Bite-Sized Punctuation

Confused about commas, dialogue tags, and action beats? Learn the essential punctuation rules for punctuating dialogue correctly—including how to handle em dashes, question marks, and common mistakes to avoid.

Commas are used around antitheticals. Learn what those are and the exceptions to the rule.

While you may know when to use commas with coordinating conjunctions, when the conjunction is interrupted with a phrase or clause, comma placement can be tricky. Learn this more advanced comma rule and be in the know.

Commas can be tricky. Learn when you do and when you don’t use a comma with participial phrases.

Whether you put punctuation inside or outside quotation marks depends on the punctuation and which regional rules you are following. Learn which punctuation marks go inside, which ones go outside, and which ones sometimes go in and sometimes out in US English.

Apostrophes help form the genitive, possessive, form, and while it seems straightforward to add an apostrophe to make a noun possessive, many of the rules are nuanced or misunderstood, so it's good to clarify. Learn when to use the apostrophe and s versus just the apostrophe and how to handle joint possession and gerunds.

While double quotation marks have a lot of functions, in US English single quotation marks are only used in a few instances. Learn when to use single quotation marks effectively. 

Quotation marks are used for more than just dialogue. They can be used to mark a word used as a word, indicate sarcasm or irony, and around titles of short works. Learn when and how to use them correctly with these examples with practice and answer key.

Most people know to use a comma after the city and before the state, but did you also know one comes after the state? Be in the know and master commas with cities and states.

A comma goes after introductions before the main independent clause. Learn 6 types of introductions and how to punctuate them.

Em dashes have become a much beloved punctuation mark. But they can't be placed anywhere, though they have much more room for stylistic expression than some other punctuation marks. Learn the one rule for when they have to be used and all the times you can opt to use one and why you might or might not want to.

Use a comma before relative clauses when they introduce a nonrestrictive phrase. Don’t use a comma when they introduce a restrictive phrase. Learn this rule with clear examples to help you punctuate like a pro.

En dashes have limited specific uses, and often people mistakenly use a hyphen instead. Learn when to turn that hyphen into an en dash.

A great stylistic choice is to use a colon between two independent clauses in specific instances. Learn in what situation this works and why it can help your work read better.

A colon is used to introduce lists. Learn how to use them and test your knowledge with a practice and answer key.

Commas have three specific rules for using them with dates. Learn the rules, see examples, and practice your knowledge.

Semicolons are useful when you have wieldy, complex lists. Learn how to use them and practice your knowledge in this tutorial.

Commas surround interrupters. This tutorial gives you examples of regular interrupters and how to punctuate them. Complete with practice and answer key.

Appositives are a specific type of interrupter, and like all interrupters they talk commas. Learn what they are, how to punctuate them, and test your knowledge with the practice and answer key.

Direct addresses are a specific type of interrupters. All interrupters take commas. So learn what these are and how to punctuate them, then test your knowledge with the practice and answer key.

Semicolons can be quite useful in joining sentences together. But they don't join just any sentences together. Learn when you might want to use a semicolon.

Semicolons can be quite useful in joining sentences together. But they don't join just any sentences together. Learn when you might want to use a semicolon.

Many incorrectly always use a comma with a dependent clause, but you don't always need them. Learn when you do and when you don't and then practice your knowledge and check the answer key.

Learn this basic rule of using commas with coordinating conjunctions (Fanboys) and you will be on your way to conquering commas.

Use a comma in between coordinate adjectives; do not use one in between cumulative adjectives. So what the heck are coordinate adjectives and how do you know when to use a comma? This tutorial will teach you and comes with a practice and answer key.

Knowing and using correct punctuation is useful. This blog posts teaches a basic grammar principle: using commas with coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS). Learn when to put a comma before "and," "for," "nor," "but," "or," "yet," and "so" and when you don't need the comma.