常用錯的5個標點符號

標點符號的使用是一門藝術，它使文字組成縮寫，從句和句子。不幸的是，一些標點符號怎樣使用並不十分清楚。下面讓我們來看幾個常用的標點符號，雖然它們很受歡迎但是使用起來卻十分令人困惑。

1. Possessive apostrophes

名詞所有格符號

名詞所有格符號是很難，它以幾種不同的方式放在單詞後邊。那麼，我們到底該怎樣去使用它呢？

Let’s start simple. For a singular noun, such as dog, you add an apostrophe plus s to the end: The dog’s collar was covered in mud.

我們這裏從發一個簡單的例子開始。對於一個單數名詞而言，例如dog，應該在dog後加上名詞所有格符號和字母s：那隻狗的項圈被埋在了土裏。

For a plural noun, such as elephants, you add an apostrophe to the end: The elephants’ parade was stoped by rain.

對於複數名詞而言，例如elephants，應該在elephants後加上名詞所有格符號：大象的隊伍因大雨而停止前進。

For a plural noun that doesn’t end with s, you add an apostrophe plus s to the end: The children’s party went on as planned.

對於不以s結尾的複數名詞，應該在蓋茨後面加上名詞所有格符號和s：孩子們的聚會如期進行。

The place it gets tricky is with personal names, such as Charles and Ulysses, which already end in an s sound. In those cases, you generally add an apostrophe plus s if you naturally pronounce an extra s when you say the word out loud: Charles’s new tie is fantastic. If you don’t pronounce an extra s when you say the word, then leave it out: Ulysses’ presentation is set for Monday.

人名後面名詞所有格符號的位置可能會令人困惑，例如：以s結尾的Charles和Ulysses。在這種情況下，當你大聲發音的時候，如果你額外發s音，應該在名詞所有格符號後加上s：查理斯的新領帶漂亮極了。如果當你讀這個詞的時候，s不發音，那麼名詞所有格後面的s省略：尤里西斯的演講定於週一。

2. Semicolons

分號

The central task of the semicolon is to mark a break that is stronger than a comma but not as final as a period or full stop. That sounds easy enough, but it can be hard to tell when you should be linking two clauses with a semicolon rather than simply separating them into two sentences.

分號的主要作用就是標誌着停頓，分號所表示的停頓比逗號所表示的停頓更加強烈，但是不是作爲一個句號來結束句子。這聽起來很簡單，但是當你使用分號連接兩個從句而不是僅僅把它們分成兩個句子的時候，情況就變得複雜了。

Typically, you want to use a semicolon when two main clauses balance each other and are too closely linked to be made into separate sentences, as in these two examples:

很明顯，當兩個從句彼此平衡聯繫緊密不能夠被分成兩個獨立的句子的時候，你就應該使用分號了。就像這兩個例子：

The road runs through a beautiful wooded valley; the railway line follows it.

這條路穿過一條樹木繁茂的山谷；鐵路線緊隨這條山谷。

Erik did not give me your keys; he gave me mine.

艾瑞克不給我你的鑰匙；他把我的鑰匙給我了。

You can also use a semicolon to mark a stronger division in a sentence that already has commas: The study showed the following: 76% of surveyed firms monitor employee Web-surfing activities, with 65% blocking access to unauthorized Internet locations; over one-third of the firms monitor employee computer keystrokes; half reported storing and reviewing employee emails; 57% monitor employee telephone conduct, including the inappropriate use of voicemail.

你可以使用分號在一個有逗號的句子裏表示一個更加強烈的停頓：調查顯示如下：76%受調查的公司監督員工上網活動，65%會阻礙不合法的網址；超過三分之一的公司對員工進行鍵盤監聽；據報告一半的公司還會存儲並檢查員工的email；57%的公司會對員工進行電話監聽，包括對語音信箱的不合理使用。

3. Colons

冒號

The best way to differentiate the colon from the semicolon is that where the semicolon provides a strong division in a sentence, the colon provides a sense of forward motion.

最好區分冒號和分號的該方式就是看他們的位置，分號在句中提供一個強烈的停頓，冒號在句中提供一種進一步的解釋。

There are three main uses of the colon:

分號主要有三種用法：

Between two main clauses in cases where the second clause explains or follows from the first, e.g. That is the secret to winning the game: have some patience.

在兩個從句之間，第二個句子解釋或者緊隨第一個句子。例如，這是贏得比賽的祕訣：要有耐心。

Introducing a list, e.g. The film was criticized for several reasons: a weak script, stiff acting, and poor special effects.

介紹一個清單。例如，這部電影由於幾個原因而受到批評：一個疲軟的劇本，僵硬的表演以及較差的表演效果。

Before a quotation, and sometimes direction speech, e.g. The poster read: Show is on 4 April’.

在一句引用前面，有時候在直接引語前面。例如，海報上寫着:節目於四月四號上映。

4. Hyphens

連字符

The principal purpose of the hyphen is linking words and parts of words. This means that it appears in a wide variety of situations, linking all types of words. Rather than pick out all of the possible appearances of the hyphen in everyday writing, we will focus on one that people frequently get wrong: compound adjectives.

連字符的主要用法是連接詞與詞或者一部分詞。這意味着連字符出現在很多情況下，連接各種各樣的詞。不是在日常的寫作中找到所有的連字符，而是集中精力在那些人們頻繁出錯的地方：複合形容詞。

Compound adjectives are made up of a noun + an adjective, a noun + a participle, or an adjective + a participle. Many compound adjectives should be hyphenated. For example,warm-hearted.

複合形容詞由名詞+形容詞，名詞+分詞或者形容詞+分詞組成。許多複合形容詞由連字符連接。例如，熱心的。

Compound adjectives get tricky once a phrase or the word well gets involved. In these cases, up-to-date and well-known, for instance, you should use a hyphen when the compound comes before the noun (up-to-date security system and well-known chiropractor), but not when the compound comes after (this software is up to date and this chimpanzee is well known). Similarly, centuries should be hyphenated when used as adjectives (She is one of the best twentieth-century writers) but not when used as a noun (These paintings date from the seventeenth century).

當涉及到短語和字詞的時候複合形容詞就變得複雜起來。例如，在這些例子裏，up-to-date和well-known，當複合詞用於名詞之前要使用連字符（現代化的安全系統和著名的脊骨神經科醫生），但是當複合形容詞用於名詞後就不能使用連字符了（這個軟件是現代化的，這個大猩猩十分有名）。同理，centuries用作形容詞時要使用連字符（她是20世紀最好的作家之一），但是centuries用作名詞的時候，不能使用連字符（這些畫可以追溯至17世紀）。

5. Dashes

破折號

The hyphen’s slightly longer cousin, the dash is another popular punctuation mark that not everyone is sure how to use.

把連字符加長一點就是破折號，破折號也是一種十分受歡迎的標點符號，但不是每一個人都知道怎樣使用。

In formal writing, the dash is used to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an understanding of the rest of the sentence. For example, you might see: Once I have a free afternoon — I’ve been quite busy — I will meet you for lunch.

在正式的寫作中，破折號用來劃分信息和意見，而這些信息和意見對於理解句子不是很重要。例如，一旦我下午有時間—我一直很忙— 我就會和你吃午飯。

Even though dashes are common in informal writing, such as personal emails or blogs, it’s best to use them sparingly when writing formally.

即使破折號在非正式的寫作中也很常見，如個人郵件和微博，當正式寫作的時候最好偶爾使用破折號。