In a time of social media, where punctuation is evolving and seemingly random, it is good to remember how simple punctuation marks can change the meaning of a phrase, create misunderstandings, and seemingly encourage run-on sentences.

Take this sentence for example:

I’m giving up drinking for a month.

This sentiment can be utterly altered by the addition of a single comma.

I’m giving up, drinking for a month.

To communicate better, learn the simple rules of good English punctuation. Here is one of my favorite examples:

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