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Quotation marks
Quotation marks are used:
At the beginning and end of a quote. Example: “God, oh God! where are you that you don’t answer!”
In foreign words or expressions, archaisms, neologisms, slang, etc. Example: I went to Djavan’s “show”.
Emphasize words and expressions. Examples: My brother is not “that” you think.
Ironize the terms of a prayer. Example: There was always a “why” in everything he said.
Two points
Two points are used to:
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Announce a character's speech. Example: The teacher ordered: -Be silent!
To announce an enumeration. Example: The interviewees for the program will be the following: Roberto, Carla and Rodrigo.
To announce a clarification. Example: listen to this carefully: you only live well when you have peace.
To announce a quote. Example: The philosopher Descartes said: I think, therefore I am.
In the invocation of correspondences. Example: Dear friend:
Before appositive clauses. Example: We defend an idea: that everyone should have access to health, education and security.
Parentheses
Relatives are employed to:
Isolate explanatory words. Example: The school principal asked the students to maintain the school, and everyone (except Bruno) decided to help.
Highlight dates. Example: Gregório de Matos (1633-1695) was the greatest expression of Brazilian Baroque.
Isolate interspersed sentences. Example: Mr Bartolomeu (may God rest his soul!) was an arrogant and bad-tempered person.
Scenic indications (in plays, TV scripts, etc.). Example: (Desperate Paloma enters) – Where, where is she?
Semicolon
Used for:
Separate coordinated clauses, if one of them already has a comma. Example: It was very hot that morning; some guests, I thought, had gone to the beach.
Separate coordinated sentences with opposite meanings. Example: children will travel today; adults will travel tomorrow.
Separates items from a list, a regulation, a decree, a law, etc. Example: Art.17 – It is prohibited: I- smoking in a closed place; II- have medium and large animals;
Points
Period (.) – Employed at:
Simple period. Example: The football match was exciting.
In the compound period: Example: I don't want you to be afraid of me.
In abbreviations. Example: dC – after Christ/ Av. – avenue/ pl. - plural form.
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Question mark (?) – Used when you want to mark direct interrogative sentences. Example: Where are the pens I lost?
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A question mark is not used in indirect questions. Example: Melissa asked where the books she lost were.
In sentences with interrogative and exclamatory intonation, the question mark and the exclamation mark appear side by side. Example: You again?! That's not possible!
Exclamation mark (!) – Employed in:
In exclamatory sentences. Example: What a beautiful day!
Interjections and onomatopoeia. Example: Wow!/ Plim-Plim!
Imperative verb. Example: Turn off the light!/Close the door!
After flying. Example: Be patient, Maria!
Reticence
Ellipsis is used to indicate:
Doubt, hesitation or surprise. Example: I was thinking…I don't know whether to invest money in real estate or stocks.
Interruption of the narrator or character's speech. Example: – I love you, said Luís in a low voice. When Jorge didn't listen, Luisa said again: “I tell you…”, but was interrupted by her parents.
Word suppression. Example: Cristina seemed impatient: – Daddy, I want… you know… I… I want that doll.
At the end of a sentence, the meaning continues. Example: And life goes on.
dash
The dash is used to:
Indicate the change of interlocutor in the dialogue. Example: -Good morning, Carlos. How are you? – Good morning, Aristides. I am fine.
Isolate the final part of a statement. Example: We all make mistakes – sometimes unjustifiable mistakes.
Isolate words or phrases, using a double dash. Example: Chula – a typical dance from the south of the country – is accompanied by an accordion and guitar.
Connect groups of words that indicate itinerary. Example: The Presidente Dutra highway is the road that connects Rio – São Paulo.
Comma usage
Maid for:
a) separate elements of an enumeration. Example: Children, young people and old people demonstrated against violence.
b) separate the appositive. Example: Rita, that happy girl, had an unhappy life.
c) wait for the vocative. Example: Dinner is served, Madam!
d) separate the anticipated adverbial adjunct. Example: Early in the morning, a terrible crash was heard.
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If the adverbial adjunct came at the end of the sentence, the use of a comma would not be necessary.
e) isolate the name of the place in the dates. Example: Salvador, December 10, 2013.
f) Indicate the omission of a term. Example: Everyone was happy; he is very sad.
g) after yes and no, used as an answer, at the beginning of the sentence.
Example: – Do you go to school?
-Yes, I will.or –No, I will stay at home.
h) to separate explanatory or rectifying words and expressions. Example: They went to the beach yesterday, in fact, the day before yesterday.
i) to separate terms displaced from their normal position in the sentence. Example: I like sweets.
j) to separate parallel elements of a proverb. Example: Like father, like son.
In the compound period, the comma is used to:
Separate asyndetic coordinated clauses. Example: He went to the bedroom, grabbed a blanket, thought for a few moments, lay down on the bed.
Separates syndetic coordinated clauses, except those beginning with the conjunction and, or and nor. Example: He did what he could, as he felt guilty about the incident.
Isolate explanatory adjective subordinate clauses. Example: Man, who is an intelligent being, is also prone to error.
Separate adverbial subordinate clauses, when they come before the main clause. Example: When the holidays arrived, everyone went to Mato Grosso.
To separate reduced sentences. Example: After the class ended, the students were dismissed.
No comma is used between:
The subject and the predicate. Example: The school students formed a committee.
The verb its complements. Example: The tourist asked the driver for information.
The name and the nominal complement. Example: Reading the newspaper is essential.
The name is the adnominal adjunct. Example: The morning light came through the windows.
The main clause and the subordinate noun, as long as it is not appositive. Example: I hope you are happy
