冒號，破折號，分號及括號的使用與寫作風格關(guān)系緊密，因此本章主要介紹它們的用法。本章很少涉及其它標點：如逗號，句號，連字符。下面，筆者對它們的用法以問答形式略談一二：
問：如果連續(xù)使用兩個形容詞，可用逗號分開它們嗎？
答：在"Singapore is a clean, friendly city state"一句中，逗號代替了"and"。 連續(xù)兩個形容詞同時修飾一個名詞時，可用逗號把它們隔開。但當其中一個形容詞修飾另一形容詞時，不需要用逗號隔開它們：
On my way back home, I stared at the pale blue sky.
問：何時用連字符連接單詞？
答：1. 參見字典；
2. 參考the goal of preventing misreading一書。
3. 連字符常用于連接比較常用的復(fù)合詞，使之成為一詞。
air craft
air-craft
aircraft
type setting
type-setting
typesetting
screen play
screen-play
screenplay
data base
data-base
database
采用連字符連接的兩個詞，意思可一目了然。例如，沒用連字符的合成詞light year，字面意思是一年比另一年不重要；加上連字符，我們就很清楚light-year是光年的意思。
通常，我們在處理名詞前兩個或多個詞的組合時，可用連字符。
例：know-how
ready-to-wear
faster-than-expected production
life-form
state-of-the-art technology
medium-range missiles
當這一群詞用作形容詞時，僅對它們所修飾的名詞之前的詞使用連字符。
It was a fast-paced city life.
即City life is fast paced.
Bring me the up-to-date report.
即Bring me up to date.
還有，以"-ly"結(jié)尾的副詞不用連字符。
Wrong: We do not work with financially-unstable organizations.
Correct: We do not work with financially unstable organizations.
Wrong: We are required to attend all regularly-scheduled meetings.
Correct: We are required to attend all regularly scheduled meetings.
問：你贊成省略縮略語的中間或末尾的句點嗎？
答：這是一個關(guān)于寫作風格和品味的問題，有些編者對縮略語用句點；有些則不用。用與不用取決于你。我的建議是，一旦你決定采用哪種方式，就不宜改變。
專有名詞中的句點應(yīng)該保留。
Correct(正) Also correct(正確) U.S.A. USA 10 p.m. 10 pm R.S.V.P. RSVP U.F.O. UFO 姓名之間的圓點應(yīng)予保留
Correct Not Correct J. F. Kennedy J F Kennedy 問：什么叫不分段句？ 答：兩個完整的句子間僅用逗號，或不用任何其它標點，這兩個句子叫做不分段句。 例： The air conditioner is broken, we must have it repaired as soon as possible. How to rid of run-on? Here are a few approaches: 有如下幾種方法可消除不分段句 。 The air conditioner is broken and has to be repaired as soon as possible. ?。ㄊ褂眠B詞"and"） The air conditioner is broken; it has to be repaired as soon as possible. ?。ㄓ梅痔柛糸_這兩個句子） The air conditioner is broken. We must have it repaired as soon as possible. ?。ㄓ镁涮柛糸_這兩個句子）
Correct(正) Also correct(正確) U.S.A. USA 10 p.m. 10 pm R.S.V.P. RSVP U.F.O. UFO 姓名之間的圓點應(yīng)予保留
Correct Not Correct J. F. Kennedy J F Kennedy 問：什么叫不分段句？ 答：兩個完整的句子間僅用逗號，或不用任何其它標點，這兩個句子叫做不分段句。 例： The air conditioner is broken, we must have it repaired as soon as possible. How to rid of run-on? Here are a few approaches: 有如下幾種方法可消除不分段句 。 The air conditioner is broken and has to be repaired as soon as possible. ?。ㄊ褂眠B詞"and"） The air conditioner is broken; it has to be repaired as soon as possible. ?。ㄓ梅痔柛糸_這兩個句子） The air conditioner is broken. We must have it repaired as soon as possible. ?。ㄓ镁涮柛糸_這兩個句子）