Punctuation marks are vital to writing in English. Here are some of the most common 14 punctuation marks used in English, along with their function and rules. They are like the traffic signals of the written language. They tell the reader when to pause when to stop, and how to continue on. There are 14 punctuation marks in English, including the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parentheses, brackets, curly braces, quotation marks, apostrophe, and ellipsis.
Understanding the 14 Punctuation Marks
1. THE PERIOD.
- a period is used to end a sentence
The full stop, period, or full point. is one of the most common punctuation marks in English that indicates the end of a sentence, paragraph, or even a whole document. For example,
To end a sentence: I have a dog. – After abbreviations: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc. – For decimal points: 14 is pi. – In lists: First, second, third, etc.
- don’t use a period to end a sentence that is a question
- don’t use a period to end a sentence that is an abbreviation
- don’t use a period to end a sentence that is a number
2. COMMA,
The comma is one of the most important punctuation marks. It is used to separate ideas or items in a list. For example, “I have a cat, a dog, and a rabbit.” Here, the comma separates the three pets that the person has. If there was no comma, it would sound like the person has all three pets together as one.
- commas are used to separate phrases
- commas are used to separate items in a list
- commas are used to separate a subject from an object
- commas are used to separate a verb from an adverb
- commas are used to separate an adjective from a noun
Some more examples of commas:
- I have a cat, but I don’t have a dog.
- John has a red, blue, black, and yellow pen.
- Ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, butter.
3. SEMICOLON;
- The semicolon is a punctuation mark that separates two independent clauses
- the clauses can be separated by a single word, such as “and,” “but,” “or”
- the clauses can also be separated by a phrase, such as “on the one hand”
A semicolon is a punctuation mark that signifies a pause in speech or writing. It is typically used to separate two clauses, phrases, or sentences.
A semicolon, also called a semi-colon, is a punctuation mark that is used to separate two complete sentences. It is typically used when a sentence is too long to fit in one line, or when the writer wants to emphasize that the two sentences are not a complete thought.
In English, the semicolon has three primary functions:
- To join two closely related independent clauses
- To separate items in a list when items contain commas
- To signal a pause that is longer than a comma but shorter than a period
When two independent clauses are closely related, they can be joined with a semicolon. This is called a semicolon join. For example, I have a big announcement to make; I’m going to be a father.
4. COLON:
- the colon is used to introduce a list or a quotation
- the colon is used to introduce a list of items
- the colon is used to introduce a quotation
- the colon is used to introduce a list of items and a quotation
The colon is a punctuation mark, used after a complete thought or independent clause, that introduces a list, quotation, table, or other material. When introducing a list, the items in the list are typically separated by commas. For example:
1. To introduce a list
The most common use for the colon is to introduce a list. For example:
- I have three siblings: two brothers and a sister.
- You will need the following items for the trip: a tent, sleeping bag, and flashlight.
5. EXCLAMATION MARK!
An exclamation mark,! is a punctuation mark that indicates a strong feeling or emphasis. An exclamation mark is the most common form of end punctuation. It is used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate a strong feeling. It is also used after a command to indicate that the command must be obeyed.
When using the exclamation mark, be careful not to overuse it, as this can make your writing seem unprofessional.
For instance,
- How clever of you!
- Wow! You have reached in time.
- indicates strong emotion
- can be used in place of an interjection
- can be used to show surprise, joy, or anger
- can be used to indicate irony
- can be used to indicate sarcasm
6. QUESTION MARK?
- question marks are used to mark questions
The question mark is used to end a direct question. It always goes at the end of the sentence, inside the quotation marks if the sentence is a quotation.
Here are some examples:
- Do you like ice cream?
- She asked, “Do you like ice cream?”
- Are you coming to the party tonight?
The main rule with question marks is that they should only be used if there is an actual question being asked. This means that if you are not sure whether something is a question or not, it is probably best not to use a question mark.
If you are asking a question in writing, it is usually best to start the sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop.
7. DASH–
- a dash is used to indicate a break in thought
- the dash is longer than a hyphen
- the dash is shorter than a colon
- the dash is used in place of a comma
- the dash is used to set off an appositive
A dash is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after an introductory element, to indicate an abrupt change in thought, or to set off a list. In writing, a dash is a punctuation mark that is similar to a hyphen. Dashes are used to create emphasis, set off lists and parenthetical statements, and indicate breaks in thought or sentence structure. There are two types of dash: em dash and en dash.
- em dash
The em dash is the longest dash and is used to set off a list of items, to introduce a phrase or clause, or to indicate missing words. The em dash is also used to indicate sudden changes in thought or to set off dialogue. To create an em dash, use two hyphens (–) with no space in between. - en dash
The en dash is shorter than the em dash and is used to connect two words or phrases. the en dash is a symbol (–). For example, (e.g., “New York-based company”). The en dash can also be used to indicate a range (e.g., “pages 45–50”)
8. HYPHEN-
A hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words or to separate the syllables of a single word. A hyphen is not used at the beginning or end of a sentence. The hyphen is also used to indicate a word break at the end of a line of text.
The most common use of the hyphen is to join two words or parts of words. For example, you might use the hyphen to join the prefix “ex-” to a word, as in the word “ex-boyfriend.” The hyphen can also be used to join two compound words, as in “mother-in-law.”
- use to show compound words
- use to show a range
- use to show a hyphenated word
- use to show a prefix or suffix
- use to show a compound adjective
- use to show a compound noun
- use to show a compound verb
9. PARENTHESES ()
- parentheses are used to enclose additional information
- parentheses are used to indicate a word or phrase that is added for explanation
Parentheses, also known as round brackets, are used to insert information that is not essential to the main text. They can be used to provide extra information, give a translation of a word or phrase, or to set off a list of items.
10. BRACKETS []
- brackets are used to enclose text that is not part of the sentence
- brackets are used to enclose a word or phrase that is not part of the sentence but is used to clarify the sentence
Brackets are used to enclose information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. This might be because the information is complex, or needs special attention.
11. CURLY BRACES {}
- curly braces are used to group statements together
- curly braces are also used to define a block of code
- curly braces are also called curly brackets
Curly braces are used in writing to enclose a set of statements or a list of items. When used in this way, they are also known as curly brackets. Curly braces are used in a variety of programming languages and other contexts, but their most common use is in mathematical or scientific notation. In mathematical notation, curly braces are used to enclose a set of equations or a list of values. For example, the set of equations x^2+y^2=z^2 and x+y=z can be written as {x^2+y^2=z^2, x+y=z}. In scientific notation, curly braces are used to denote a list of values. For example, the list
12. QUOTATION MARKS ” “
- quotation marks are used to indicate a direct quote
Quotation marks (” “) are used to enclose quoted speech or text. They can also be used to set off the titles of short works or sections of long works.
- quotation marks are used to indicate a word or phrase that is being defined
- quotation marks are used to indicate a word or phrase that is being described
- quotation marks are used to indicate a word or phrase that is being emphasized
13. APOSTROPHE ‘
- the apostrophe is used to show possession
- the apostrophe is used to show the omission of letters
- the apostrophe is used to show numbers
- the apostrophe is used to show the plural of letters
- the apostrophe is used to show the plural of numbers
Angle brackets are used to enclose text within a document. The most common use for angle brackets is to insert comments or notes within a document. Angle brackets can also be used to create hyperlinks. When creating a hyperlink, the angle brackets enclose the URL of the web page you are linking to.
14. ELLIPSES …
Ellipses are used to indicate omitted text or speech, or a trailing off of speech.
- use ellipses to indicate an unfinished thought
- use ellipses to indicate an unfinished quotation
- use ellipses to indicate a pause in speech
- use ellipses to indicate an unfinished sentence
Punctuation Marks Review
Punctuation marks are an important part of written communication. They help to clarify the meaning of a sentence and can change the tone of a message.
