Hey there! Today I want to talk about how to correctly punctuate “etc.” Let’s get started!
The biggest offense I see with “etc.” punctuation is forgetting that there needs to be both a period and a comma. It will look like this.
Bedding, linens, etc., can be found in the closet.
Here are some additional rules.
When a question mark is needed, it will go after the period in “etc.” It will look like this.
Where can I find the sugar, flour, etc.?
When an exclamation point is needed, it will go right after the period in “etc.” It will look like this.
I’m desperately seeking food, water, shelter, etc.!
When a semicolon is needed, it will go right after the period in “etc.” There should also be a space between it and the next word. It will look like this.
Today we fixed the washer, dryer, stove, etc.; all the appliances seemed to break at the same time.
Lastly, when parentheses are needed, put them around the items you are using along with “etc.” It will look like this.
Italian food is my absolute favorite (pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, etc.)
That’s all for today. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it informative. Check back soon for another. Thanks for reading!