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Pens and Types / or Hints and Helps for Those who Write, Print, Read, Teach, or Learn cover

Pens and Types / or Hints and Helps for Those who Write, Print, Read, Teach, or Learn

Chapter 18: RULES OF PUNCTUATION.
By Benjamin Drew
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About This Book

The volume presents a proofreader’s practical handbook for producing clear printed material, treating writing for the press, proofreading methods, principles of style, punctuation, orthography, capitalization, and the history and forms of old-style typography. It supplies rules and illustrative examples, lists of preferred spellings and troublesome variants, explanations of ligatures and letterforms, plus technical terms and type-size references. Aimed at writers, printers, teachers, and learners, the text stresses legible manuscripts, consistent usage of capitals and spellings, and careful revision to minimize printing errors, and it includes an index and appendices for quick consultation.

RULES OF PUNCTUATION.

I. PERIOD, OR FULL POINT.

1. The period is used at the end of every complete sentence which is not interrogative or exclamatory.

2. Sentences interrogative and exclamatory in form, sometimes take the period.

Will you call at my office, say on Tuesday next, or whenever you happen to be in town, and much oblige—

Yours truly,
JOHN SMITH.

How much better it is, considering the saving of distance to the pupils, that two small schoolhouses should be built, rather than one large one.

3. The period is put after initials when used alone; also after ab­bre­vi­a­tions.

  • J. Q. Adams.
  • Supt. of R. R.
  • A. M.

4. Place a period before decimals, and between pounds and shillings.

  • The French meter is 3.2808992 feet.
  • £24. 6s. 8d.
  • 5.75 miles.

5. A period should always be put after roman numerals, except when used in the paging of prefaces, etc.

George III. came to the throne in 1760.

OBSERVATION 1. In many modern works the period is omitted; as,—

William I made a mistake.

There being no comma after “William,” it is supposed to be obvious that the mistake was made by William the First. The insertion or omission of the period is becoming wholly a matter of printing-office style.