These are notes from a presentation given by Brittany Passmore hosted by LDSMA. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

Semicolons

• Use semicolons as a soft period between two complete sentences.
• Use semicolons as hard commas to distinguish complicated items within lists.

Colons:

• Use colon as a soft period signals that one idea is more important than the others are. . Use it after a complete sentence.
• It can introduce a list after a complete sentence. 111111
• Use a colon (after a complete sentence) to introduce a quote to make it feel more formal.

Em dashes (–)

• Use two em dashes to interrupt your own sentence with a phrase and then get back to what you are saying use an em dash
• Use an em dash to connect to a complete sentence with an impolite sentence.
• Em dash in dialogue or very informal prose, use an em dash to show an interruption in someone’s speech.
• Do not have spaces before or after an em dash
• Type in –<enter> it will be created in in Microsoft word.
• at end of book you can do control F and search each – for change to an em dash > —

Commas (,)

• Commas are a smaller beat than any other punctuation mark.
• Pay attention to how you connect complete sentences with an incomplete sentence.
• Pay attention to the feel and when you want to take a breath. That can be a good place for a comma.
• An introduction phrase of a sentence needs a comma.
• Add comma in front of a conjunction (this list can be remembered through the acronym: ‘fan boys’. These are for words: for, and, not, but, or, yet, so,
• If have a complete sentences followed after a completed sentence don’t need a comma (a frequent mistake)

Q&A:

• Q: some word processes give grammar recommendations. Are they accurate?
• Sometimes off sometimes off. Grammarly works better than Microsoft word. Grammerly gives reasons why. Grammarly is good at 70% of the time.
• Q: For on dialog tags, is a comma used only when the dialog followed by said?
• A: The only exception would be if have a question mark. A dialog tag is some form of said.
• The author, Branden Sanderson is very good on his punctuation.
• Q: punctuation with parentheses
• A: The parentheses ‘(‘ will have punctuation inside if not an interruption. ) (that are an interruption would not have punctuation.

Helpful sits:

• passmoreedits.com
• Book: rhetorical grammar by Martha kolln and Loretta grey.
• https://www.facebook.com/ldspma