Schooldays - or so we are told - are the happiest days of our lives. (Note. In more formal usage, parentheses or commas replace dashes.) Also £^> Conversation below.
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() PARENTHESES (GB ALSO BRACKETS)
1. Used to separate extra information, an afterthought or a comment from the rest of
the sentence:
Schooldays (so we are told) are the happiest days of our lives. He said he'd never seen the sea before (but I think he was joking).
2. Used to enclose cross-references:
The abacus (see the picture on page 1) is used for teaching numbers to children.
" QUOTATION MARKS (GB ALSO INVERTED COMMAS)
(Note. In GB usage they are usually single: 'Fire!' In US usage they are usually double: "Fire!" )
Used around a slang or technical term when it is in a context in which it is not usually found, or around a word to which the writer wishes to draw particular attention: Next, the clay pot had to be 'fired'.
He called himself a 'gentleman' but you would never have thought so from the way he behaved. Also c^> Conversation and Quotations below.
- HYPHEN
(Note. It must not be confused with the dash, which separates parts of a sentence. The hyphen is half the length of the dash.)
1. Sometimes used to form a compound word from two other words: hard-hearted; radio-telescope; fork-lift truck.
2. Used to form a compound word from a prefix and a proper name: pre-Raphaelite; pro-Soviet; anti-Nazi.
3. Used to form a compound word from two other words which are separated by a preposition:
mother-in-law; mother-to-be; mother-of-pearl; out-of-date.
4. (Esp GB) Sometimes used to separate a prefix ending in a vowel from a word beginning
with that same vowel:
co-ordination; re-elect; pre-eminent.
' APOSTROPHE
1. Used with 's' to indicate the possessive:
Singular noun: the dog's [dogz] bone.
Singular noun ending in 's': the princess's [prin'sesiz] smile.
Singular proper noun ending in 's' (two possible forms): King Charles's ['tja:lziz]
crown,- King Charles' ['tfa:lziz] crown.
Plural noun: students' ['stjtr.dsnts] books.
Irregular plural: men's [menz] jackets.
2. Used in a contracted form to indicate the omission of letters or figures:
I'm (= I am); he's (= he is/has); they'd (= they would/had). In '87 (= 1987).
3. Used with 's' to form the plural of a letter, a figure or an abbreviation, when these are
used as proper words. In modern usage it is often omitted after a figure or a capital
letter:
In the 1960's or in the 1960s. MP's or MPs. He can't pronounce his r's.
4. Used with 's' to form the plural of a word (e.g. a preposition or a conjunction) that does
not usually have a plural :
No it's or but's - just do as I say.
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ABBREVIATIONS
1. A full stop may end an abbreviation or a person's initials, although this is becoming less
common, especially in GB usage:
Mr. R. S. H. Smith or Mr R S H Smith.
2. When the abbreviation consists of capitals, it is common GB usage to omit the full
stops:
UN, WHO, BCC.
3. The omission of full stops in a lower case abbreviation is less common:
i.e., p.m., e.g., or ie, pm, eg.
4. If the abbreviation includes the last letter of the word, it is usual in GB usage to omit the
full stop:
Mr, Dr, St, Rd.
5. To form the plural of capital letter abbreviations, add a lower case 's or s:
MP's or MPs, TV's or TVs.
CONVERSATION
1. A new indented paragraph is begun with e,ach new speaker.
2. Quotation marks enclose all words and punctuation in direct speech: