Errors in the use of punctuation marks - Use of Quotation Marks and Terminal Punctuation
Answer
Several universities in the city offer the following degrees: B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Must students write a research paper and pass a written examination in order to receive an M.A.?
Fasten your seat belt.
The unspoken questions were when would he return and how long would she be willing to wait for him?
If you have posted sentences that you corrected, you've done well. Only one bothers me; the third sentence reads awkwardly and does not need a question mark at the end. You have included indirect questions in that sentence, but the entire sentence is not a question.
The third sentence would be better written like this:
There were unspoken questions: When would he return? How long would she be willing to wait for him?
Errors in the use of punctuation marks can often be found in the use of quotation marks and terminal punctuation. Here are some examples:
1. Incorrect use of quotation marks:
- "Several universities in the city offer the following degrees: B.A., M.A., Ph.D.."
Explanation: Quotation marks should not be used to emphasize certain words or phrases. In this case, the degrees B.A., M.A., Ph.D. do not need to be enclosed in quotation marks unless they are being used as part of a direct quotation.
Correction: Several universities in the city offer the following degrees: B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
2. Missing terminal punctuation:
- "Must students write a research paper and pass a written examination in order to receive an M.A?"
Explanation: A question mark is missing at the end of the sentence to indicate that it is a question. Terminal punctuation is important as it helps to clarify the intended meaning of a sentence.
Correction: Must students write a research paper and pass a written examination in order to receive an M.A.?
3. Incorrect capitalization and terminal punctuation:
- "fasten your seat belt."
Explanation: The sentence is missing an initial capital letter and a terminal punctuation mark. Sentences should always begin with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark to indicate a complete thought.
Correction: Fasten your seat belt.
4. Incorrect use of question marks:
- "The unspoken questions were: when would he return and how long would she be willing to wait for him?"
Explanation: In this sentence, the unspoken questions are being stated, so they should not be enclosed in quotation marks or followed by a colon. Additionally, the question marks should be placed at the end of each individual question.
Correction: The unspoken questions were when would he return and how long would she be willing to wait for him?