Basic Rules of Punctuation: Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point

Commas

• Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (if they can be connected with "and").
• Use a comma to separate items in a series (e.g., We bought eggs, cheese, and milk at the store).
• Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (but, or, yet, for, and, nor, so) joining two independent clauses.
• Use a comma after every item in an address or date (if there is more than one item).
• Use a comma to set off most introductory elements.
• Use a comma to set off nonrestrictive elements.
• Use a comma to separate transitional and parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, and contrasted elements.
• Use a comma before the text of a quotation.

Semicolons

• Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses in a sentence.
• Use a semicolon to separate items in a series when commas are used as well.

Colons

• Use a colon to call attention to the words that follow it.

Periods

• Use a period to end a statement, mild command, or indirect question.
• Use a period after most abbreviations.

Question Marks

• Use a question mark after a direct question.

Exclamation Points

• Use an exclamation point after an emphatic statement, command, or interjection.

Apostrophes

• Use the apostrophe to indicate possession.
• Use the apostrophe to mark contractions.
• Use the apostrophe to pluralize letters or numbers.

Quotation Marks

• Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotes.
• Use quotation marks around titles of short works.