Abeka English 8 – Unit 3 Punctuation Vocabulary

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering punctuation concepts from Abeka English 8 Unit 3 notes.

Period

Ends a declarative sentence; used after abbreviations (e.g., Dr., Mrs., U.S.A.).

Question Mark

Ends a direct question; not used for indirect questions.

Exclamation Point

Shows strong feeling or emphasis; use sparingly in formal writing.

Comma

Separates items in a series; sets off introductory elements; before a conjunction in a compound sentence; sets off nonessential clauses/phrases; separates direct address.

Semicolon

Joins closely related independent clauses without a conjunction; separates items in a series when commas are already used.

Colon

Introduces a list; used in time and biblical references; used before a formal quotation.

Quotation Marks

Enclose direct quotations; periods and commas go inside the quotation marks; colons and semicolons go outside; question marks/exclamation points go inside only if part of the quotation.

Apostrophes

Show possession; form contractions; do not use for plurals.

Hyphen

Join parts of compound words; divide a word at the end of a line.

Dash

Shows a sudden break in thought.

Parentheses

Enclose extra or explanatory material.

Brackets

Used within quoted material to add explanations or corrections.

Ellipsis

Shows omitted words; indicates a pause or unfinished thought.