Comments on: Top 10 Rules of Punctuation http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/ Ultimate Top 10 Lists - Listverse Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:01:11 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Sophia http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-227473 Sophia Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:14:07 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-227473 Excellent reference guide; thank you. Excellent reference guide; thank you.

]]> By: thewatkinsvillian http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214671 thewatkinsvillian Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:48:24 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214671 @Jonathan (<a href='#comment-175860' rel="nofollow">58</a>): With hyphens vs. dashes, do you know the difference between an "em dash" and an "en dash" in terms of how they are used? @Jonathan (58): With hyphens vs. dashes, do you know
the difference between an “em dash” and an “en dash” in terms of how they are used?

]]> By: thewatkinsvillian http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214669 thewatkinsvillian Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:36:32 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214669 Has anyone ever noticed that, a lot of Listverse lists, use commas, excessively? I exaggerate a little but not really. I'm glad to see a list about punctuation that clarifies some of these rules. Has anyone ever noticed that, a lot of Listverse lists, use commas, excessively? I exaggerate a little but not really. I’m glad to see a list about punctuation that clarifies some
of these rules.

]]> By: Rowena http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214034 Rowena Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:38:00 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214034 One thing that got missed from the item on apostrophes (which I really think should have been number one, by the way, as they get used so badly so often) is that if it is being used as a possessive and the object doing the possessing is plural (so that makes so much sense, the object is plural, sorry about that...) the apostrophe goes after the s - so "the tails of the cats" becomes "the cats' tails" rather than "the cat's tails", which gives a rather different sense. Also, in the list it said parentheses are "occasionally and sparingly used". I had to laugh when I saw that; consider this post. Am I using parentheses occasionally and sparingly? I love them; they're so useful... I just realised that I am subconsciously using lots of the slightly obscure grammar in my post... well done to me! One thing that got missed from the item on apostrophes (which I really think should have been number one, by the way, as they get used so badly so often) is that if it is being used as a possessive and the object doing the possessing is plural (so that makes so much sense, the object is plural, sorry about that…) the apostrophe goes after the s – so “the tails of the cats” becomes “the cats’ tails” rather than “the cat’s tails”, which gives a rather different sense.
Also, in the list it said parentheses are “occasionally and sparingly used”. I had to laugh when I saw that; consider this post. Am I using parentheses occasionally and sparingly? I love them; they’re so useful…
I just realised that I am subconsciously using lots of the slightly obscure grammar in my post… well done to me!

]]> By: gandalftheobese http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214029 gandalftheobese Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:11:08 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-214029 ha ha i have just recently passed all my english exams and i still dont habe a clue god knows how i did it and i didn't cheat ha ha ha ha i have just recently passed all my english exams and i still dont habe a clue god knows how i did it and i didn’t cheat ha ha

]]> By: D http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-203657 D Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:44:55 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-203657 Boooooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrringggggggggg!!! but essential :-). I love your lists just really cant read this one. But excellent and definitely necessary!! Boooooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrringggggggggg!!! but essential :-) . I love your lists just really cant read this one. But excellent and definitely necessary!!

]]> By: erkz http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-198852 erkz Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:10:12 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-198852 you forgot that won't = will not. you forgot that won’t = will not.

]]> By: Jonathan http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-175860 Jonathan Mon, 25 May 2009 13:38:00 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-175860 @heroajax re your message 49, it's a shame about the incorrect use of the question mark at the end. Also re your message 32, surely that should have read "run-on"? And yes, I do consider that the question mark should stay outside the quotation marks in that sentence! But then, I'm English, not American. And again, in your message 46, shouldn't you have put a comma between "Actually, proofreader,..."? Just picking on you a bit since you seem to (consider yourself to) be an expert on punctuation and yet I found some errors in your posts! :) The main reason for my post, however, was to take issue with the usage definition for the dash in the main article. It may be "correct" not to put spaces around the dash when used parenthetically, but I dislike it and always use spaces. For me, the spaces denote the difference between a hyphen and a dash. And, by the way, the last sentence in section 7 on the question mark is incorrect - "are", not "is". One last dig at jfrater for message 19 - no, that is NOT the subjunctive. The subjunctive is a mood of verbs, and the phrase in question - "feel it my duty" - contains no verbs. It would be subjunctive if the phrase were (subjunctive) to read "feel it be my duty", but that sounds very clumsy. I am not an expert grammarian, but a well educated person who has read a lot. Please take all comments in the spirit in which they are intended, with a big :) @heroajax re your message 49, it’s a shame about the incorrect use of the question mark at the end.

Also re your message 32, surely that should have read “run-on”? And yes, I do consider that the question mark should stay outside the quotation marks in that sentence! But then, I’m English, not American.

And again, in your message 46, shouldn’t you have put a comma between “Actually, proofreader,…”?

Just picking on you a bit since you seem to (consider yourself to) be an expert on punctuation and yet I found some errors in your posts! :)

The main reason for my post, however, was to take issue with the usage definition for the dash in the main article. It may be “correct” not to put spaces around the dash when used parenthetically, but I dislike it and always use spaces. For me, the spaces denote the difference between a hyphen and a dash.

And, by the way, the last sentence in section 7 on the question mark is incorrect – “are”, not “is”.

One last dig at jfrater for message 19 – no, that is NOT the subjunctive. The subjunctive is a mood of verbs, and the phrase in question – “feel it my duty” – contains no verbs. It would be subjunctive if the phrase were (subjunctive) to read “feel it be my duty”, but that sounds very clumsy.

I am not an expert grammarian, but a well educated person who has read a lot. Please take all comments in the spirit in which they are intended, with a big :)

]]> By: Elvin http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-172609 Elvin Fri, 15 May 2009 07:22:23 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-172609 If Martin Fowler, says that we should place a period at the end of an abbreviation only when the final letter of the abbreviatin is not the final letter of the expanded word. Why has a period been placed after the abbreviation, 'Dr.' in the quotaion marks section? If Martin Fowler, says that we should place a period at the end of an abbreviation only when the final letter of the abbreviatin is not the final letter of the expanded word.
Why has a period been placed after the abbreviation, ‘Dr.’ in the quotaion marks section?

]]> By: pradeep http://listverse.com/2007/10/12/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-165832 pradeep Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:56:04 +0000 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-rules-of-punctuation/#comment-165832 can anybody knows the name of this symbol "?if yes so please send me the answer on my email address.please.thank you in advance can anybody knows the name of this symbol “?if yes so please send me the answer on my email address.please.thank you in advance

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