Punctuation

A collection of blog posts about punctuation. Brush up on your skills and find out how to create perfectly punctuated writing with Knowadays.

  • What Is an Oxford Comma? (With Examples)

    What Is an Oxford Comma? (With Examples)

    Dec 21, 2022

    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    Commas can be a confusing part of punctuation, and the Oxford comma is no exception. In this post, we’ll explain what exactly an Oxford comma is and how you should deal with them as a proofreader. The Oxford Comma (AKA The Serial Comma) Commas are used to separate items in a list. An Oxford comma, […]

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  • Proofreading and Editing Tips: Punctuation in MHRA Style

    When to Use Possessive Apostrophes

    When to Use Possessive Apostrophes

    Nov 13, 2022

    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    Apostrophes are one of the most commonly misused forms of punctuation. As a proofreader or editor, you’ll need to catch apostrophe errors in your client’s work. There are two main uses of apostrophes: to indicate possession and to create a contraction. In this post, we’ll be focusing on the former. Read on to learn the […]

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How to Use Semicolons (With Examples) 

  • A Proofreader’s Guide to Exclamation Point Use

    Jul 01, 2022

    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    Exclamation points, also known as exclamation marks, are used to express excitement, enthusiasm, and other strong emotions. As a proofreader, though, you may need to help clients avoid overusing them or using exclamations in the wrong situation. So, when should exclamation points be used? And when should a proofreader step in to curb a client’s enthusiasm for […]

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  • 5 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Christmas Card

    Dec 18, 2021

    • Editing Tips
    • Grammar
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Spelling

    It’s that time of year again! Christmas is just around the corner, and you’ve got a lot to do – wrapping presents, buying food, writing Christmas cards… the list goes on. It would be easy to let your proofreading standards slip! But to help you avoid this, we’ve come up with five tips on writing […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: A Proofreader's Guide to E.g. and I.e.

    Proofreading Tips: A Proofreader's Guide to E.g. and I.e.

    Nov 28, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    The terms e.g. and i.e. are common, especially in academic writing. As a proofreader, it’s important to know what they mean and how to use them. In this blog post, we give a basic introduction to e.g. and i.e., as well as some common errors to look out for when proofreading. What Do E.g. and […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: Parentheses and Square Brackets in Chicago Style

    Nov 07, 2021

    • Academic Editing
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Style

    Parentheses and square brackets are punctuation marks used to set off certain bits of information from the main text in a document. They’re not too tricky, but different style guides can have slightly different rules for their usage. And, as a proofreader, you’ll need to check your client’s writing against these rules. This post, then, […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: What to Do With Scare Quotes

    Oct 31, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    As a proofreader, what scares you the most? If scare quotes are the spookiest things you can think of, don’t worry. It might be Halloween, but there’s no reason to fear them! As long as you know what they are and when it’s appropriate to use them, you’ll know exactly what to do when they […]

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  • A Proofreader’s Guide to Straight and Curly Quotes

    Oct 28, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    Quotation marks may seem simple, but if you’ve got a keen eye as all good proofreaders should you might notice some variety in these little symbols. In fact, quotes come in two distinct styles: straight and curly (or ). In this post, then, we’ll explain: The difference between straight and curly quotes. How to toggle […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: How to Proofread Quotations

    Proofreading Tips: How to Proofread Quotations

    Oct 23, 2021

    • Academic Editing
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Style

    Academic writing accounts for a significant portion of many freelance proofreaders’ work. And, along with some other non-fiction, academic writing often relies heavily on quotations. It is thus important to know how to proofread quotations. In this post, we give an overview of things to consider when proofreading quotations in academic or other non-fiction writing. […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: What to Do With Comma Splices

    Proofreading Tips: What to Do With Comma Splices

    Sep 23, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Grammar
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    A good proofreader will know how to spot and correct common punctuation errors. One of the most common of these is the comma splice. But what exactly are comma splices, and how can you fix them? Read on to find out more. What Are Comma Splices? A comma splice is what happens when two independent […]

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