Fix Punctuation on Mac: Semicolons, Apostrophes, Dashes and More with WunderType

Why You Need a Tool to Fix Punctuation Beyond Commas

Most writers know commas matter, but punctuation errors go far beyond the comma. Misused semicolons, straight apostrophes where curly ones belong, hyphens standing in for em dashes, and quotation marks facing the wrong direction — these mistakes quietly erode the professionalism of your writing. If you have ever searched for a way to fix punctuation in a legal brief, business proposal, or client email, you know the problem: most free punctuation checkers focus almost entirely on commas and periods.

WunderType is a macOS menu bar app that uses AI to correct text system-wide. Its Custom Prompts feature lets you create a dedicated punctuation-fixing action that handles every mark in your toolkit — semicolons, colons, apostrophes, dashes, quotation marks, and more — all triggered by a single keyboard shortcut.

How the Legal Clause Polish Prompt Works to Fix Punctuation

WunderType's power lies in Custom Prompts: user-defined AI text actions, each with its own instruction set and keyboard shortcut. To build a comprehensive punctuation fixer, create a Custom Prompt called Legal Clause Polish and give it an instruction like:

Review the text for all punctuation errors. Fix misused semicolons and colons, replace straight apostrophes and quotation marks with their typographically correct curly equivalents, convert hyphens used as em dashes to proper em dashes, correct possessive apostrophes, and ensure consistent punctuation throughout. Preserve the original meaning, tone, and legal terminology.

Assign it a shortcut — say ⌥⇧⌘P — and you are ready.

Before and After: Real Punctuation Errors Fixed

Here is a realistic example from a contract clause riddled with punctuation issues that a comma-only checker would miss entirely:

Before:

The licensee agrees to the following conditions; (a) all intellectual property remains the licensor's - not the licensees - exclusive asset, (b) sublicensing is prohibited without prior written consent: and (c) the term "confidential information" includes but is not limited to trade secrets, client lists and proprietary data. The parties acknowledge that "reasonable efforts" -- as defined in Section 4.2 -- shall govern the licensees obligations hereunder.

This passage contains several punctuation problems beyond commas: a semicolon used where a colon belongs, hyphens instead of em dashes, a colon where a semicolon should appear, straight quotation marks, a missing possessive apostrophe on "licensee's," and inconsistent dash styles.

Select the text, press ⌥⇧⌘P, and WunderType returns:

After:

The licensee agrees to the following conditions: (a) all intellectual property remains the licensor’s — not the licensee’s — exclusive asset, (b) sublicensing is prohibited without prior written consent; and (c) the term “confidential information” includes but is not limited to trade secrets, client lists, and proprietary data. The parties acknowledge that “reasonable efforts” — as defined in Section 4.2 — shall govern the licensee’s obligations hereunder.

Every punctuation error is resolved. The semicolon-colon swap is corrected, hyphens become proper em dashes, straight quotes become curly quotes, and the missing possessive apostrophes are restored.

Punctuation Errors WunderType Catches That Others Miss

A well-crafted Legal Clause Polish prompt handles the full spectrum of punctuation, not just commas:

• Semicolons vs. colons — A semicolon joins related independent clauses; a colon introduces a list or explanation. Mixing them up is common in legal and business writing.
• Apostrophe errors — Missing possessives ("the companys policy" instead of "the company’s policy"), confused it’s/its, and straight apostrophes where curly ones belong.
• Dash confusion — Hyphens (-), en dashes (–), and em dashes (—) each have distinct roles. A hyphen is not an em dash, yet most writers use them interchangeably.
• Quotation mark direction — Straight quotes (") should be curly (“”) in polished writing. Many text editors default to straight quotes, creating an unprofessional look.
• Colon capitalisation — Whether to capitalise after a colon depends on your style guide. A good prompt enforces consistency.

How This Differs from a Comma Checker

If you already use a comma checker, you might wonder why you need a separate punctuation prompt. The answer is scope. A comma checker focuses on comma splices, Oxford commas, and commas after introductory phrases. It does not touch semicolons, colons, dashes, or quotation marks.

The Legal Clause Polish prompt covers the entire punctuation system. It is particularly valuable for legal writing, academic papers, and formal business documents where every mark carries meaning. A misplaced semicolon in a contract clause can change the legal interpretation of a sentence.

Why Not Use a Free Punctuation Checker Online?

Free online tools like Google’s punctuation checker or browser-based fixers work for casual writing, but they have limitations:

• Privacy risk — Pasting legal contracts or confidential documents into a web tool sends your text to external servers.
• Context switching — Copy from your app, paste into a browser, review, copy back. That breaks your workflow.
• Limited scope — Most free tools catch commas and periods but ignore dash styles, quote direction, and semicolon-colon distinctions.

WunderType solves all three problems:

• Works in place — Select text in any app, press a shortcut, get corrected text. No tab switching.
• Privacy options — Run local AI models through Ollama so your text never leaves your Mac.
• Full punctuation coverage — Your Custom Prompt instruction determines what gets fixed. You control the scope.

Set Up Legal Clause Polish in 30 Seconds

1. Open WunderType from your menu bar and go to Custom Prompts.
2. Click the + button to add a new prompt.
3. Name it Legal Clause Polish and write your punctuation-fixing instruction.
4. Assign a keyboard shortcut like ⌥⇧⌘P.
5. Start writing. Select any text and press your shortcut to fix punctuation instantly.

You can create as many Custom Prompts as you need — one for commas, one for full punctuation, one for legal style, or anything else your writing demands.

Ready to fix punctuation beyond commas? Download WunderType from the Mac App Store and build your perfect punctuation fixer today.