Brush up on your punctuation

with Mary Morel

Is it time to master the basic rules of punctuation? Do you want your colleagues or boss to concentrate on your content rather than correct your punctuation?

Punctuation mistakes are distracting and undermine your professionalism. Some people judge your writing by your grammar and punctuation and think that errors, such as a wrong apostrophe, indicate a lack of attention to detail.

Yet I know from reading hundreds of business documents by highly intelligent people that mistakes are usually caused by not understanding some punctuation principles.

In this self-paced course, you will learn from videos, written material and quizzes. You can download my comprehensive Punctuation Guide to refer to during the course and keep for future reference.

Many business teams or organisations buy an annual licence for their employees. Contact me to learn more (details below).

Buy now AUD155

What you'll learn

  • Apostrophes, capitals and commas

    Ask any editor what punctuation mistakes they hate and I bet most would say 'Apostrophes'!

    Inconsistent capitalisation might come second. It's certainly one of my pet hates.

    Comma mistakes are often less obvious, but they matter if they change meaning. Their misuse can also be humorous (Let's eat Grandma vs Let's eat, Grandma).

    At the end of the course, you'll use apostrophes, capitals and commas with greater confidence.

  • Colons, semicolons, lists

    Many people confuse colons and semicolons. Even if they know the difference, they are not sure when to use a semicolon or if they are still needed in a bulleted list.

    This course explains the difference between colons and semicolons and when to use them. Semicolons have their uses, but it is possible to write well without them.

    Punctuation has become more minimal in lists, but there is not one universally agreed style. You'll learn about the different styles and the importance of consistency!

  • Hyphens, quotation marks and more

    It has been said 'that if you take hyphens seriously, you will surely go mad'; however, they are useful at times for clarity (a hard-working woman vs a hard working woman).

    The rules around quotation marks are fairly straightforward though whether you use single or double quotation marks is a style choice.

    You'll also brush up on abbreviations, dashes, parentheses and question marks. The changing role of the exclamation mark also gets a mention!

An A to Z of Punctuation

Perfect your punctuation with this online course

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Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

    • Welcome

    • Punctuation Guide

    • Useful website references

    • Parts of speech
  • 2

    Abbreviations

    • Abbreviations

    • Abbreviations (quiz)
  • 3

    Ampersands

    • Ampersands

    • Ampersands (quiz)
  • 4

    Apostrophes

    • Apostrophes

    • Apostrophes (video)

    • Apostrophes (quiz)
  • 5

    Capitalisation

    • Capitalisation

    • Capitalisation

    • Capitals (quiz)
  • 6

    Colons and semicolons

    • Colons and semicolons

    • Semicolons (video)

    • Colons and semicolons (quiz)
  • 7

    Commas

    • Commas

    • Commas (video)

    • Comma (quiz)
  • 8

    Dashes and parentheses (brackets)

    • Dashes

    • Parentheses (brackets)
  • 9

    Full stops (periods)

    • Full stops
  • 10

    Hyphens

    • Hyphens

    • Hyphens (video)

    • Hyphens (quiz)
  • 11

    Lists

    • Lists

    • Lists (quiz)
  • 12

    Question marks

    • Question marks

    • Question marks (quiz)
  • 13

    Quotation marks

    • Quotation marks

    • Quotation marks (quiz)
  • 14

    Next steps

    • Next steps

Who should do this course?

Anyone who cares about punctuation!

This course is perfect for you if you are sometimes unsure about when to use semicolons, hyphens or apostrophes. Or maybe you just want to understand more about comma usage.

Whatever your punctuation questions are, this course will answer them.

This course is also excellent for business teams who want to write more professionally. Contact me for a group discount (details below).

Price

in Australian dollars

What people are saying about Online Writing Training courses

I learnt A LOT!

Tara Davis

This course helped me understand colons, semicolons and apostrophes.’ (!!!) My meeting papers and reports were previously full of incorrect punctuation. N...

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This course helped me understand colons, semicolons and apostrophes.’ (!!!) My meeting papers and reports were previously full of incorrect punctuation. Now after this course and speaking with Mary I understand what punctuation to use and when.

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This course significantly improved my writing confidence

Alexander MacDonald

First, let me state that I hope my punctuation in this review is correct! I thoroughly enjoyed this course. There are always those nagging questions I have...

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First, let me state that I hope my punctuation in this review is correct! I thoroughly enjoyed this course. There are always those nagging questions I have when writing reports at work regarding the correct use of punctuation and grammar. I feel like I often unknowingly make mistakes and this course has confirmed my suspicions! I will go back to work with a new-found confidence in my writing.

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Great course!

Nelly Wehbe

Really enjoyed this course!!

Really enjoyed this course!!

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University course in grammar delivered online!

Rhett Holt

I was expecting a light and superficial jaunt into a few quick grammar points. This is a university level course in how to write effectively. You will need y...

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I was expecting a light and superficial jaunt into a few quick grammar points. This is a university level course in how to write effectively. You will need your headset, a good place to read and work, and your brain switched on. The detail in this course is amazing!

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Highly recommended

Rachel Howard

A very useful and practical course! I particularly liked the content about modern styles - other courses do not often cover this topic. The course is detaile...

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A very useful and practical course! I particularly liked the content about modern styles - other courses do not often cover this topic. The course is detailed and provides excellent explanations. It has helped me to identify common grammatical and punctuation mistakes that I make, and I look forward to seeing the improvement in my writing as a result!

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Wonderful course

Moira Horrocks

This is a wonderful course and certainly an eye-opener. Mary's professional but concise explanations and examples are so easy to grasp - many Aha! moments. I...

Read More

This is a wonderful course and certainly an eye-opener. Mary's professional but concise explanations and examples are so easy to grasp - many Aha! moments. I highly recommend this course to anyone in the 'writing/editing/proofreading/teaching English' world!

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Mary Morel

Your instructor

My aim in developing this course is to help you enjoy and appreciate language. The more you know, the richer your experience of language will be.

I studied grammar at university, but most of my knowledge has come from teaching business writing for several years and answering people's grammar questions in my monthly e-newsletter.

Although this course is self-paced, you are welcome to email me your grammar queries at any time. I always respond.

I'm a New Zealander living at Bondi Beach in Sydney. When I'm not writing or teaching, I enjoy walking the beach, looking at my garden (and thinking I should pull out some weeds) and reading.

Yes, this is a great idea

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FAQs

  • This course is written in Australian English. Is this course suitable for people who use American English?

    Punctuation rules are universal. Where there are minor differences, I point them out. A few words are spelt a bit differently, but that's easy to ignore (e.g. organise, instead of organize).

  • How long do I have access to the course for?

    You have 'lifetime' access. In other words, the course does not have an expiry date. You can repeat the course as many times as you like.

  • Do you offer a money-back guarantee?

    Yes, I offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.

  • Do I receive instant access on payment?

    Yes, you receive instant access when you pay online. If you would prefer to pay by direct debit, email me (details below) and I'll send you an invoice.

  • Will I receive a certificate at the end?

    You receive a certificate of completion.

  • Does the price include Australian GST?

    The price is in Australian dollars and includes goods and services tax (GST). If you are an international buyer, contact me and I will refund the GST.

Contact

For more information, email Mary Morel.

Ph: 61 2 9365 7711



Check out my Writing and Grammar Bundle

  • $553.00

    $553.00Writing and Grammar Bundle

    With this bundle, you receive Business Writing and Grammar, Punctuation and Usage.

    Normally $790, now $553, saving you $237.

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