Punctuation

A collection of blog posts about punctuation. Brush up on your skills and find out how to create perfectly punctuated writing with Knowadays.

  • Editing Tips: Does a Comma Indicate a Pause?

    Editing Tips: Does a Comma Indicate a Pause?

    May 13, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Grammar
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    One of the first things most people learn about commas is that they indicate a pause. And most writers add a comma wherever they would also pause in speech. When proofreading, though, you need to be more discerning. So, when does a comma indicate a pause? And what else do you need to know as […]

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  • A Proofreader's Guide to Conjunctive Adverbs

    A Proofreader's Guide to Conjunctive Adverbs

    Feb 25, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Grammar
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    Conjunctive adverbs are a useful way of linking sentences and clauses in writing. However, the rules for punctuating conjunctive adverbs can be confusing. As a proofreader, then, you may need to look for issues with these terms. In this post, we’ll explain what you need to know. Linking Sentences with a Conjunctive Adverb Conjunctive adverbs […]

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  • 5 Tips for Proofreading Different English Dialects

    Nov 29, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Spelling
    • Vocabulary Tips

    One benefit of freelance proofreading is that you can work with clients all around the world. But this may mean you encounter English dialects that differ from the one you know best. And while this can pose challenges for proofreaders, we have a few tips that can help: Set the language preferences in your word […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: A Quick Guide to Canadian English

    Nov 22, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Dialects
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Spelling
    • Style

    Canadian English combines aspects of both American and British English, as well as having its own purely Canadian terminology and usage. We’ve put together a quick guide to Canadian English for proofreaders to highlight general guidelines for working with this dialect. Canadian English Spelling Canadian English usually follows British spelling conventions. For instance: Canadian English: […]

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  • 5 Easy-to-Miss Quotation Mark Errors

    Nov 08, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    Among other things, a good proofreader will check documents for proper use of quotes and quotation marks. However, there are many easy-to-miss quotation mark errors, including 4. Smart Quotes vs. Straight Quotes In typography, quotation marks come in two styles: Smart (or curly) quote marks – These are standard in most writing now, and most […]

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  • Editing Tips: Punctuation in APA Style

    Aug 27, 2020

    • Academic Editing
    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Style

    The APA Publication Manual is one of the principal academic style guides. And if you’re proofreading academic writing, especially in the social and Becoming A Proofreader Want to know more about style guides and proofreading? Then our Becoming A Proofreader course could be just what you’re looking for. Sign up for a free trial today […]

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  • Editing Tips: What Are Word Divisions?

    Aug 09, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Style

    When proofreading a typeset text, such as the page proofs for a book, you may need to look for issues with word divisions. But what is a word division in proofreading? And how should proofreaders approach them when checking a document? In this post, we explain the basics. What Are Word Divisions? Part of typesetting […]

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  • Editing Tips: Punctuation in Chicago Style

    Jul 23, 2020

    • Academic Editing
    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Style

    The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) contains a lot of information on punctuation! Some is just to remind the reader of standard usage ( For instance: We must decide soon for expedience’s sake. Are there any other elements of punctuation you would like to see explained on this blog or in the Knowadays courses? If […]

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  • Editing Tips: How to Punctuate Dates

    Editing Tips: How to Punctuate Dates

    Jul 09, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    There are various ways to punctuate dates. This poses a challenge for proofreaders. Should you correct punctuation in dates in a document? And how does punctuating dates vary in different situations? In this post, we answer your punctuation questions. Punctuating Numerical Date Formats Commas Between Days and Years in Dates The US date format uses […]

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  • Editing Tips: Punctuation in AP Style

    Editing Tips: Punctuation in AP Style

    Jun 07, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Style

    AP style – as set out in The Associated Press Stylebook – provides advice on many elements of writing, including punctuation. But what do you need to know about punctuation in AP style to work as a freelance proofreader? Becoming A Proofreader If you’d like a try a sample module of our Becoming A Proofreader […]

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