Course Review Part 1: Punctuation and Writing Rules

 📝 Punctuation and Writing Rules Summary Chart – Part 1

Detailed Rules	Correct Usage Example(s)
Capitalisation - Capitalise proper nouns: names of people, departments, organizations, countries, and brands. - Capitalise titles when they appear before a name (e.g., Marketing Director Jane Smith), but use lowercase after a name (Jane Smith, marketing director). - Capitalise official documents, months, days of the week, and acronyms (e.g., PR, CEO). - Always capitalise the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.	✔ We met with the Human Resources Director. ✔ The event was held on Friday in Paris. ✔ The CEO will attend the board meeting.
Comma(,)  Use to separate items in a list. - Place after introductory words/phrases (e.g., However, As a result). - Set off non-essential information (clauses or phrases that can be removed without changing the main meaning). - Avoid comma splices: don’t join two independent clauses with a comma alone.	✔ The brochure, which includes the updated schedule, was printed last week. ✔ Yes, we will publish the press release tomorrow. ✔ We invited journalists, sponsors, and clients.
Colon(:) - Use after a complete sentence to introduce a list, quotation, explanation, or subtitle. - Avoid using after incomplete sentences. - No capitalisation after a colon unless what follows is a full sentence or a proper noun. Semicolon(;)	✔ The following people were invited: journalists, stakeholders, and investors. ✔ There is one goal: increase brand awareness.
- Use to connect two related independent clauses without a conjunction. - Use in complex lists where items include internal commas (to avoid confusion). - Shows a stronger break than a comma but not as final as a period.	✔ The campaign was a success; the client was satisfied. ✔ The team includes Jane, Director of PR; Tom, Head of Media; and Alice, Social Media Manager.
Dash (—) - Emphasises additional information, interruptions, or shifts in tone. - Typically used in informal or emphatic writing. - Do not confuse with hyphens (-).	✔ The report — although delayed — was well received. ✔ We chose three partners — UrbanClean, EcoWave, and PureLife.
Parentheses () - Insert explanatory, background, or non-essential information. - Can be replaced by commas or dashes depending on formality and tone. - The sentence must make sense without the parenthetical content.	✔ The new policy (approved last week) takes effect Monday. ✔ Our partners (see Appendix A) include regional brands.
Italics - Used to emphasize words or phrases. - Indicate titles of publications, newsletters, brochures, newspapers, and online campaigns. - Avoid overuse: use only when needed for clarity or emphasis.	✔ Our latest brochure is titled Greener Tomorrow.<br>✔ The article appeared in The Marketing Journal.
Quotation Marks (" ") - Enclose direct speech, quotations, or titles of short works (articles, blog posts, chapters). - Periods and commas usually go inside closing quotation marks in American English. - Use single quotation marks for a quote within a quote.	✔ The spokesperson said, "This campaign is a milestone for us." ✔ He called it "an urgent matter."

✅ Tips for Students

• Always proofread for mechanics — incorrect punctuation undermines professional credibility.
• Follow consistency: If you italicize publication titles, do so throughout the document.
• Choose dashes or parentheses based on tone: dashes for emphasis, parentheses for subtle clarification.
• When in doubt, simplify sentence structure rather than overusing punctuation.

Practice: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=m99TarUuTUi7cXO8ROnWgT_kYXJGJaFHgfweQScL3jBUM1E1OVZCTUFPT0RUSUNaVzFESEEzQUZCTiQlQCNjPTEu