Good writing is about knowing the basics of punctuation. There are a number of general rules that, when learnt, will offer the foundation of good writing practice.
The full stop has a few distinctive uses (UNSW, 2009). It indicates a sentence has been completed; that there is an abbreviation; and it also punctuates numbers.
The colon (:) is another type of punctuation that you’ll come across in your daily travels. The colon signals that something is to follow, such as a quote or list. The colon can also be used to break up sentences or clauses that offer support to the other in some way.
The semi-colon (;) acts as a connection to two sentences that are closely related (UNSW, 2009). You can also use the semi-colon when there is a sequence of words or phrases in a sentence and the comma is already in use.
Commas (,) help break up longer sentences so that they are more comprehensible. It helps the reader and reduces confusion. Commas can also be used to section off a portion of a sentence; to highlight some words; or to show differences. Commas are also used to break up lists.
Apostrophes (') are another one of the basics of punctuation. Apostrophes can be used when you want to write a contraction, such as instead of 'do not' write 'don’t'. They are also used to indicate possession or ownership. The general rule is that to indicate ownership of a plural, put the apostrophe between the noun and the 's'. For the plural, you place the apostrophe after the 's'.
Other Fundamentals of Punctuation
Charles Sturt University (2009) suggests some basic rules when contemplating punctuation. The first rule is that if two following sentences are similar in meaning, then you can substitute a full stop with a semicolon. You can not use a comma to substitute for a full stop or semicolon. For example, instead of 'The dog is black and white. It is a very cute dog', you can write 'The dog is black and white; it is a very cute dog'.
The second rule of punctuation CSU (2009) refers to is that you should place a comma between a dependent and independent clause if the dependent clause is first in order. An independent clause is able to be a sentence by itself. It has a subject, a verb, and conveys an absolute idea. The dependent clause, however, often has a marker (such as 'because' or 'since'). As such, you have to link this to an independent clause. An example of an independent clause is 'The apple is red', while the dependent clause is 'Because the apple is red'.
Another of the basics of punctuation is that when you have more than two independent clauses, there are a variety of methods for presenting them (CSU, 2009). You can use a full stop; a semicolon; a coordinating conjunction (such as 'and', 'but', 'for', or 'so') and a comma; or an independent marker (such as, 'therefore', 'moreover', 'consequently', or 'however').
The next rule relates to the introducer comma. In this situation, you place a comma before the independent clause if a word, clause, quote, or phrase precedes it. For example, place the comma after the word 'consequently' in the sentence 'Consequently, the dog was taken to the veterinarian'.
Another rule with the comma and the independent clause is that if there is additional information in the sentence that is not within the independent clause, place the comma in front of the extra information and before the clause (CSU, 2009).
Possessing knowledge of punctuation is extremely important to good writing. Without the fundamentals, your writing will suffer. On a positive note, there are tools and resources that help you develop your punctuation skills easily and in the convenience of your own home. One example is Write 101’s How to Write Well tutorial, which includes a whole section on the basics of punctuation.
References
Charles Sturt University 2009, Punctuation the Easy Way, viewed 9 July, 2009.
University of New South Wales 2009, A Rough Guide to Punctuation, viewed 9 July, 2009.