Page 8 - Style Book 2020

PUNCTUATION
Apostrophes
• Use the apostrophe to show possessives, both individual and collective, with singular and plural names and nouns.
Last year’s figures show we had 500 more students than expected.
Susan’s and Tom’s projects won awards.
The boys’ basketball games begin at 4:30 p.m.
• To show joint possession by two or more people, use an apostrophe with the final name.
Delaine Roneker, Michael Hernacki and Crystal Sullivan’s students planted a camphor tree.
• Use a colon to introduce a long quotation. Colons are placed outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation.
The edConnect article stated: “Brevard Public Schools is do- ing a good job, according to the latest community attitude survey conducted by the district. The results show improve- ment since the last survey.”
• Use colons for ratios; time of day; to denote a particular periodical, legal or biblical reference; and after the salutation in a business letter.
• Do not use apostrophes with personal possessive pronouns such as yours, ours, theirs, its, etc.
• Use the apostrophe for contractions such as we’re, don’t, they’ve, it’s, etc.
• Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree, a master’s etc., but not for PTOs, SACs.
Brackets
Brackets denote text that is not part of a quoted passage or are used for explanatory purposes within parentheses. Commas, dashes and parentheses are preferable to brackets.
Colons
• Use a colon before a series of complex items, and capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the beginning of a complete sentence. (Two spaces follow the colon if typewritten, one space if desktop publishing is used.)
Other topics covered in the session will include the follow- ing: the benefits of owning your own business, ways to grow your business through media marketing, and tax breaks
for small businesses.
ONLY use a colon at the end of a complete sentence.
Use semicolons in a series IF there are commas used within each item. Since this is void of commas in any of these listed items, then using commas are justified not semicolons.
Dr. Thedy believes this: Organizational changes can result in new ideas, increased energies and improved results.
To take the SAT, students are required to bring the following:
1. admission slip
2. photo identification 3. No. 2 pencils
• Use commas to separate words, phrases or clauses, but not before the conjunction (and, or or nor) in a simple series.
This semester she is taking algebra, chemistry, humanities and English literature.
• For clarity, a comma should be used before the last item in a complex series.
The main points to consider are whether the athletes are skillful enough to compete, whether they have the stamina and strength to endure training, and whether they have the proper mental attitude.
• Set off nonrestrictive/nonessential clauses, phrases or words with commas. If the sentence is clearly understood or the meaning is not altered without the separated clause, the clause is nonessential. (For more information on essential/nonessential clauses, see “That or which, who
or whom,” page 25.)
The paper quilts, displayed throughout the school, were made by Suntree Elementary art students.
• Use a comma for most numbers higher than 999. Some exceptions are: room numbers, street addresses, serial numbers and year.
• Commas always go inside quotation marks.
The Foundation’s purpose is “to enhance the quality of
education in the Brevard County school system,” he said.
Terms like “interdisciplinary,” “inservice training” and “open concept” can be confusing to parents.
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a 2:3 ratio the 7:15 bell
Commas
Florida Statutes: 228-246 Dear Dr. Blackburn: