skip navigation

periodPeriods

Marking sentence ends, abbreviations and decimals

 

 

Sentences Divisions
PERIOD NO PERIOD

1A. ENDING AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

Jack is tired.  He's going home.  

Also see Run-on Sent and Bulleted lists.  (MLA 3.2.11)  (APA 4.02) (CMOS 6.13) (AP 330)    

 

 

Jack is tired; he's going home. 

A semicolon may be used between closely related sentences.   

 

1B. ELLIPSIS

Malcolm said, "All of us seem to make up our minds…in an instant."  
(indicates omitted words: 3 points)  See  Ellipsis.    

 

 

 

 

1C. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS

University of Chicago Press. The Chicago Manual of Style. 15th edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Print.

See  Citations.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbreviations
PERIOD NO PERIOD

2A.DATE AND TIME

Jan.  Feb. Mar.   Aug. Sept.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.   

Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat.

a.m. or AM / p.m. or PM 

(CMOS 15.42–4)  (APA 7.1)   

  

OTHER SYSTEMS

Jan,  Feb, Mar, Apr , May, Jun, Jul,  Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec /
Ja,  F,   Mr,  Ap,  My,  Je,  Jl,   Ag,  S,  O,  N,  D    The period may be omitted. Be consistent. 

Su  M  Tu  W  T  h F  Sa   Abbreviations are used on calendars and in databases.

AM   PM   The periods may be omitted with the capital letters.

EST eastern standard time, PST Pacific standard time  capital and in italics

 

2B PROPER NOUNS, TITLES

Mr.  , Mrs.

Dr. Mc Cain is out today.  doctor

E. E. White is a famous author.

Robert Downey Jr.  (or ,Jr.,) is starring in the movie.   / Sr. (senior)

 

 

Miss Mary is here to see you.   Also used for older women by shopkeepers.

 

2C COUNTRIES AND LOCATIONS

U.S.  Traditionally appears with periods, but may be omitted, especially in scientific contexts.
Fr., Ger., Isr., It. Neth. , Swed. , Russ.   (CMOS 15.33)

Ala., Ark., Ariz.,  Calif.,  Colo. , D.C., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill.  (CMOS 15.29)

Ft. (fort) Meyers,  Mt. (mount) Fuji,  St. (Saint) Lawrence Bridge

Ave., Blvd. St., 1200 E. Main St.    (CMOS 15.35)

 

 

US dollars  UAE    UK

N, E, W, S  directions  The periods may be omitted with the capital abbreviation.

AK (Alaska), CA

1D. LATIN ABBREAVIATIONS – I.E. & E.G.

Cruciferous vegetables (e.g., cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, broccoli) have anti-cancer properties.    See For example.

Cruciferous vegetables (i.e., Brassicaceae) have flowers shaped like a cross.

Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, cress, etc.)  have flowers shaped like a cross.

The Broncos vs.  (versus) the Cowboys will take place at the Dallas Sports Arena.

 

 

 

2E ORGANIZATIONS, GROUPS, DEPARTMENTS

 

 

 

The UN (United Nations) is located in New York.
The FBI and CIA conducted the recovery mission. (initials)
The YMCA  (Young Men's Christain Association ) will sponsor the event.
I am getting MCB  (molecular cell biology) masters. (initial word)
He studies ESL (English as a Second Language).

Periods are not used with acronyms, names formed by taking the first initial of each word.   

 

 

 

Other
PERIOD NO PERIOD

3 NUMBERS

His temperature is 98.6   decimal points  

The cost is $ 2,560.45 (cents) decimal points in currency

1.800.555.0000  modern method of writing telephone numbers

 

 

  98 and 6/10

  1 (800) 555-0000  traditional method of writing telephone numbers

3B WEB DOMAIN & FILE EXTENSIONS

URLs www.domain_name.com   separating domain name from extension

Filenames:  businessdraft.doc  / period.gif / period.html   separating name from extension

Email addresses: me@att.com   separating service provider from extension

 

 

 

3C MEASUREMENTS

 

 

It measure 25 cm high, by 2 m wide

It weights 60 kg and is made of wood.

(cd, ft, hr, hk, lb, min, ml, sl)       (APA 4.02)

 

 

 

 

Common Mistakes
ERROR FIX

I am studying eng. so that I can speak and understand the language better.
Lowercase means engineering. Uppercase means English.

 

I am studying English so that I can speak and understand it better. (Eng.)
I am studying engineering so that I can understand the field better. (eng. )

We'll meet here at 12:00 A.M. for lunch.

We'll meet here at 12:00 p.m. / PM for lunch.
Remember that 12:00 a.m. is 00:00 (midnight) on a 24 hour clock.

 

 

 

 

Resources
  1. AP Stylebook. The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. 42nd ed. New York: Basic Books, 2007 .(39) Print.
  2. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1994.Print.
  3. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. NewYork: Modern Language Association of America. 2009. Print. (3.2.11, 7.1)
  4. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th ed. Washington, D.C:  American Psychological Association, 2010. (4.02) Print.
  5. University of Chicago Press. The Chicago Manual of Style. 15th edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. (15.4–5) Print.

 

 

 

 

musicPractice 1

Using Periods

 

  1. Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
  2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

 

# SENTENCE YOUR RESPONSE & FEEDBACK
1. The CYS (Children's Youth Symphony) will be holding a concert at 4 P.M.    

2. They will be performing and the Performing Arts Center at 675 S Silver Dr.    

3. Send your request for tickets to 6000 Main Street, San Jose, Ca. 90001.    

4. Please indicate which seating area you are interested in (eg., Orchestra, Balcony, Grand Tier, Dress Circle, Orchestra Ring, or Box Seats).    

5. The musical director , Mr. L .Frank Taylor Jr. , will be holding rehearsals this week.    

6. Please send your request before Sept, 21. Thank you.    

7. The tickets range from $26.50 to 12  per person.    

8. The seats are 45 cm wide.  Please let us know if you will need other seating.    

9. Please arrive on time all late arrivals will have to wait until intermission to enter.    

10. You can also contact us on our website  http.www.cys.org.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practice 2

Editing for periods

 

 

Add periods and capital letters (to begin a new sentence).
  1. Write your corrections for the sentence in the text area
  2. Then compare your response to the answer with the "check" button.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK YOUR ANSWER
11.
12.   
13. — "Do you expect me to talk Goldfinger "

— "No Mr Bond I expect you to die "
14. Slice an apple in half and sprinkle 1 tsp or 5 ml of cinnamon on top place the two halves on a sheet of foil in the oven and bake at  350 °F / 180 °C & for 15 min

 

  
15.   
16.