Punctuation checker that fixes commas, apostrophes and quotes
Your text reads fine in your head, but a comma splice, a stray apostrophe in "it's" or a missing Oxford comma can change the meaning or look careless. This prompt has your todo.is agent check only the punctuation, leave your words alone, and explain the rule behind every change.
The prompt
- Check the punctuation in this text: [TEXT OR FILE]. Follow [STYLE OR VARIANT] rules. Fix only punctuation: commas (including comma splices and missing commas after introductory phrases), apostrophes (its/it's, plurals vs possessives), semicolons and colons, quotation marks and where periods go with them, hyphens vs en and em dashes, and run-on sentences. Do not change my wording. Give me: 1) the corrected text, 2) a table with the original, the fix and the rule in one line, 3) my top 3 punctuation habits to watch. Use [SERIAL COMMA] for lists. If I attached a Word file, return a corrected .docx with the changes highlighted.
What to change
- [TEXT OR FILE]: Paste the text, or attach a Word file, PDF or a photo of a printed page.
- [STYLE OR VARIANT]: e.g. "US English, Chicago style", "UK English", "AP style for a news site".
- [SERIAL COMMA]: "the Oxford comma" (a, b, and c) or "no Oxford comma" (a, b and c). Follow your school or publication.
Example result
- Corrected text (extract)
- Our team finished the pilot in March, and the results were better than expected. However, the budget ran short in week six; we covered the gap with savings from travel. The client's feedback was clear: they want the same format for all three regions.
- Changes and rules
- • "in March and the results" → "in March, and the results": comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, so) joining two full sentences.
- • "expected, however the budget" → "expected. However, the budget": comma splice. "However" cannot join two sentences with just a comma; use a period or a semicolon.
- • "the clients feedback" → "the client's feedback": one client, so apostrophe before the s.
- • "its clear" → "it's clear": it's = it is. "Its" (no apostrophe) means belonging to it.
- • "they said "maybe later"." → "they said "maybe later."": in US style, periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks. UK style puts them outside unless they belong to the quote.
- • "2019-2021" → "2019–2021": an en dash for ranges.
- • "a well known supplier" → "a well-known supplier": hyphenate compound adjectives before a noun.
- Your top 3 habits
- • Comma splices (5 times). Test: if both sides of the comma could stand alone as sentences, use a period, a semicolon or add "and/but".
- • Missing comma after an opening phrase (4 times). "In week six, we..." reads better than "In week six we..." in longer sentences.
- • Its vs it's (2 times). Read it aloud as "it is". If that works, add the apostrophe.
- Left as is
- • "Short sentences with no commas" in your headings: fine for headings.
- • Your choice of no Oxford comma: kept consistent everywhere.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your text, style and comma preference.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram with the file attached.
- Read the change table first: it shows exactly what moved and why.
- Disagree with a fix? Reply "keep my original in change 4" and you get an updated copy.
Tips for a better result
- Pick one style guide and tell the agent. US and UK rules differ on quotation marks, and AP drops the Oxford comma by default.
- Ask for punctuation only when your wording is final. Mixing it with a full rewrite hides the small fixes.
- Long sentences hide most comma errors. If a sentence has three or more commas, ask your agent whether to split it.
- Tell your agent "remember I use UK English and no Oxford comma" so every check follows the same rules.
punctuation checker: FAQ
- What is a comma splice? Two complete sentences joined only by a comma, like "It rained, we stayed in." Fix it with a period, a semicolon, or a word like "and" or "so" after the comma.
- Should I use the Oxford comma? Both are correct. Chicago and APA style use it, AP and many UK publications skip it. Pick one and use it consistently, unless leaving it out makes a list unclear.
- Do periods go inside or outside quotation marks? In US English, periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark. In UK English they go outside unless they are part of the quoted words.
- Will it change my wording? No. The prompt tells your agent to fix punctuation only. If a sentence needs rewording to make sense, it suggests it separately instead of changing it.
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