• Noun:  person, place, or thing (such as: mother, school, book)
• Pronoun:  substitute word for a noun (such as: she, it, that)
• Verb:  expresses action (such as: think, swim, write)
• Adjective:  describes (modifies) a noun (such as: charming, blue, peaceful)
• Adverb:  describes a verb or adjective (such as: slowly or very)
• Conjunction:  connects words, phrases or clauses (such as: and, but, or)
• Preposition:  describes the location of a word in time or space (such as: around, before, on)

Punctuation

• Comma:  separates elements within a sentence and marks a pause in reading.  Use a comma in the following most common instances:
• To separate words, phrases, and clauses in a series.  A series consists of three or more items in sequence.  The comma is used only with the items that precede the conjunction.  (Example:  Carly baked pies, cakes, cookies, and brownies for the fundraiser.)
• To separate pairs of words in a series.  (Example: Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons attended the scout convention.)
• Between adjectives preceding a noun when they separately modify the noun.  (Example:  Lori's loud, clear voice resonated throughout the auditorium.)
• When "etc." ends a series.  NOTE: "etc." means "and so forth"; therefore, the word "and" should never precede "etc."  (Example: We discussed budgets, fundraising, membership drives, etc., before the new principal was introduced.)
• When a subordinate conjunction (such as: unless, because) or preposition (such as: before, under) begins a sentence, a comma follows the phrase.  (Example:  Whenever I feel sad, I whistle a happy tune.)
• After an introductory word or phrase.  (Example: Waiting for the bus, he sipped his coffee.)
• To set off parenthitical elements (part of a sentence that could be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence.  (Example:  Janet, my best friend, traveled from California for a visit.)
• Before and/or after an addressed person's name.  (Example:  Uncle Nick, welcome home!)
• Before/after quoted material.  (Example:  Jamie said, "I love you."   "I don't understand," replied Nathan.)  NOTE:  Do not use a comma when the quotation is introduced by "that."  (Example:  The author stressed that "vitamin C is essential to good nutrition."
• To set off a state.  (Example:  The class traveled to Albany, New York, despite predictions of snow.)
• To set off a year in a complete date.  (Example:  The company filed for bankruptcy on March 30, 2003, in an attempt to reorganize its financial structure.)  NOTE:  No comma is needed in general dates.  (Example:  The company filed bankruptcy in March 2003.)
• Before the conjunction in a compound sentence.  (Example:  Drew charged 80 yards for a touchdown, and the extra point earned the team the state championship.)  NOTE:  The comma is necessary to avoid confusion between the two independent clauses. 
• Apostrophe:
• To indicate possession (Example:  boy's chair)  NOTE:  If the noun is singular and ends in "s" (such as: boss or Charles), add an apostrophe and "s."  (Example:  boss's mistake; Charles's books)  If the noun is plural and ends in "s" (such as: dogs or stores), add only an apostrophe. (Example:  dogs' food; stores' sales)  If the noun is plural but does not end in "s" (such as children or people), then add an apostrophe and "s."  (Example: children's fears; people's votes)
• To indicate the omission of letters in a contraction.  (Example:  don't; they're; shouldn't)
• Semicolon:  marks a pause in reading.  Use it in the following instances:
• To indicate omission of a conjunction in a compound sentence.  (Example: Despite her father's protests, Ann bought the expensive car; she regretted her impulsiveness when the first payment needed to be made.)
• Before a second clause with a transition (introductory word) such as moreover or therefore.  (Example:  The mechanic labored over the repair; however, his efforts were rewarded with a bonus in his paycheck.)
• To separate items in a series that contains commas.  (Example:  The group met with James Smith, Vice President of Purchasing; Calvin Brown, Director of Acquisitions; and Paul Frankel, General Manager.)
• Colon:  marks a pause and focuses the read on what follows.  (Example:  Karen requested the following items be donated:  scarves, mittens, hats, and coats.)
• Hyphen:
• To join compound adjectives before the noun modified.  (Example:  heart-warming reunion)
• After each adjective modifying the same noun.  (Example:  The preschool teaches three- and four-year-old children.)
• In compound numerals.  (Example:  twenty-seven)
• When compounding numerals with other words.  (Example:  fifteen-foot dive)
• When writing fractions.  (Example:  one-third)
• In titles compounded with "ex" and "elect."  (Example:  ex-President; governor-elect)
• Dash: 
• To indicate a forceful pause.  A dash is shown by two hyphens.  NOTE:  Most computer programs automaticall convert and format two hyphens into a dash.  (Example:  "I thought I could trust--"  He swallowed the remainder of his sentence when his mistress entered the room.)
• To set off a parenthetical phrase (an extra comment).  (Example:  The annual fundraising banquet--attended by half the town--was spearheaded by Mayor Morgan and raised nearly $10,000.)
• To summarize.  (Example:  French, Italian, German, and Spanish--all are taught through the high school foreign language department.)
• To set off a long apposition (a group of words that provides additional information about a preceding word or phrases), especially when it's punctuated with commas.  (Example:  The deceased policeman--resident of Orange County, father of three boys, and graduate of New York University--posthumously received a medal of honor.)
• Exclamation Point:  indicates strong emotion.  NOTE: Never use more than one at a single time.  (Example: Terrific!)
• Question Mark:  Use at the end of a direct question.  (Example:  Can we go to the movies?)  NOTE:  Use a period at the end of indirect questions.  (Example:  We asked my mother if we could go to the movies.)
• Quotation Marks:  Used in pairs around direct quotations.  (Example:  "Run faster!" the coach yelled.)  NOTE:  When quoted material or speech continues to another paragraph, do not use the closing quotation marks until the final word.  However, do use open quotation marks at the beginning of each quoted paragraph to indicate the continuation of the quote/speech.  (For an example, see the excerpt on this website under the page entitled "Gianna.")
• Periods and commas are placed inside the quotation marks.
• Depending upon the sentence, a question mark may go inside the quotation marks.  If the quoted material ends in a question, put the question mark inside the quotation marks.
• Use quotation marks to designate titles of poems, short stories, and articles.
• Internal thoughts do not need quotation marks and can be set in italics.  (Example:  Why do I try, he wondered.)
• Use single quotation marks to designate material quoted within a quote.  (Example:  Ssally repeated, "My father said, 'You're punished!' and grounded me for two weeks.")
• Ellipsis:  indicates the omission of quoted material or the omission of words whereby the meaning of the sentence is drawn by inference.  An ellipsis is shown by three periods.  A space is left before each period as well as after the last period if a word is to follow.  When using an ellipsis at the end of a sentence, add a period.  (Example:  We, the people . . . in order to form a more perfect union . . . .)