Q. The sentence in question is “Probability was 1.0% at first, and 2.0% at subsequent, examinations.” I did not have a comma before “examinations,” and another editor added it. Technically, she is correct, since it closes a parenthetical remark, but it reads strangely to me. This is a word-limited document and we can’t rewrite in a way that adds words. Should I leave in the second comma?
Q. When the appositive rule (commas setting off a nonrestrictive appositive) bumps up against the rule that says a question mark shouldn’t be directly followed by a comma, which rule prevails? Here’s the sentence: The album’s first single “Do You Realize??” features a lush arrangement. Is it better to set off “Do You Realize??” with commas? Leave out the commas? Recast the sentence (which is what I wound up doing)? Thanks for your thoughts.
Q. One of my supervisors—a former English teacher—insists that the comma and semicolon in the following sentence are correct. I have no intention of arguing the point, but I would love to learn the rule so I don’t make the mistake again. (Yes, I’m too intimidated to ask him directly.) Is this sentence correctly punctuated, in your view? “Your professionalism supports our record for safety and quality, advances our worldwide reputation; and helps us to grow as an industry leader.”
Q. Hi there! For a sign for bachelorette parties, would the phrase “Bachelorette Out of Control” be more appropriate than “Bachelorette’s Out of Control”? The question is one of contraction, because I don’t see how “Bachelorette’s Out of Control” can be correct without “The” prefacing it. Thank you!
Q. A question recently came up in an English class: how many semicolons can you use in one sentence? We discussed how many you should use, but we were still curious whether or not there is an official limit to how many you can use and still be grammatically correct. What’s your answer?
Q. I checked throughout CMOS and find not a single mention of the interrobang. How could there not even be a single mention of such an intriguing punctuation option?!
Q. I am editing a piece that makes several references to unspoken orders. For example: He climbed up the plank and handed the engineer a “go” order. Or, After ten minutes he signaled “stop.” Should these orders be in quotations?
Q. Hello, Chicago. You state that “an opening parenthesis should be preceded by a comma or a semicolon only in an enumeration” as in (1) a brown fox, (2) a silver fox. There are no other exceptions. You also say that the same rules apply to brackets. Another editor wants this: New Westminster, BC: Pie Tree Press, [1988]. It looks very wrong to me! I say the comma goes, because the bracketed matter is an interpolation, not part of the original text, and the comma has no function. Therefore the punctuation should be as if that interpolation doesn’t exist.
Q. Is there ever a circumstance in which there is not a space before an opening parenthesis? And accordingly, is text within parentheses always written without any additional spacing (as evidenced here)?
Q. I have been asked to make only grammatical edits on a document. I believe my boss is misusing semicolons in a passage similar to this one: “Applications will be reviewed by the board. Selection criteria: (1) profession; (2) type of project; and (3) documented impacts of the project.” I was under the impression that semicolons are used in a series only when the items within the series contain internal punctuation. Would it be correct for me to supplant these semicolons with commas? Or would this be a stylistic change?