Writing Skillz That Pay The Billz

[SuperSaiyan3]

OUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA POWAHHHHH UP TO SUPAHSAIYAN THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (3)

Hey kids.

So I was hoping that you could clear up a millennium long dispute between me, myself and I.

1. When you use "quotation marks", do you include the commas, periods, etc INSIDE the quotation marks when you are writing a sentence?

for example:

My favorite hobby is to hit the gym and do "squash-ups".

.... alright. So the point in the example made was the last word, squash-ups. Should the period have been included INSIDE the quotation mark as:

My favorite hobby is to hit the gym and do "squash-ups."

I've always thought that the first way was the right way to write, but I've started to notice that the second way is the way that MOST people write it (meaning that I still see some write the first way).




2. when listing off items, do you use the comma before the last item included with the word "and" or do you forget the comma and only use the connecting word "and"? <-- there I did it again. Would it be "and?" or "and"?

for example:

I'm going to go to the Bay and buy myself a cake, motorbike, and baseballs.

OR do you write it as:

I'm going to go to the Bay and buy myself a cake, motorbike and baseballs.



Lastly, when is an appropriate time to use semicolons? I can never tell when i should use a semicolon( or a dash (-).

If you can explain this, then you are more powerful in your English grammar knowledge than a genetically enhanced pikachu that can conduct electricity at 900000V.

SS3

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[MCATBear]

As far as quotation marks go, in america you always put the punctuation inside the quote, even if it doesn't make sense. As far as commas with lists go, when I was a writing tutor, we were told it's optional but you have to be consistent. Personally, I like to put the comma before the and, and I've had people correct me on it. Maybe the MLA has put their foot down on the matter since. In general, people are less likely to correct you by adding a comma than by removing one, so if you want to be safe, don't use the comma before the and. As far as semi-colons go, a semi-colon is like a weak period. If you have two independant clauses that you want to seperate without a conjunction but want to imply a closeness, you can use a semi-colon. You can also use it to seperate items in a list after a colon.

 

[reisub]

1. When you use "quotation marks", do you include the commas, periods, etc INSIDE the quotation marks when you are writing a sentence?

It's up to you, but depending on the country you live in, editors may change it. If you refuse to allow them to change it, you would actually be denied publication. What's fun is writing letters to the editor where if they move punctuation inside quotations, the entire meaning of the letter changes.

I've always thought that the first way was the right way to write, but I've started to notice that the second way is the way that MOST people write it (meaning that I still see some write the first way).

Putting punctuation outside quotation marks if they are not part of the quotation (and inside if they are) is the logical way to write. Americans are often anything but logical though.

2. when listing off items, do you use the comma before the last item included with the word "and" or do you forget the comma and only use the connecting word "and"?

It's up to the editor and the publication's style guide, but including the comma before the conjunction makes the most sense for more cases. For instance:

Frank's Awesome Discounts has stores located on 23rd St and M St, 37th St and Eye St, and 42nd and D St.​

Lastly, when is an appropriate time to use semicolons?

Never if you just want to mash two sentences together, even though it's technically correct. Just use a period.

There are some weird lists where you could substitute a semicolon for a comma. Like,

Popular flag color combinations are red, white, and blue; green, red, and orange; and red, green, and blue.​

But usually it's better to:

• rewrite to avoid semicolons
• use a bulletted list

I can never tell when i should use a semicolon( or a dash (-).

You realize there are (at least) three different types of dashes? None of them really substitute for a semicolon.

Hyphens are used to break words across lines. They're also used to join adjectives. (Do you know the difference between a deep blue ocean and a deep-blue ocean?)

En dashes are used in number ranges.

Em dashes are used to set off a related thought, but it's better to just not use 'em.

 

[SuperSaiyan3]

It's up to you, but depending on the country you live in, editors may change it. If you refuse to allow them to change it, you would actually be denied publication. What's fun is writing letters to the editor where if they move punctuation inside quotations, the entire meaning of the letter changes.



Putting punctuation outside quotation marks if they are not part of the quotation (and inside if they are) is the logical way to write. Americans are often anything but logical though.



It's up to the editor and the publication's style guide, but including the comma before the conjunction makes the most sense for more cases. For instance:

Frank's Awesome Discounts has stores located on 23rd St and M St, 37th St and Eye St, and 42nd and D St.​

Never if you just want to mash two sentences together, even though it's technically correct. Just use a period.

There are some weird lists where you could substitute a semicolon for a comma. Like,

Popular flag color combinations are red, white, and blue; green, red, and orange; and red, green, and blue.​

But usually it's better to:

• rewrite to avoid semicolons
• use a bulletted list

You realize there are (at least) three different types of dashes? None of them really substitute for a semicolon.

Hyphens are used to break words across lines. They're also used to join adjectives. (Do you know the difference between a deep blue ocean and a deep-blue ocean?)

En dashes are used in number ranges.

Em dashes are used to set off a related thought, but it's better to just not use 'em.

that was friggin mind blowing. Great tips all around.

So on the MCAT though... would it matter if I did one or the other for both the quotation marks and the commas?

I guess I would just need to stay consistent, eh?

 

[reisub]

So on the MCAT though... would it matter if I did one or the other for both the quotation marks and the commas?

MCAT? I thought I was entering a contest to win a genetically enhanced pikachu =(

I wish English teachers would stop spreading the myth that there's one right way to write. What's correct depends on the style you choose (or are forced) to use. The MCAT is American, so an American style, such as The Chicago Manual of Style, should work. You could also check out The AMA Manual of Style.

Too bad the test is computerized now, otherwise you could carefully write the quotation marks above the punctuation so that readers would assume you used whatever style they preferred.