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The Dots, Lines, and Squiggles of Punctuation

The Free Cozy Grammar Newsletter with Marie Rackham and Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma

As we begin the New Year, we wanted to share two free video excerpts about the dots, lines, and squiggles of punctuation, and also give you a chance to win a lifetime subscription to our beloved punctuation course.

Punctuation can often seem intimidating. Everywhere we look, there appear to be different and contradictory rules about how we're supposed to use all these dots, lines, and squiggles in our writing.

But as Marie explains in the Basic Cozy Punctuation Course, punctuation is simply a tool to clarify meaning and prevent misunderstanding.

Take a peek at this month's first free excerpt from the introduction to the course. After you've watched it, I'll tell you how you can enter to win a free lifetime subscription to our basic punctuation course.

One of the many things I admire about Marie is how she takes a complicated subject like punctuation and boils it down to its essence. That's what makes her such a beloved teacher to students around the world.

Punctuation and Creativity

I particularly appreciate the connection that Marie makes between punctuation and the way we talk out loud.

Here's an example from one of my favorite poets, Hayden Carruth, where he uses a few simple punctuation marks, just two commas, a period, and a question mark, to convey the sound of a person's voice. This little poem comes from his Clay Hill Anthology:

There, that blue patch, how
it hides in the scrambling clouds.
Can it be the sky?

Isn't that marvelous?

Punctuation and Writing that Flows

As part of the second edition of Basic Cozy Punctuation Course, Marie wanted me to speak about how punctuation connects directly to writing and speaking with proficiency and ease.

In our second free excerpt this month, I talk about how punctuation can make writing come alive.

Take a peek and then I'll explain about our drawing this month.

Win a Lifetime Subscription to Basic Punctuation!

Marie loved the holidays and loved the giving of gifts. So to celebrate the New Year, we wanted to offer you a chance to win a free lifetime subscription to her Basic Cozy Punctuation Course.

There's no cost to enter, and you can even enter several times by sharing the drawing with friends.

The deadline for entries is midnight PST, January 31, 2020. We'll notify the winner on February 1st.

Win a lifetime subscription to The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course

If you have any questions about the drawing or Cozy Grammar more generally, please feel free to contact us.

We'll do our best to get back to you right away!

Thank You!

Thank you for joining us this month, and all good wishes to you and your family for the New Year!

Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma

Warmly,

Thomas

Marie's Language Consultant
The Cozy Grammar Series of Courses