마침표 .: 평서문·명령문 종결. 약어(Dr. / Mr. / e.g. / etc.)
물음표 ?: 직접 의문문에만. 간접의문문에는 마침표.
Are you coming? ✅
I wonder if he's coming. ✅ (마침표)
I wonder if he's coming? ❌
느낌표 !: 강한 감정·감탄. 남발하면 효과 없어짐. 격식 글에서 절제.
독립절 접속사 앞:
I was tired, but I kept working. ✅ (독립절 + 독립절)
I was tired but kept working. ✅ (동사구 → 쉼표 불필요)
열거 — Oxford comma:
apples, oranges, and bananas.
and 앞 쉼표 = Oxford comma. 미국식 선호, 없으면 오해 가능.
❌ I thank my parents, God and Madonna. (부모 = God과 Madonna?)
✅ I thank my parents, God, and Madonna.
문두 어구 뒤:
However, I disagree.
After the meeting, we had lunch.
In addition, she arrived late.
삽입 구문 양쪽:
My boss, a former engineer, understood the problem.
쉼표 금지 — 주어·동사 사이:
❌ The man who came yesterday, said hello.
✅ The man who came yesterday said hello.
;)쉼표보다 강하고 마침표보다 약함. 두 독립절을 논리적으로 연결.
접속사 없이 독립절 연결:
I was tired; I went to bed early.
접속 부사 앞 — 뒤에는 쉼표:
I was tired; however, I kept working.
She didn't study; therefore, she failed.
복잡한 열거 — 항목 안에 쉼표가 있을 때:
John, the manager; Sarah, the designer; and Tom, the developer.
금지:
❌ Although I was tired; I kept working. (종속절-주절 사이)
:)앞 절이 뒷 내용을 도입·예고할 때. 앞은 반드시 완전한 절.
목록·설명 도입:
I need three things: milk, eggs, and bread.
She had one goal: to win the championship.
❌ I need: milk, eggs, and bread. — 앞이 불완전한 절이면 불가.
인용 도입 (격식):
He said: "Never give up."
제목·부제:
English Grammar: A Complete Guide
콜론 뒤 대문자:
Em dash — — 삽입·강조·급전환:
She finally arrived — three hours late.
The solution — if there is one — won't be easy.
쉼표·괄호보다 극적. 격식 글에서 절제.
En dash – — 범위·대립:
pages 10–20 / 2020–2024 / New York–London
the love–hate relationship
하이픈 - — 단어 결합:
well-known author (복합 형용사)
twenty-three (숫자)
re-enter (접두사 + 모음 충돌)
셋 구분: 하이픈- < En dash– < Em dash—
미국식 "..." vs 영국식 '...':
미국: She said, "I'm tired."
영국: She said, 'I'm tired.'
구두점 위치:
미국: 마침표·쉼표 → 따옴표 안
영국: 마침표·쉼표 → 따옴표 밖
물음표·느낌표: 인용 내용에 속하면 안, 문장에 속하면 밖
She asked, "Are you coming?" (→ 안)
Did she say "I'm tired"? (→ 밖)
특수 용법:
"The Great Gatsby" (작품 제목)
He used "literally" wrongly. (단어 자체 언급)
The so-called "experts" (비꼼·거리두기)
')소유격:
단수: the dog's tail / John's book
복수(-s 끝): the dogs' tails / the students' books
복수(불규칙): the children's toys / the men's room
고유명사 -s 끝: James's (미국) / James' (영국)
축약형: I’m / you’re / don’t / can’t / won’t / I’ve / I’ll
it's vs its:
it's = it is / it has (축약)
its = 소유격 (아포스트로피 없음)
its' 같은 형태는 존재하지 않음.
단순 복수에는 아포스트로피 금지:
❌ Apple's are delicious. / The 1990's
✅ Apples are delicious. / The 1990s
소괄호 ( ) — 부가·참고 정보:
She finally passed (after three attempts).
괄호 안 내용 제거해도 문장 완전.
대괄호 [ ] — 인용 내 편집자 개입:
원문에 없는 말을 인용 안에 추가. “이건 편집자가 넣은 것” 신호.
He said, "She [the president] approved it."
→ 원문: "She approved it." — 편집자가 she = 대통령임 표시
줄임표 …:
인용 생략: "We hold these truths… that all men are created equal."
말 흐림: "I'm not sure… maybe later."
긴장감: She opened the door… and froze.