我们中文写作的时候往往都会忽略一些标点符号的使用，但是到了国外写essay的时候就可要注意了，因为国外大学对于学术essay的态度是非常严谨的，哪怕是标点符号也不容有错。与其告诉你应该如何使用标点符号，倒不如我给你一些标点符号的错误使用案例，或许对你essay写作更有帮助。如果你在essay写作上有什么困难都可以找meeloun教育网。
常见错误1：顿号、书名号、句号、省略号使用错误。
留学生们要注意的是，英文标点符号中是没有我们在中文写作中常用的顿号、书名号、句号和省略号的，而恰巧这四种标点符号成为了中国留学生们在essay写作中“借鉴频率较高“的符号。如:
×1. While she is reading《Gone With the Wind》, I am cooking。
×2. My sister bought a lot of fruits for me , such as banana 、orange 、apple and pear.
essay写作中书籍、报刊、戏剧、电影、绘画作品等名称是用印刷体用斜体字来表示，并不是通过加书名号来表示。在书写体或打字机打的文本中用字下线表示斜体字；essay写作中常用逗号来代替冒号，句号则用实心小黑点表示。所以以上错误例子应该做如下修改:
√1. While she is reading Gone With the Wind , I am cooking. (印刷体) 或者是While she is reading Gone With the Wind , I am cooking. (书写体)
√2. My sister bought a lot of fruits for me , such as banana , orange , apple and pear.
Tips：,英文写作中的省略号是用三个小黑点表示，而不是中文中使用的六个小黑点。
常见错误2：冒号使用错误。
冒号是中英文写作中都有的标点符号之一。在中文写作中，冒号是表示提示性话语之后的停顿。错误使用案例如下:
×3. I thought to myself :“What kind of trap is she laying ？”
×4. He asked :“Where are you from ？”
上面两个错误案例中的冒号在英文写作中应该用逗点表示。汉语中的冒号还可用在“如次“如下“例如“像等引起下文的提示语后边。在英文表达中,“for example”(例如) 一类的词后应使用逗点，而不是冒号。
×5. Good manners can be seen in everyday life. For example : a person with good manners is kind and
helpful to others.
√5. Good manners can be seen in everyday life. For example , a person with good manners is kind and helpful to others.
常见错误3、破折号使用错误。
中文写作中的破折号标明行文中解释说明的内容，而英文同位语也具有同等说明的功能，所以在英文写作中用破折号连接同位语成份的错误也是留学生们常犯的错误。对于同位语，英语一般使用逗点而不用破折号。错误使用案例如下:
×6. We are studying and living at the famous university — Beijing University.
√6. We are studying and living at the famous university , Beijing University.
下面是一些在 写作中与essay语法知识有关的标点错误主: ：
(1) 把非限制性定语从句(non -restrictive attributive clause) 理解成限制性定语从句(restrictive attributive clause) 而忽略使用逗点。如:
×7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop that was divided into two parts.
√7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop , which was divided into two parts.
(2) 状语在句子中要用逗点隔开。
×8. We will go there , if it is fine tomorrow.
状语置于句首的时候，一般要用标点隔开；状语置于句末的时候，则无需与主句隔开。所以以上错例应修改为:
√8. If it is fine tomorrow , we will go there. 或We will go there if it is fine tomorrow.
(3) 在疑问句形式的陈述句后使用问号。
×9. What fun we girls could expect , to stay in the same class , studying for four long years with them ？I wondered.
√9. What fun could we girls expect , to stay in the same class , studying for four long years with them , I wondered.
英语疑问除可用问号来表达外，也可用词序加以表达。故上例的疑问可用逗点表示。
(4) 误把however ,therefore , because , thus 等起联系作用的副词当成并列连词,导致写作中的逗号粘连(comma splice) 错误。
×10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right , however , she didn’t care for that .
两个完整的句子或两个并列句之间不能用逗点点开, 可用句号、分号或在逗点后加并列连词(and , but , or , for , so , nor , yet) 等方法修改。故上例可改为:
√10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right . However , she didn’t care for that .
(5) 与comma splice 相映成趣的是,许多学生作文时,极少考虑句子间的逻辑关系,一个逗点连首尾,导致大量熔句(fused sentence) 的堆砌。例如:
×11. Young men like blue jeans they wear them all the time.
√11. Young men like blue jeans ; they wear them all the time.
(6) 两个并列的形容词间以and 代替逗点。
×12. Through the window , in front of me were large green fields which reminded me of the small clearing where I spent my lonely and hard childhood.
essay写作在两个形容词中间一般不使用and连接, 是用逗点分隔开来。
√12. Through the window , in front of me were large green fields which reminded me of the small clearing where I spent my lonely , hard childhood
常见错误4：因语体错位而造成的标点错误。
essay文本来就是学术essay，其严谨性就要求与口头语相区别。所以在口语中经常使用的缩写就应该避免使用在书面的essay写作中去了，况且不缩写也还有一个好处就是可以增加字数。
1. I’d like to share my joys with you. ( I would like to)
2. .you can’t behave like that . (you cannot)
3. .there’re so many splendid toys for me to select . (there are)
常见错误5：引号使用错误。
×13.“No pain , no gain. ”If you .
√13. As the saying goes ,“No pain , no gain. ”
essay写作中如果有比较短小的引语与作者提示的时候，那么“某某说“之类的词语之间就应该用逗点隔开，并且要置于引号里面。不能省略提示语“某某说”之类而直接引用。
×14. Glancing through the essay entitled“Why Not More ？ ”, Dr. Jefferson frowned thoughtfully.
√14. Glancing through the essay entitled“Why Not More ？,”Dr. Jefferson frowned thoughtfully.
句号和逗号必须置于引号之内；冒号和分号必须置于引号之外；如果所引内容本身是疑问句或感叹句，问号和感叹号一般放在引号之内，否则，问号和感叹号则放在引号之外。
常见错误6： 日-月-年次序的日期中的逗号使用错误。
英语日期的表达一般用两种次序表达：月-日-年的次序和日-月-年 的次序，日和年之间加逗号而月和年之间习惯上不加逗号。
常见错误7：在部分副词如perhaps , so 后加逗号。如:
×. Perhaps , I would not have such a good chance again.
×17. So , they keep in touch with each other merely by writing letters and phoning now.
上面两句错误案例的修改方法是去掉句中的逗号。
常见错误8：连接号(hyphen)使用错误。
很多中国留学生往往都很随意用连接号表示派生单词，比如把“boyfriend”写成“boy -friend”; “middle school”写成“middle -school”等等诸如此类的情况数不胜数。在遇到 essay行末单词分行的情况的时候，错用连接号的情况更多。如果把本应该有的连接号删除的话，整个单词的含义又可能会出现大的偏差。
常见错误9：应该用逗号而没用，造成语义的模棱两可。
Please send me a gross each of the red , green ,blue ,orange and black ties.
上面这句例子使人看了以后不知是发5 摞(1 摞= 12 打) —红、绿、蓝、橙、黑各一摞— 领带，还是发4 摞 —红、绿、蓝、橙黑各一摞领带。所以这句应该做如下修改:
①Please send me a gross each of the red , green ,blue ,orange ,and black ties.
②Please send me a gross each of the red , green ,blue ,orange-and-black ties.
常见错误10：该用分号而误用句号, 不该用标点的地方也用了逗点。
①People make history , unusual people make history interesting. 此句中的逗点应改为分号, 因为这是两个独立分句。
②Mary was happiest when she was free of her parents’ scrutiny , or while she was working in her garden. 此句中连词"or”前面的逗号应去掉。