20.1: Punctuation Quick Reference

Apostrophes '	Examples
Apostrophe Use 1: Use apostrophes to make singular words possessive.	Malcolm X’s education began in an unlikely setting: prison
Apostrophe Use 2: Use apostrophes to make plural words possessive.	Though many think of this setting as counter to education, he was encouraged by the other inmates’ skill with words and knowledge
Apostrophe Use 3: Use apostrophes to create contractions.	At first, Malcolm X didn’t have an easy time reading the books he checked out from the prison library or writing letters.
Exception: Do not use apostrophes to show possession in pronouns.	Malcolm X was forever marked by his education in prison and its effects.

Semicolons ;	Examples
Semicolon Use 1: Use a semicolon to join two separate independent clauses (complete sentences) that are related.	Malcom X was empowered to teach himself to read and write partially because he came into contact with Elijah Muhammed; Mr. Muhammed was an African-American religious leader who led the Nation of Islam.
Semicolon Use 2: Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses with a transitional word or phrase.	Malcolm X became a prominent figure in the Black Muslim movement; however, he became disassociated from the movement after a falling out with Elijah Muhammed in 1964 and founded his own religious organization.
Semicolon Use 3: Use semicolons in lists when the items have internal commas.	Malcolm X is remembered as many things: a fervent, passionate minister; an ardent Civil Rights leader who spoke like a college-educated man, even though he was self-taught in prison; a father; a husband; and a son who was orphaned at a young age when his father, an outspoken Baptist preacher, was killed and his mother committed suicide shortly after.

Colons :	Examples
Colon Use 1: Use a colon after an independent clause to join it to a list, phrase, or independent clause.	While Malcolm X is a controversial figure in many history books, one fact about him is not up for debate: he is one of the most influential AfricanAmericans in history.
Colon Use 2: Use a colon after a signal phrase that is an independent clause to link it to a quote.	At Malcolm X’s funeral, activist Ossie Davis responded to X’s critics during his eulogy: “Did you ever talk to Brother Malcolm? Did you ever touch him, or have him smile at you? Did you ever really listen to him? Did he ever do a mean thing? Was he ever himself associated with violence or any public disturbance? For if you did, you would know him. And if you knew him you would know why we must honor him . . . And in honoring him, we honor the best in ourselves.”

Long Dashes —	Examples
Long Dash Use 1: Use a long dash on each side of an interrupting or parenthetical detail to detach it from the sentence.	Many Americans—at least those of the younger generations—do not know that Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali were also friends.
Long Dash Use 2: Use a long dash to detach a clause at the end of a sentence.	However, their friendship ended when Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam—Muhammed Ali would later say their feud was one of the greatest regrets of his life.

Hyphens -	Example
Hyphen Use 1: Use a hyphen to join two or more words when they modify a noun and act as a single idea.	Malcolm X’s resolve to gain an education in Prison was rock-hard.

"Quotation Marks"	Examples
Quotation Marks Use 1: Use quotation marks to show dialogue in a story.	The student said, “I didn’t know much about Malcolm X before I read these examples.”
Quotation Marks Use 2: Use quotation marks to show language is borrowed directly from a source.	Malcolm X is also credited with originating the saying, “Black is beautiful.”
Quotation Marks Use 3: Use quotation marks to show the title of an article, short story, poem, YouTube video, or other short work.	The story in the eBook by Malcolm X is entitled, “A Homemade Education."

Italics	Examples
Italics Use 1: Use italics for emphasis.	Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21st, 1965, after three years of direct threats through phone calls to himself and his family.
Italics Use 2: Use italics to show the title of a book, film, entire magazine, entire newspaper, or another whole publication.	Malcolm X began work on his life story, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, with writer Alex Haley in 1963; the book was published after his death and is a profound record of this important American and his ideas and beliefs.