Reference 2: Correct Punctuation Usage
Commas
There is a common behaviour that exists even among the more proficient users of English here on Gaia: comma splicing. A comma splice is when two complete independent clauses are divided with naught but a comma. They take a shape like so:
Comma Splice
I was watching Akira, it's a good movie.
Here you have two independent clauses: "I was watching Akira" and "it's a good movie". English grammar says that you cannot join two independent clauses together with only a comma; you'll need either a semicolon (as this sentence is using) or a coordinating conjunction, e.g. and, but, and or.
I've also noticed commas being used in completely erroneous places that don't even constitute a comma splice. Here is an example, sadly quoted from a thread entitled "The 'I use proper English' Thread":
XuvyHorrowitz
Dude....sorry for the improper language right now but i'm really sick of proofreading my s**t
but, Spaz is a dude, and you're like...hitting on him with that remark.
I can only assume the reason he did that was to add a slight pause, emulating his manner of speech. Don't do that, it's incorrect and does not, overall, provide assistance in interpretting your particular style of speech. This quote also serves the purpose of leading into the next topic:
Ellipses
These are not used to put a pause in the sentence. They are used to indicate an omission. For instance, if the original material reads
The A-Team
Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit,
you might shorten it to
The A-Team, Abridged
Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison...for a crime they didn't commit.
You can also use it to indicate omission at the end of a sentence. That might look something like this:
The A-Team, Abridged
Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison....
Note that there are
four periods. There are three to indicate the omission and a fourth to indicate the end of the sentence.
Quotation Marks
There is something of an issue with these. In American English, periods and commas go inside quotation marks regardless of whether they are part of the quote or not. In British English, it's a little different. They're not inside the quotation marks unless they are actually part of the quotation. I, personally, find the latter method to be much more logical, but feel free to do whichever you find more appropriate.
Other quotation marks go outside in both American and British, unless they are part of the quote.
Examples:
I just finished reading "The Wasteland." [American]
I just finished reading "The Wasteland". [British]
He wondered, "Why am I alive?" [Both]
"Should I read 'The Wasteland'?" he asked. [Both]
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