Phonological rules based on "stress-terminal pattern" (the principle that a phonological phrase has one primary stress and one terminal juncture requiring a mark of punctuation) can be used to improve punctuation in composition. These rules require that the writer be able to speak sentences at a normal pace with intonation appropriate to the meaning. Thus, simple sentences normally have only one stress-terminal pattern and one mark of punctuation, and compound and complex sentences have two. However, in certain sentences (e.g., those with compound verbs) two primary stresses will occur without a terminal juncture falling between them and, thus, will require no punctuation. Three stress-terminal patterns occur, for instance, in sentences with restrictive or nonrestrictive constructions for which intonation gives the best clue to punctuation. The intonation clue can also be used for items in a series between which "fade rise terminals," rather than "level terminals," occur. Recognition of these phonological rules, together with semantic and grammatical reasons for punctuation, should allow the student to "punctuate with considerable flexibility." (JS)