LEC052031 Mousumi mechanics of writing

 Mechanics of writing

Mechanics refers to the rules of the written languages such as capitalization,punctuation .It makes the writing precise and grammartically correct .It is directed to make the writing systematic and being concerned about how to be correct.

Punctuation:

In ancient times there was no punctuation any language .With the advancement of civilization punctuation was introduced in the written form of the language to help a reader distinguish words and ideas from each other.

Punctuation is used to express the meaning of a sentence in a sentence or at the end of a sentence or to express emotions ,questions etc.in a sentence.

Academic writing depends on making meaning clear .so appropriate of punctuation is crucial.There  are 14 punctuation- period, question mark,exclamation point,comma,semicolon,colon,dash,hyphen,parantheses,brackets,apostrophe,

quotation marks and ellipies.

Comma;

1 : Use a comma after certain introductory word of phrases.                                                

2:Use commas to separate words and word groups in a series of three or more items.

3:Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the adjectives are interchangeable.

4:In sentence where two independent clauses are joined by connectors  such as  and ,or,but,etc,put a comma at the end of first rules.

5:To set off  a  quote from the rest of the sentence.

6: To list nouns in a sentence.

7:To separate interrupting words and expressions in a sentence.

Semicolon(;)

1:Use a semicolon to separate two sentence when there is no coordinating conjuctoin such as and ,but,or,nor,for.

2:If the two sentences are joined by a conjunctive adverb, such a however ,consequently, therefore,or moreever, use a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb and a comma after it.

3:Use a semicolon to separate two sentenced joined with a coordinating conjunction when commas are contained within either of the sentences.

4:A semicolon can also be used to replace a period.

Colon(:)

1:To introduce a series of items in a list.

2:To introduce explanations.

3:To begin or introduce a quotation.

4:To separate two independent clauses where the fast introduces or explaines the second.

Double quotatoinMark(‘’ ‘’) 

1:To quote something .

2:Toshow quotations inside quotations.

3:To set off titels of essays ,journal,and magazinearticles, poems and short stories.

Single quatatoin mark(    )

1:To emphasize a word or a term.

2:To show a quotation inside a quotation.

Apostrophe(   )

1:To show contractions and possession.

2:Use an apostrophe to show omissions.

3:Contractoins are not common in academic writing.

Parenthesis and bracet () []

1:To enclose information that clarifies the meaning of the preceding or following 

sentence.

2:To expand abbreviations and to insert dates.

Dash(    )

1:It is also known as ‘em dash;

2:It is slightly different from in dash ,and the hyphen.

3:Dash is three times longer than a hyphen.

4:A  comma ,colon, and parenthesis can be replaced by a dash.

5:It is used to indicate a break in a sentence and also to give some additional information.

6:A dash is also used to indicate inclusive page numbers and dates.

Hypen(-)

1:Put the hyphen between two parts of a compound word.

2:Insert a hyphen before a suffix or after the prefix

3:Compound numbers less than 100 are split with a hyphen.

Period(.)

1:Use a period at the end of a statement.

2:Use a period after an abbreviation.

3:sentence’s editing with question mark(?) or exclamation marks (!) do not require periods .

4: In sentence ending with parenthesis the period is placed outside parenthesis .If parenthesis contains a full sentence the period is placed inside parenthesis.