Learn how to use commas, semicolons, and other punctuation correctly. This essential handbook for writers and students presents a well-organized collection of English punctuation rules and simple examples that will help you write with impact and style.

Punctuation is more important than you might think. It allows your words to tell their story. These small but crucial marks in your sentences are like road signs; without them, readers can get lost in a jumble of words. Learning basic rules of punctuation is a must if you want to write well. Fortunately, the rules are easy to learn, and you will find many helpful shortcuts in this new book.

The author, a distinguished editor with thirty years of experience, offers bite-size tutorials and simple advice on how to use commas, parentheses, dashes, and other punctuation marks in all kinds of writing, both fiction and nonfiction. In addition to learning easy rules to help you correctly punctuate whatever you write, you will discover that these rules are not set in stone—you can rearrange your sentences and use punctuation creatively to make your writing more concise and interesting.

Quick & Easy English Punctuation is aimed at these readers who may benefit from this useful guide:

-— Writers of all skill levels will learn how to recognize and fix punctuation errors in their manuscripts, and how punctuation can be used creatively to add clarity and sparkle to their sentences.

-— Students can use these rules to correctly punctuate term papers and other academic writing.

-— Teachers can use this book to help students quickly grasp basic concepts of English punctuation.

-— ESL/EFL learners will benefit from the many short, easy-to-understand examples featured in the book.

-— Employees can follow these rules to create punctuation-perfect reports, manuals, and other documents in the workplace.

Read any chapter of this book, follow the simple rules, and you will see a fast improvement in the quality of your writing. Read a chapter a day, and in two weeks, you should have a solid understanding of punctuation and be able to add a touch of style and polish to everything you write.

This handy desktop reference expands on the author’s bestselling writing guide, Elements of Style 2017. It includes material drawn from that book but delves deeper into punctuation, providing more examples and an additional eighty pages of content. Once you have mastered the concepts in this book, you may wish to read Elements of Style 2017, which offers a comprehensive primer on English grammar, available in e-book and paperback editions at major booksellers worldwide.