February 26th, 2010
How Do You Punctuate Bacon?
A piece of chocolate-covered bacon may … have been the greatest thing I’ve ever tasted.
Still, as both a fan of all things meat and a restaurateur, I have to speak truth to power: The bacon craze has gone too far…. Bacon coffee, bacon cereal, bacon ice cream — America, cut it out!
— Tim Love, “Stop the Bacon Insanity!”
Daily Beast, February 23, 2010
There’s the punctuation of Standard Written English, and then there’s nonstandard punctuation that signals an informal, conversational tone. The informal commas in the last sentence bend the standard rules.
Lighthearted journalism is one context. But in business writing, nonstandard punctuation can lower your credibility.
Adding the word and to the quotation’s last sentence would keep it informal, but make it impeccably standard: “Bacon coffee, bacon cereal, and bacon ice cream — America, cut it out!”
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For more guidelines on how to use punctuation correctly and confidently, and on when to write with a formal or informal tone, see our updated book Professional Writing Skills: A Write It Well Guide, which will ship on March 5th!
Tags: bacon, coffee, comma, Daily Beast, formal, ice cream, informal, punctuation, tone