When there are two independent clauses that are joined by a coordinate conjunction, — and, but, or, nor — a comma goes before the conjunction. This is probably the most basic of all comma rules. …There were three of us, and I assumed we were all in agreement. …I saw her early in the day, but she was not at the …
Punctuation Precision
Good morning. Just a reminder that Punctuation Precision begins this Saturday. This is your chance to “pull it all together.” In the 20 hours we will cover all the marks of punctuation and show how each fits into the big picture. There will be time to cover those crazy things that seem unique to reporting transcripts. If you need CEUs …
What about…? How about…?
“What about…?” and “How about…?” are idiomatic expressions that are meant to ask a question. It is true that they are not grammatically complete sentences in that they do not have a verb. However, idioms are unique unto themselves, and these two indicate questions and must stand alone with a question mark. If there is a question after this expression, …
“My Question Is…”
This construction always causes consternation and no end of disagreement. This is my understanding of the way English grammar works. It is never correct to use a single separating comma between the verb and the predicate nominative. Surely no one wants a comma in the following examples. …My name is Margie. …Her response is that she was not home. …My …
A Period or a Question Mark?
When the witness repeats the question or part of the question and then answers it, use a question mark after the question and let the rest of the answer stand on its own. …Q Was it after 10:00 that he called that night? …A Was it after 10:00? Yes. …Q What was the attire for the meeting? …
“Where are you going? is my question.”
When there are two parts to a sentence, one a statement and one a question, it is the part at the end that determines the terminal punctuation. …My question is where are you going? …Where are you going? is my question. In the second example, since the sentence ends in a period, there has to be a question mark mid-sentence …
Put the Question Mark Where the Question Is First Asked
It seems as if I just addressed this, but I looked back and don’t see it. The only way to consistently punctuate questions is to follow this rule: Put the question mark where the question is first asked; where, if the attorney had just stopped and waited, s/he could have gotten an answer. …What was she wearing? Did you notice? …
Sentence Within a Sentence
If a question is dropped inside a statement or question, put a pair of dashes around it and a question mark after it. …He was standing near — were you aware of him at the time? — the desk of the boss. …I am going to read to you — can you hear me? — from your deposition of yesterday. …
The Dash You Hate
…The key that was hidden on the premises — is it the one you used to get in that night? “The key that was hidden on the premises” is the start of a sentence that never gets finished. Then the person comes back and uses a complete sentence with a reference to “key” with the word “it.” There is nothing …
Put the Interrog Where the Question Is First Asked
First, when the situation is that the attorney has asked a question, using question word order and then does not just keep quiet and get his answer but goes on to clarify, restate, et cetera, we have a problem. How do we handle “multiple” questions within the same question? I would propose that we adopt a rule that uses …
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