the parentheses when parenthetical matter forms an independent sentence and is not a part of the preceding sentence. {12}
Use the period:
1. After every abbreviation.
2. To set off decimal numbers from whole numbers.
3. After every complete sentence unless the sentence is interrogative or exclamatory.
4. To indicate an ellipsis, repeating the mark three or more times separated by spaces: e.g., …
Do not use the period:
1. After running-heads.
2. After cut-in side-notes.
3. After centered head-lines.
4. After box-heads in tables.
5. After legends beneath illustrations.
6. After subheads set in separate lines.
7. After date-lines at the top of letters.
8. After signatures at the end of letters.
9. At end of lines in display composition, such as titles,2 blocked headings, etc.
10. After roman numerals, even though they possess the value of ordinals: e.g., Vol. VIII; George V is king of England.
2 First adopted by William Pickering, the London publisher, about 1850.
THE DASH
The dash is more misused and overused than any of the other punctuation marks. The following rules define its proper use: {13}
Use the dash:
1. Whenever the construction or the sense is suddenly changed or suspended: e.g., You cannot believe—but I will not humiliate myself by asking the question.
2. To connect extreme dates in specifying periods of time: e.g., 1912–1918.
3. When the sentence is abruptly terminated: e.g., “If he is alive, I can make him one from this time; and if—if—”
4. To secure rhetorical emphasis: e.g., We are ready—we are more than ready to meet the issue.
5. To define verse references in the Bible: e.g., Matt. 1 : 4–8; or to indicate page references in a book: e.g., See pp. 21–42.
6. Between short, snappy sentences to increase the speed of the discourse: e.g., Hullo! ho! the whole world’s asleep!—bring out the horses—grease the wheels—tie on the mail!
7. Between the subject-matter and its authority.
8. To indicate the omission of letters: e.g., Mrs. B——.
9. At the end of a series of phrases which depend upon a concluding clause: e.g., Courtesy and attention, patience and judgment, accuracy and carefulness—these are but a few of the elements which constitute successful business relations. {14}
10. To precede expressions which are added to an apparently completed sentence, but which refer to some previous part of the sentence: e.g., The question of hearing was seriously troubling the minister—they probably had heard too much.
¶ Dashes may be substituted for commas or marks of parenthesis before and after expressions having closer connection with the main sentence than could be indicated by marks of parenthesis: e.g., They might have been talking for a quarter of an hour or more, when Monks—by which name the Jew had designated the strange man—said, etc.
¶ Use the dash preceded by the colon before a long quotation forming a new paragraph. The dash is not otherwise used with other punctuation marks unless demanded by clearness.
¶ In France, printers use the dash as a frequent substitute for quotation-marks in dialogue, placing quotation-marks only at the beginning and the end, even though extended over several pages.
THE EXCLAMATION
The proper use of the exclamation-point lends force and vigor to language in expressing surprise or emotion, but when overused it cheapens intended pathos and thus defeats the writer’s purpose. It should always be placed {15} outside the quotation-marks unless it is a part of the quotation itself. The mark is formed from the word Io, signifying joy, written vertically
The exclamation-point is required:
1. At the end of a word or sentence to express strong emotion: e.g., God forbid ! “Mind that, Fagin !”
2. To indicate sarcasm or doubt on the part of the writer regarding the authenticity of a statement: e.g., “For Brutus is an honorable man !”
3. After exclamatory words. If the same interjection is repeated use the comma to separate the words, placing the exclamation-point only at the end, unless the intention is to make each of the repeated words emphatic: e.g., “Oh ! dear, dear, dear !” he exclaimed; “what an unfortunate memory you have !”
¶ Use great care in distinguishing between Oh !, an interjection expressing pain or surprise, and the vocative O, expressing a wish or an imprecation, which does not call for the exclamation-point: e.g., “Oh ! what damned minutes tells he o’er !” and “O that I had wings like a dove !”
THE INTERROGATION
The interrogation-point is formed from the first and last letters of the Latin word quaestio (a question)