punctuation marks

Apostrophe ( ' )

1. Used with ‘s’ to indicate the possessive:

_  the dog’s bone            

_  king charles’s  crown    

_  all the student’s  books

2. Used in contracted forms to indicate that letters or figures have been omitted:

_  I’m (=I am)                 

_  he’s (= he is /has)           

_  the summer of’68 (= 1968)

3. Sometimes used with ‘s’ to from the plural of a letter, figures or an abbreviation:

_  pronounce the the  r’s more clearly 

_  all the mp’s

Colon (:)

1. Used after a term describing a group or class or a linking phrase (eg as follows, in the following manner) to introduce a list of items:

_ His consists of two books: the Bible and Shakespeare.

2. (fml) Used before a clause or phrase that illustrates or explains the main clause:

_ The garden had been neglected for a long time: It was overgrown and full of weeds.

Comma (,)

1. Used to separate the items in lists of words, phrases or clauses:

_ If you keep calm, take your time, concentrate and think ahead, you’ll pass your driving test.

2.Often used between an adverbial clause or long phrase and the main clause:

_ When the sun is shining and the birds are singing, the world seems a happier place.

3.Used after a non- finite or verbless clause at the beginning of a sentence:

 _ To be sure of getting there on time, she left an hour early.

4.Used to separate an introductory or a transitional word or phrase (eg therefore, however, by the way, for instance, on the contrary) from the rest of the sentence:

_ Oh, so that’s where it was!

5.Used before a dependent clause, etc that interrupts the sentence:

_ You should, indeed you must, report this matter to the police.

6.Used before and after a non-defining relative clause or a phrase in apposition, giving additional information about the noun it follows:

_ Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, was first climbed in 1953.

7. Used to separate a question tag or the similar word or phrase from the rest of the sentence:

_ It’s quite expensive, isn’t it?

_ You live in Isfahan, right?

Dash (_)

1.      (infml) Used instead of a colon or semicolon to mark off a summary or conclusion of what has gone before:

_ You’re admitted that you lied to me _how can I trust you again?

2.     (infml) Used singly or in pairs to separate extra information, an after though or a comment from the rest of  the sentence

_ He knew nothing at about it _ or so he said.

Exclamation mark (!)      (US also Exclamation point)

1. Used at the end of a sentence or remark expressing great anger, surprise, joy or other strong emotion:

_ What wonderful new!

_ ‘Never!’ she cried.

Full stop (.)      ( US  Period )

1.     Used to mark the end of a sentence that is not a direct question or an exclamation:

_ I knocked at the door. There was no reply.

2.Sometimes used, though not in most of dictionary, in abbreviations:

_ Jan; e.g.; a.m.

Hyphen (-)

1.Used in compounds:

(a)       Sometimes used to from a compound word from two other words:

_ radio-telescope

(b)Used to from a compound from a prefix and a proper name:

_ anti-Nazi; pro-soviet

(c)Used to from a compound from two other words that are separated by a preposition:

_ mother-in-law; mother-to-be

(d)Used to very the first element of a hyphenated compound:

_ Common to both pre-and post-war Europe.

(e)Used when writing out compound numbers between 21 and 99:

_ seventy-three

2.(esp Brit) Sometimes used to separate a prefix ending in a rowel from a word beginning with the same vowel:

_ re-elect, co-ordination

3.Used after the first section of a word that is divided between one line and the next:

_ ….. in order to avoid future mis-

takes of this kind.

4.Used between two numbers or dates to include everything that comes between these numbers or dates:

_ pp106-/3/

Parentheses ()     (Brit also Brackets)

1.Used to separate extra information or an afterthought or comment from the rest of the sentence:

_ Mount Robson (12972 feet) is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies.

2.Used to enclose cross-references:

_ This moral ambiguity is a feature of Shakespeare's later works (see chapter Eight)

Question mark (?)

1.Used at the end of a direct question:

_ Where’s the car?

_ You're leaving?

(Not used at the end of an indirect question: _ He asked if I was leaving.)

2.Used in parentheses to express doubt:

_ John Marston (?1575-1634)

Quotation marks ('  '     "   " )         (Brit also Inverted commas)

In British usage quotation marks are usually single: 'Help!'.

In US usage they are usually double: "Help!".

1. Used to enclose all words and punctuation in direct speech.

_ 'What on earth did you do that for?' he asked.

_ 'I won't go,' she replied.

_ 'Nonsense!'

2.     Used to draw attention to a term that is unusual in the context (eg a technical or slang expression) or one that is being used for special effect (eg irony):

_ Next the dough is 'proved' to allow the yeast to start working.

_ He told me in no uncertain terms to 'get lost'.

_ Thousands were imprisoned in the name of 'national security'.

3.     Used to enclose the title of article, short poems, radio and television programs, etc:

_ Keats's 'Ode to Autumn'

_ I was watching 'Match of the Day'.

4.     Used to enclose short quotations or sayings:

_ 'Do you know the origin of the saying "A little learning is a dangerous thing"?' 

Semicolon (;)

1.     Used instead of a comma to separate from each other parts of a sentence that already contain commas:

_ She wanted to be successful, whatever it might cost; to achieve her goal, whoever might suffer as a result.

2.(fml) Used to separate main clauses, especially those not joined by a conjunction:

_ He had never been to china; however, it had always been one of his ambitions.

Slash (/)     ( Brit also Oblique) (US  Virgule)

1.Used to separate alternative words or terms:

_ Take a mackintosh and/or an umbrella.

2.     Used to indicate the end of each line of poetry where several lines are run on:

_ Wordsworth’s famous lines, ‘I wandered lonely as cloud/That floats on high o’er vales and hills…’

Square brackests[]         (Us Brackest)

1.Used to enclose editorial comments:

_ A notice reading ‘Everything to be put away in it’s [sic] place after use’

1	-	hyphen
2	—	dash
3	!	exclamation mark
4	#	sharp
5	&	ampersand
6	·	bullet
7	( )	(round) brackets; (round) parenthesis
8	*	asterisk
9	,	comma
10	.	1 full stop 2 point
11	...	ellipsis points; ellipsis dots
12	/	oblique; slash;
13	:	colon
14	;	semi-colon
15	?	question mark
16	[ ]	(square) brackets; (square) parenthesis
17		backslash
18	__	underline
19	‘’	quotation marks; inverted commas
20	†	dagger

ضرب المثل های انگلیسی

1. Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

سحرخیز باش تا کامروا باشی

این مثل در بیان سفارش سحرخیزی است که موجب ثروت و سلامت و درایت و پیروزی است.

2. There is no garden without weeds.

گنج رنج ندیده است کسی              گل بی‌خار نچیده است کسی   «جامی»

این مثل بیان می کند که در جهان خوب و بد، تلخ و شیرین، خار و گل، شر و خیر، موفقیت و شکست همه با هم است و همة اینها را باید پذیرفت و از شکستها و نامرادیها دلسرد و ناامید نشد.

3. Man needs wisdom rather than gold.     Wisdom is better than strength.

خرد بهتر بود از زر که داری         که در زر، کس نبیند هوشیاری     «ناصر خسرو»

این مثل در بیان ارزش و اهمیت و تدبیر و هوشیاری است که به گفتة این مثل عقل به مراتب بهتر از پول و زر است. آدمی را عقل می باید نه زر.

4. He is the wise who looks a head.

هر که اول بنگرد پایان کار            اندر آخر او نگردد شرمسار

عاقل آنست که اندیشه کند پایان را (آدم عاقل و دوراندیش طبیعتاً عاقبت اندیش نیز هست).

5. Wise men correct their own faults by other.

چو برگشته بختی در افتد در بند          از او نیک‌بختان بگیرند پند پند گیر از مصائب دیگران                   تا نگیرند دیگران ز تو پند      «سعدی»

این مثل در بیان پند اخلاقی و زنده‌ای است که آدمی در پرتو تواضع و افتادگی از دیگران می آموزد ( و به رفع نقائص و اشتباهات خود بر می آید.

6. Wishes won't wash the wishes.

نامی نکنی ز معرفت شیرین‌کام         حاصل نشود، کام تو از نقل کلام حلوا حلوا اگر بگویی صد سال              از گفتن حلوا نشود شیرین کام

با حرف کاری درست نمی شود باید که از گفتار دست کشید و به کردار پرداخت.

7. A good word without deeds are rushes and need.

علم چندانکه بیشتر خوانی                 چو عمل در تو نیست نادانی    «سعدی»

تلمیذ بی‌ارادت عاشق بی‌زر است، رونده بی‌معرفت مرغ بی‌پر، معلم بی عمل درخت بی‌بر.

8. Words once spoken, can't be recalled.

سخن ناگفتی توانیش گفت       ولی گفته را بازنتوان نهفت    «سعدی»

به هنگام حرف زدن تأمل و پیش اندیشی لازمست، زیرا سخنی که از دهان بیرون رفت رعایت آن ممکن نیست.

9. Words are more bubbles of water, but deeds one drops of gold.

آزادگی مرد به کار است نه گفتار          آن به که عمل باشد و گفتار نباشد    «محمد تندری»

حرف مثل حباب روی آب ناپایدار است. اما عمل مثل قطره‌های طلا محکم و باصلابت است.

1. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

دوست آن باشد که گیرد دست دوست

2. A good name is better than riches.

نام نیکو گر بماند ز آدمی                به کزو ماند سرای زرنگار

3. A wise man gets learning from those who have none.

ادب از که آموختی از بی‌ادبان

4. Actions speak louder than words.

دو صد گفته چون نیم‌کردار نیست.

5. A man of words, not of deeds, is like a garden full of weeds.

عالم بی عمل به چه ماند                به زنبور بی‌عسل

6. Every man is his own worst enemy.

دشمن هر کس نفس اوست.

7. No pain, No gain.

نابرده رنج، گنج میسر نمی شود.

8. When there is a will, there is a way.

خواستن، توانستن است.

9. Words cut more than swards.

زخم زبان از زخم شمشیر بدتر است.

10. You can not tell a book by its cover.

به ظاهر قضاوت مکن.

11. When one door shuts, another pens.

گر ز حکمت ببندد دری                 ز رحمت گشاید در دیگری

12. A good to the wise, a road to the food.

عقل را یک اشاره کافی است            به نادان تا آخرش بگو

13. Send someone on a wild goose chase.

کسی را پی نخود سیاه فرستادن.

14. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

دوری و دوستی

15. Blessing are not valued till they are gone.

قدر عافیت کسی داند که به مصیبتی گرفتار آید.

16. Do as you. Would be done by.

آنچه برای خود نمی پسندی برای دیگران هم مپسند.

17. Easy come, Easy go.

باد آورده را باد هم می برد.

18. The face is the index of the mind.

رنگ رخساره خبر می دهد از سر درون.

19. Fair and softly goes far in a day.

رهرو آنست که آهسته و پیوسته رود.

20. Friends may meet, but mountains never greet.

کوه به کوه نمی رسد ولی آدم به آدم می رسد.