An English professor wrote the following words on the chalkboard and asked the students to punctuate it correctly:
“A woman without her man is nothing.”
The men in the class wrote: “A woman, without her man, is nothing.”
The women in the class wrote: “A woman: without her, man is nothing.”
How likely is it that the professor was a man, especially given the use of the word, chalkboard in describing the exercise? Is that relevant and would this be a 21st century student reaction? What we do know is that, indeed, punctuation makes a difference and underscores the importance of editing all communications, regardless of gender. ©MWeisner2014