NO WOMAN LIKES to get her period—except maybe the first time, when its onset means entry into “womanhood”—or later, when she’s late and thinks that she might be pregnant and does not want to be. I once asked a male gynecologist why the pharmaceutical companies didn’t just make pills that eliminated the period altogether. He answered, “Because women like to feel their fertility, and the period is a reminder that a woman is still able to bear children.”
I changed to a female gynecologist. No female doctor could say that with a straight face. And now, there are pills that you can take for three or four months without a period! Just as I suggested! I should have patented it! Okay, that was probably TMI (“too much information”) for a professional blog.
I THOUGHT that it might be time, here at Tip of the Week, to get back to the basics and discuss the uses of the different punctuation marks. The period is, by far, the most-used punctuation mark (followed by the comma). So now I will give you the basic facts about that lowly, but hardworking, little dot.
General usage
The Chicago Manual of Style states that a period is used “at the end of a declarative sentence or [mildly imperative] sentence. A period may follow a word or phrase standing alone. Between sentences, it is followed by a single space. A period may follow a word or phrase standing alone.” [my insert from AP Stylebook] Older usage or typeface often put two spaces after a period, but this is not recommended by either the CMS or AP.
Examples:
The two Islamist militias faced each other in a heavy silence. [declarative]
Wait here. [imperative] Wait here! [use of exclamation point for emphasis]
My answer? Never. The U.S. should get out of the Middle East. [word standing alone]
The period also is used at the end of some rhetorical questions.
Why don’t tourists go to Egypt anymore. Is it really too unsafe for tourists? [mildly rhetorical question, followed by actual question]
Periods in relation to parentheses and brackets
Now it gets as tricky as Richard Nixon!
PERIODS ARE boring. But grammar geeks (or future employers) will want your periods used correctly. Many people make mistakes when it comes to using periods within or outside of other punctuation marks.
CMS: “When an entire independent sentence is enclosed in parentheses or square brackets, the period belongs inside the closing parentheses or bracket. When matter in parentheses or brackets, even a grammatically complete sentence, is included within another sentence, the period belongs outside. … Avoid placing more than one complete sentence within another sentence.”
Correct: Sarah insisted on rewriting the paragraph. (Her new-found ability to write was both a blessing and a curse.)
Incorrect: Sarah insisted on rewriting the paragraph. (Her new-found ability to write was both a blessing and a curse).
Correct: Todd had an angry message for Isadora on the mantel (she noticed it while glancing in the mirror).
Incorrect: Todd had an angry message for Isadora on the mantel (She noticed it while glancing in the mirror.).
Note: You don’t need to capitalize “she,” even though the material in the parentheses is a full sentence.
Correct: “All of the evidence pointed to the second location [the bathroom floor].”
Incorrect: “All of the evidence pointed to the second location [the bathroom floor]”.
Historical note: Old grammar dictated that periods follow all punctuation, so you sometimes see this today. But it is not recommended by CMS or AP.
Initials
George W. Bush (ick!); T.S. Elliot [no space between T. and S. to prevent them being placed on two lines when typesetting].
Names using only initials do not need periods: JFK, LBJ, FDR.
When to omit a period
CMS: “No period should follow display lines (chapter titles, subheads, and similar headings) … ” [Simple rule, right?]
I just removed all the periods from the titles in each section of this post. [Remember, there is always something NEW to learn—no matter what you do, you will still fuck up. Look at me!]
Change in plans
[I just omitted a paragraph here. I mentioned that my next post would involve commas, but I was suddenly inspired to blog on colons, so that will be the next post—and it is shaping up to be a funny one!]
jennifer orff 