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Punctuation Marks

There are 14 basic punctuation marks used in English: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipsis. Each mark has specific grammatical functions, such as denoting the end of a sentence, asking a question, emphasizing emotion, pausing within a sentence, introducing a list or quote, and more. Punctuation is a key aspect of clear written communication.

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298 views16 pages

Punctuation Marks

There are 14 basic punctuation marks used in English: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipsis. Each mark has specific grammatical functions, such as denoting the end of a sentence, asking a question, emphasizing emotion, pausing within a sentence, introducing a list or quote, and more. Punctuation is a key aspect of clear written communication.

Uploaded by

Komal Saket
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Punctuation Marks

• There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in the English language.

• They are: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma,


colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses,
apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis.
Period (.)

• This one is probably the most straightforward. Also referred to as a


full stop, the period denotes the end of a sentence. A full sentence is
considered as one that is complete and declarative.

• Here’s an example of a period at the end of a sentence:

The dog ran under the fence.


• Periods are also used in abbreviations, such as in names or titles.

• Here are examples of how to use a period in abbreviations:

Dr. Smith read his patient’s chart.


Mr. H. Potter opened his front door.
Question Mark (?)

• A question mark also ends a sentence, however it ends a sentence


that is a direct question. Typically, sentences that are questions begin
with what, how, when, where, why, or who.

Here’s how to use a question mark in a sentence:


How do you like your eggs?
Why didn’t you like the movie last night?
Exclamation Point (!)
• An exclamation point or exclamation mark is also used at the end of a
sentence when that sentence expresses an intense emotion.
• The expression can be a variety of things, from excitement, disgust,
anger, joy, or anything else. Exclamation points are meant to add
emphasis to a sentence.

Here’s how to use one in a sentence:

“Look out behind you!” she yelled.


I’m so excited to go to the park tomorrow!
Comma (,)
• Commas are used to insert a pause into a sentence. The purpose of the pause can be for different
reasons, such as to separate ideas, phrases, or even alter the structure of a sentence.
• Commas have a few different uses. Commas are used for a direct address, such as:

• Joe, it was nice to see you again.

• They’re also used to separate two complete sentences:

• He went to the library, and then he went out for lunch.

• Commas can also be used to list items in a sentence:

• She went shopping and bought shoes, a dress, two shirts, and a pair of pants.
Colon (:)
• A colon has three primary uses. One way to use it is when introducing
something, such as a quote, an example, a series, or an explanation.

• She took four classes last semester: history, biology, arts, and
economics.

• A colon can also be used to link two independent clauses if the


second clause clarifies or completes the first one. For example:

They didn’t have time to waste: it was already late.


Finally, a colon can also emphasize a subject in a sentence:
I only hate one vegetable: brussel sprouts.
Semicolon (;)
• Similar to a colon, a semicolon links two independent clauses. However, in this case, the
clauses are more closely related than when you would use a colon. For example:

• I have a meeting tomorrow morning; I can’t go out tonight.

• Both clauses are independent enough to be their own sentences, but instead of using a
period, it’s possible to use a semicolon to show both clauses are connected.

• Another less common use for semicolons is within a list that uses commas. Have a look:

• Last summer we traveled to London, England; Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Athens,
Greece.
Hyphen (-)
• Not to be confused with a dash, a hyphen is used in compound words
when two or more words are connected. Here are some examples of
hyphenated words:

• Step-by-step
• Mother-in-law
• Ex-boyfriend
Apostrophe (‘)
• Apostrophes are meant to show that a letter or letters have been
omitted and also to indicate the possessive or contractions. It can also
be used to pluralize lowercase letters. Here are some examples:

I’ve been working from home for 6 months and it’s great.
Rebecca’s dog had surgery yesterday.
All that’s left to do is dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
Quotation Marks (“)
• Quotation marks are used to denote text, speech, or words spoken by
someone else. It is also used to indicate dialogue.

• “I don’t like this,” said Mark.


• She told him that she “prefers not to think about that.”
• Single quotation marks (‘ ’), not to be confused with apostrophes, are
often used for a quote within a quote.
• Jill told her mother “Jack ran up the hill and he said he was going to
‘fetch a pail of water’ before he fell.”
Dash (-)
• There are two types of dashes that vary in size and use.

• En dash: Typically shorter in length, the en dash is used to denote a range, such
as between numbers or dates. For example:

• The company was operational from 1990-2000.


• He took the Chicago-New York train last night.

• Em dash: this dash is longer, and is sometimes used instead of other punctuation
marks, like commas, colons, or parentheses. Here’s an example:
• Her answer was clear — Yes!
Brackets ([ ])
• Brackets are used to clarify something or for technical terms or
explanations. It can also be used to clarify a subject when quoting
another person or text. For example:

• She [Mrs. Smith] agrees that cats are better than dogs.
• Adam said that “[summer] is my favorite time of year.”
Braces ({ })
• It’s unlikely you’ll need to use braces very often unless you’re writing
a mathematical or technical text. However, it’s still good to know so
you don’t accidentally use them instead of brackets or parentheses.
Braces are usually used in operations, for example:

• 6{3x+[28+2]}=xy
Parentheses (( ))
• Parentheses are used to supply further details or information or as an
aside. Parentheses can often be replaced with commas and the
sentence would retain its same meaning. Here’s an example:

• Kate (who is Matt’s wife) likes to go for walks.


Ellipsis (…)
• An ellipsis is three periods used together to represent an omission of words
or letters. They are often used to jump from one sentence or phrase to
another while omitting unnecessary or obvious words. It’s also used when
quoting someone and unnecessary words are left out.

• Here are some examples:

At midnight, she began to count down: “ten, nine, eight…” and then the
ball dropped.
When Martin Luther King said “I have a dream…” he was talking about civil
rights and an end to racism.

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