Punctuation | Page 9

successors are duly qualified.
4. To avoid the confusion caused by a parenthesis within a parenthesis.
5. A single bracket is used to enclose the ending of a long line of poetry which will not fit the register and has to be run over into an adjoining line.
Doubt whether to use parentheses or brackets can usually be settled by this general principle:
Parentheses always enclose remarks apparently made by the writer of the text. Brackets enclose remarks certainly made by the editor or reporter of that text.

THE INTERROGATION
The interrogation is the point that asks questions. It should always be placed outside quotation marks unless it is a part of the quotation itself.
Rules for the Use of the Interrogation
1. The interrogation point is used at the end of every direct question.
Are you there?
Indirect questions, that is, statements that a question has been asked, do not require the interrogation.
He asked me if I was there. He asked the question, Are you there? and received no answer.
2. At the end of each of a series of questions thrown into a single sentence.
Did he speak in an ordinary tone? or shout? or whisper?
3. The interrogation, like a certain inflection in the voice, may indicate that a sentence, though declarative in form, is really a question and requires an answer.
You are, of course, familiar with New York?

THE EXCLAMATION
The exclamation mark is the mark of strong emotion.
Rules for the Use of the Exclamation
1. After every expression of great surprise or emotion.
Look, my lord! it comes! Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Alas! my father.
2. After interjections and other exclamatory words.
Hurrah! Good! Away! Oh!
Where the exclamations are repeated without particularly emphasizing each one, each may be followed by a comma except the last.
Ha, ha, ha! That's a good joke!
O used as a vocative or to express a desire or imprecation does not call for an exclamation.
O John. Oh, yes. O, that night would come!
The exclamation is sometimes used in job printing to fill out a display line or for other inadequate reasons. These uses should be avoided.

THE APOSTROPHE
The apostrophe is primarily the sign of the possessive case, but it has several other uses.
Rules for the Use of the Apostrophe
1. The apostrophe for the possessive case is added only to nouns, not to the pronouns, which have their distinct possessive forms. Its is a possessive pronoun. It's is an abbreviation for it is. Do not use an apostrophe with the possessive adjectives hers, ours, yours, theirs, its.
2. All nouns in the singular and all nouns in the plural except those ending in s take an apostrophe and s to form the possessive.
Nouns in the plural ending in s take an apostrophe only to form the possessive.
There is much difference of opinion as to the invariability of the rule concerning singular nouns in s. DeVinne advises following the pronunciation. Where the second s is not pronounced, as often happens, to avoid the prolonged hissing sound of another s, he recommends omitting it in print.
Moses' hat, for Moses's hat. For conscience' sake.
3. The apostrophe indicates the omission of letters in dialect, in familiar dialogue, and in poetry.
That's 'ow 'tis. 'Twas ever thus.
When two words are practically made into one syllable, a thin space may be put before the apostrophe, except that don't, can't, won't, and shan't are consolidated. This use of a space serves to distinguish between the possessive in s and the contraction of is.
Where death?'s abroad and sorrow?'s close behind.
4. Figures expressing dates are often abbreviated, but it is not good general practice.
The boys of '61. It happened in '14.
5. The apostrophe is used to form the plural of letters and figures.
Cross your t's and dot your i's. Make 3's and 5's more plain.
Except in these cases the apostrophe is not a plural sign and should be so used only when it is intended to reproduce a dialect or colloquialism.
Wrong: All the Collins's were there. Right: All the Collinses were there.
The final ed of past tenses and past participles was formerly pronounced as a distinct syllable, thus: clos-ed, belov-ed, and this pronunciation continued in common use in poetry long after it was discontinued in prose. During this period of transition the modern pronunciation was indicated by dropping the e and using an apostrophe, thus: clos'd, belov'd. It is now understood that while the full spelling is to be used, the old pronunciation is not to be used unless specially indicated by placing a grave accent over the e of the last syllable, thus: belov��d.
At the same period poets, especially, used an apostrophe to indicate a silent e as in ev'ry, but the usage is now obsolete.
Such abbreviations as Dep't, Gov't, Sec'y, and the like, are objectionable in print. If such abbreviations are necessary it is better to use the forms Dept., Govt., Secy.

THE HYPHEN
The hyphen is used to join compound