Chapter Summary
Punctuation marks often determine the exact meaning of a sentence; therefore, they cannot be placed whenever you pause for a breath or at you individual whim. Punctuation details are essential in making your words flow smoothly and in clarifying the intent of your writing.

The period is the most frequently used punctuation mark. It usually appears as an ending mark of punctuation. The period also appears after an indirect question, as a decimal point, in abbreviations, titles, and seniority designations, and in outlines. The comma is the second most frequently used punctuation mark. Its purpose is to show an interruption in a sentence. Uses for the comma include separating words, phrases and clauses, setting aside contrasting expressions, names of people in direct address, tag questions, and quotations.

Chapter 16 reviews many uses of the period and the comma, including those that have been highlighted in the Punctuation Smarts features in previous chapters.

Online Links

Career Web sites

Career Monster.com
http://www.monster.com/

CareerBuilder Inc.
http://www.careerbuilder.com/

hotjobs
http://www.hotjobs.com

America's Job Bank
http://www.ajb.org/

Employment 911
http://www.employment911.com

Kforce
http://www.kforce.com/Kforce/corporate/me.get?web.home

Bonus Exercise

Objective: Identify and use commas and periods correctly.

1. Click on the career sites above to find an article about interviewing.
2. Working from the printout, choose two paragraphs and underline each comma.

Above the comma, identify the type. Use the following codes:

• Non (commas to set off a nonrestrictive clause)
• Intro (commas to set off introductory phrases and clauses)
• Paren (commas to set off parenthetical expressions)
• App (commas to set off an appositive)
• Ser (commas to set off a series)
• Cmpd (commas to separate compound sentences)
• InAdj (commas to separate independent adjectives)

3. Write a paragraph describing your worst interview experience. Use commas and periods correctly.

eFlashcards
Review chapter terms and definitions with eFlashcards.

Crossword Puzzle
Sharpen your knowledge of chapter terms and concepts with an interactive crossword.

Practice Test
Test your understanding of the chapter material with a self-scoring Practice Test.

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