General Principle	Details	Incorrect Example	Correct Example
22 “Avoid” unnecessary punctuation and formatting!!!!!	a) Never double or triple the exclamation mark or the question mark. Use the exclamation mark sparingly.	This is annoying!!!!!! Don’t do it!!!!!
	b) A colon is not needed after a preposition or linking verb.	This book is by: Gary Paulsen. The room will be painted: blue.	This book is by Gary Paulsen. The room will be painted blue.
	c) Avoid the slash. This is annoying to the reader.	When he/she wants/wishes for this and/or that…	When people desire many material objects…
	d) Prefer the humble comma to its fancier cousins the (parentheses), the long dash – , [brackets], or even the semicolon;. Rewrite the sentence to avoid them if it is possible.
	e) A comma is not needed between the subject and the verb, even if the subject is long.	The boy that came late wearing a blue hat, spilled the punch.	The boy that came late wearing a blue hat spilled the punch.
	f) A comma is not needed between the verb and words that describe the subject.	He was, anxious and nervous.	He was anxious and nervous.
	g) There must be at least three items in a list to need commas. Do not use commas to separate only two items.	He ran down the hill, and grabbed his bike.	He ran down the hill and grabbed his bike.
	An excessive use of exclamation marks is a certain indication of an unpracticed writer. H.W. Fowler, author The King's English (Oxford Univeristy Press, 1906)