Welcome to Professor Pam's Home Page 

  

Grammar and Punctuation Hints

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  In each of my classes, a certain percent of your final grade on every assignment is based on mechanics.  In the "real world," the impact of your overall ability and performance often stems from the details, including how well you communicate in writing and verbally.    

 

Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation Are Your Friends. 

To help you review (or, God forbid, learn for the first time) the "rules" for writing in business, review the new items on my web site on the standard rules for punctuation, grammar, numbers, capitalization, and word division. 

 

While this will not catch you up on 12+ years of English, it might help you make better decisions about how to type the number in a paragraph.  It won't help you if you don't use it, though!

Sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation errors will take away from the overall effectiveness of your message and, of importance to you for your grades, will reduce your grade significantly. 

  • Proofread after it gets cold.  Have someone else help you proofread.  Check every sentence to make sure it is not a run-on or a fragment. 
  • Use spell check and grammar check to help you identify problems. 
    • When you see a red wavy line, the software is trying to tell you that you likely have a spelling error. 
    • When you see a green wavy line, the software is trying to tell you that you likely have an error in grammar. 
    • If you right-click on the word with the line under it, the software will give you suggestions for fixing the error.

Commas! 

Semicolons

Apostrophes (Noun Possessives, Pronoun Possessives, Contractions)

Letter Format

Number Rules

Capitalization Rules

Selected Punctuation Rules (semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, hyphens, parentheses)

Titles of Publications 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©Division of Business, Economics & Mathematics, WVUP, 2011.  Updated 06/05/2012 .  Division Chair:  Steve.Morgan@mail.wvu.edu ;Business Division Office:  Lauriel.Edwards@mail.wvu.edu
Web Page Contact:  pam.braden@mail.wvu.edu West Virginia University at Parkersburg