Demonstrate the correct use of commas (e.g., after introductory words, phrases or clauses; setting off appositives and interrupters; before coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses to form compound sentences), colons (e.g., in business letters or before a list of items in a series), semicolons (e.g., combining sentences, between items in a series when the items already contain commas), underlining and italicizing (e.g., titles; certain words, letters, figures; foreign words), quotation marks (e.g., with direct quotations, to set off dialogue, in titles, use of end punctuation with quotation marks) and apostrophes (e.g., to form both singular and plural possessives). 0701.1.4

Links verified on 5/19/2014

1. Avoiding Comma Splices - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence containing a comma splice will appear in the top text-area. Repair the sentence.
2. Avoiding Comma Splices II - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence containing a comma splice will appear in the top text-area. Repair the sentence.
3. Avoiding Comma Splices, Fused Sentences, and Run-on's from LEO: Literacy Education Online
4. Basic Punctuation Rules - a useful four-page document that your students might find helpful [This expired link is available through the Wayback Machine Internet Archive. If the page doesn't load quickly click on Impatient? at the bottom right of the page.]
5. Combining Sentences for Variety and Clarity - several methods and examples are given, however this page only combines two sentences.
6. Fragments and Run-On's - After each sentence, select the option which best describes that sentence.
7. The Need to Combine Sentences - Sentences have to be combined to avoid the monotony that would surely result if all sentences were brief and of equal length. This lesson is followed by three quizzes.
8. Repairing Run-On Sentences - After each run-on sentence select the remedy that would best repair that sentence.
9. Run-on/Comma Splice/Fragment Quiz - twenty multiple-choice questions [This expired link is available through the Wayback Machine Internet Archive. If the page doesn't load quickly click on Impatient? at the bottom right of the page.]
10. Run on's and Comma Splices - Look at the passage and decide whether the sentence is correct or whether it is a run-on. [This expired link is available through the Wayback Machine Internet Archive. If the page doesn't load quickly click on Impatient? at the bottom right of the page.]
11. Sample of a good 239-word sentence - It's not the kind of thing you'd want to read very often, but it does work. Remember, this is not a run-on sentence.
12. Sentence Fragments - Classify by placing the number of each sentence in the appropriate column. If you do it correctly, the total in both columns will be the same. At the bottom of the page, fix the fragments; making them into complete sentences.