商務英語寫作中標點符號的妙用

字號:

1. 句號 Period [.]
    用以表示一個句子的結(jié)束:
    Hockey is a popular sport in Canada.
    The federal government is based in Ottawa.
    用在縮寫中:
    B.C. is the province located on the West Coast.
    Dr. Bethune was a Canadian who worked in China.
    The company is located at 888 Bay St. in Toronto.
    It is 4:00 p.m. in Halifax right now.
    2. 問號 Question Mark [?]
    在句子的結(jié)尾使用問號表示是直接疑問句:How many provinces are there in Canada?
    注意:在間接疑問句結(jié)尾不要加問號:
    The teacher asked the class a question.
    Do not ask me why.
    3. 嘆號 Exclamation Mark [!]
    在句子的結(jié)尾使用嘆號表示驚訝、興奮等情緒:
    We won the Stanley Cup!
    The forest is on fire!
    4. 逗號 Comma [,]
    句子中的停頓:Therefore, we should write a letter to the prime minister.
    在疑問句中引出說話人:"I can come today," she said, "but not tomorrow."
    排列三個或以上的名詞:Ontario, Quebec, and B.C. are the three biggest provinces.
    引出定語從句:Emily Carr, who was born in 1871, was a great painter.
    5. 單引號 Apostrophe [’]
    表示所有:This is David’s computer.
    These are the player’s things. (things that belong to the player)
    Note: 對于復數(shù)形式的名詞,只加’
    These are the players’ things. (things that belong to the players)
    縮寫I don’t know how to fix it.
    6. 引號Quotation Marks ["]
    直接引出某人說的話:
    The prime minister said, "We will win the election."
    "I can come today," she said, "but not tomorrow."
    7. 冒號Colon [:]
    引出一系列名詞:There are three positions in hockey: goalie, defence, and forward.
    引出一個較長的引語:The prime minister said: "We will fight. We will not give up. We will win the next election."
    8. 分號Semicolon [;]
    將兩個相關的句子連接起來:The festival is very popular; people from all over the world visit each year.
    和逗號一同使用引出一系列名詞:The three biggest cities in Canada are Toronto, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; and Vancouver, B.C.
    9. 破折號Dash [-]
    在一個句子前作總結(jié):Mild, wet, and cloudy - these are the characteristics of weather in Vancouver.
    在一個子的前面或后面加入額外的注釋:The children - Pierre, Laura, and Ashley - went to the store. Most Canadians - but not all - voted in the last election.
    表示某人在說話過程中被打斷:The woman said, "I want to ask - " when the earthquake began to shake the room.
    10. 連字符Hyphen [-]
    連接兩個單詞:sweet-smelling; fire-resistant
    將前綴:anti-Canadian; non-contact
    在數(shù)字中使用:one-quarter; twenty-three