Punctuation | Page 7

heads: first,
etc.
4. Before formal quotations.
Write a short essay on the following topic: "What is wrong with our
industrial system?"
When the formal introduction is brief, a comma may be used.
St. Paul said, "Bear ye one another's burdens."
5. After the formal salutatory phrase at the opening of a letter.
My dear Sir:
When the letter is informal use a comma.
Dear John,
6. Between the chapter and verse in scriptural references.

John xix: 22.
7. Between the city of publication and the name of the publisher in
literary references.
"The Practice of Typography." New York: Oswald Publishing
Company.
The colon has been similarly employed in the imprints on the title
pages of books.
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1880.
DeVinne remarks upon this use of the colon that it is traditional and
can not be explained.
The colon is sometimes used between the hours and minutes in
indicating time, like: 11:42 a.m.
DeVinne does not approve of this, though other authorities give it as
the rule. It is probably better to use the period in spite of its use as a
decimal point, which use was probably the motive for seeking
something else to use in writing time indications. In railroad printing
the hour is often separated from the minutes by a simple space without
any punctuation.

THE PERIOD
The period, or full stop, marks the end of a declarative sentence. As a
sign it has several other uses which will appear in the paragraphs
following.
Rules for the Use of the Period
1. At the end of every sentence unless interrogative or exclamatory.
2. After abbreviations.

Nicknames, Sam, Tom, etc., are not regarded as abbreviations.
The metric symbols are treated as abbreviations but the chemical
symbols are not. M. (metre) and mg. (milligram) but H{2} O and
Na Cl.
Per cent is not regarded as an abbreviation.
The names of book sizes (12mo 16mo) are not regarded as
abbreviations.
The period is now generally omitted in display matter after
Running heads, Cut-in side-notes, Central head-lines, Box heads in
tables, Signatures at the end of letters.
The period is omitted
After Roman numerals, even though they have the value of ordinals.
After MS and similar symbols.
In technical matter, after the recognized abbreviations for linguistic
epochs. IE (Indo-European), MHG (Middle High German)
and after titles of well-known publications indicated by initials such as
AAAPS (Annals of the American Academy of Political Science).
When a parenthesis forms the end of a declarative sentence the period
is placed outside the parenthesis, as in the preceding example. A period
is placed inside a parenthesis only in two cases.
1. After an abbreviation.
This was 50 years ago (i.e. 1860 A.D.)
2. At the end of an independent sentence lying entirely within the
parenthesis.

Lincoln was at the height of his powers in 1860 (He was elected to the
presidency at this time.)
When a sentence ends with a quotation, the period always goes inside
the quotation marks.
I have just read DeVinne's "Practice of Typography."
The same rule applies to the use of the other low marks, comma,
semicolon, and colon, in connection with quotation marks. Unlike most
rules of grammar and punctuation, this rule does not rest on a logical
basis. It rests on purely typographic considerations, as the
arrangement of points indicated by the rule gives a better looking line
than can be secured by any other arrangement.
Other Uses of the Period
1. The period is used as a decimal point.
2. The period is used in groups, separated by spaces, to indicate an
ellipsis.
He read as follows: "The gentleman said . . . . he was there and
saw . . . . the act in question."

THE DASH
The dash is a very useful mark which has been greatly overworked by
careless writers. It is very easy to make in manuscript and serves as a
convenient cover for the writer's ignorance of what point should
properly be used.
The conspicuousness of the dash makes it a very useful mark for
guiding the eye of the reader to the unity of the sentence. It is
particularly useful in legal pleadings where there is much repetition of
statement and great elaboration of detail. In such cases commas,
semicolons, and even parentheses are so multiplied that the relation of

the clauses is lost sight of. The confusion thus arising may often be
cleared up by intelligent use of the dash.
The dash is sometimes used to connect a side heading with the text that
follows, or to connect the end of that text with the name of the writer.
A RULE FOR PEACE.--If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live
peaceably with all men.--St. Paul.
The dash is sometimes used in catalogue work as a