In the following description, brackets enclose each separator.
Anywhere a space is used as a separator, or as part of a separator,
more than one space may be used.
- A space [␢]
- A space can immediately
precede or follow any separator except:
- The opening pseudo-text delimiter (where the preceding space is
required).
- Within quotation marks (or apostrophes if the APOST option is
in effect). Spaces between quotation marks are considered part of
the nonnumeric literal; they are not considered separators.
- Period [.␢], Comma [,␢], Semicolon [;␢]
- A separator period, comma,
or semicolon is composed of a period, comma, or semicolon followed
by a space. The separator period must be used only to indicate the
end of a sentence, or as shown in formats. The separator comma and
separator semicolon may be used anywhere the separator space is used.
- In the Identification Division, separator commas and separator
semicolons can be used in the comment-entries. Each paragraph must
end with a separator period.
- In the Environment Division, separator commas or separator
semicolons may separate clauses and operands within clauses. The SOURCE-COMPUTER,
OBJECT-COMPUTER, SPECIAL-NAMES, and I-O-CONTROL paragraphs must each
end with a separator period. In the FILE-CONTROL paragraph, each
File-Control entry must end with a separator period.
- In the Data Division, separator commas or separator semicolons
may separate clauses and operands within clauses. File (FD), Sort/Merge
file (SD), and data description entries must each end with a separator
period.
- In the Procedure Division, separator commas or separator
semicolons may separate statements within a sentence, and operands within a statement.
Each sentence and each procedure must end with a separator period.
- Parentheses [ ( ] . . . [ ) ]
- Except
in pseudo-text, they must appear as balanced pairs of left and right
parentheses. They delimit subscripts, a list of function arguments,
reference modification, arithmetic expressions, and conditions.
- Quotation marks [␢"] . . . ["␢]
- An
opening quotation mark must be immediately preceded by a space or
a left parenthesis. A closing quotation mark must be immediately followed
by a separator (space, comma, semicolon, period, or right parenthesis).
Quotation marks must appear as balanced pairs. They delimit nonnumeric
literals, except when the literal is continued (see Continuation Lines).
IBM Extension
Under
the *APOST compiler option, or the APOST PROCESS option, an apostrophe
can be used in place of a quotation mark.
End of IBM Extension
- Pseudo-text delimiters [␢==]… literal-2 [==␢]
- An
opening pseudo-text delimiter must be immediately preceded by a space.
A closing pseudo-text delimiter must be immediately followed by a
separator (space, comma, semicolon, or period). Pseudo-text delimiters
must appear as balanced pairs. They delimit pseudo-text. (See COPY Statement and REPLACING Phrase.)
- Colon [ : ]
- The
colon is a separator, and is required when shown in general formats.
IBM Extension
B" is a separator
when used to describe a Boolean literal. The B must immediately precede
the quotation mark.
X" is a separator when
used to describe a hexadecimal nonnumeric literal. The X must immediately
precede the quotation mark.
G" is a separator
when used to describe a DBCS literal. The G must immediately precede
the quotation mark.
N" is a separator when
used to describe a DBCS literal, or a national literal when NATIONALPICNLIT
PROCESS option is in effect. The N must immediately precede the quotation
mark. 
NX" is
a separator when used to describe a national hexadecimal literal.
The NX must immediately precede the quotation mark.
Z" is a separator when used to describe a null-terminated
nonnumeric literal. The Z must immediately precede the quotation mark.
End of IBM Extension
Note: Any punctuation character included in a PICTURE character-string,
a comment character-string, or a nonnumeric literal is not considered
as a punctuation character, but rather as part of the character-string
or literal.