Polished Punctuation

Abstract

In this chapter, as in chapter 4, we continue to look closely at a student’s essay. The aim is to emphasise the extent to which changes and corrections to the punctuation in an essay can improve the impact of what is being said. For the most part, everything we suggest involves very simple moves, but it is these which are too often ignored by students. Of course, if you already know how to punctuate, this could be a chapter you merely skim-read; it might prove reassuring, however, to remind yourself just how straightforward the conventions of punctuation are. And to remind yourself why the conventions are so important.