There are a lot of punctuation marks in English, and they all have different purposes. In this blog post, we will discuss the functions of the most common punctuation marks. We will also provide examples to help you understand how to use them correctly. Let’s get started!
Definition of Punctuation Marks
Punctuation marks are used to clarify meaning in writing. They are used at the end of a sentence, to separate items in a list, and within certain phrases. Punctuation marks include periods, question marks, commas, semicolons, exclamation points, and more.
Examples
- He is my friend.
- They will come to me tomorrow, right now you should focus on your work.
- Are you free today?
In the above sentences; question mark(?), full stop(.), and comma(,) are examples of punctuation marks.
14 Punctuation Marks in English
Here are punctuation marks in detail:
1) Period (.)
A period is used to mark the end of a sentence.
For example: “I am happy.”
It can be placed at the end of abbreviations, For example: ‘Dr.’ or ‘Prof.’.
However, there are cases where you cannot use it with abbreviations, for example, you cannot use it with the abbreviation ‘Mr.’ Section headings are usually followed by one or two periods.
When to Use a Period
- a) At the end of a sentence.
- b) After abbreviations (Dr., Prof.)
- c) To separate the elements of an address on an envelope.
2) Question Mark (?)
A question mark is used to indicate a direct or an indirect question.
For example: “What are you doing?”
In the above sentence, “what” is being asked directly whereas “are you doing” is being asked indirectly.
When it follows a part of a sentence that is a question, you only need to use one question mark.
For example:
- “Did she call?”
However, when it follows the whole sentence that is a question, you will need to add another question mark.
For example: “Are you going on holiday this year?”
When to Use a Question Mark
- a) At the end of a sentence that is a question.
- b) After “do” or “does” when it’s being used as auxiliary verbs.
3) Exclamation Mark (!)
An exclamation mark is mostly used to express strong feelings, for example, shock, surprise, annoyance, etc. It can be used at the end of an entire sentence to express strong feelings.
For example: “You cannot do that!”
An exclamation mark can also be used to exclaim a command or an order, for example:
- “Don’t walk on the grass!”
When to Use an Exclamation Mark
- a) At the end of a sentence to express strong feelings.
- b) After the word ‘help’. For example: “Help!”
- c) At the end of a question that does not require a yes or no answer,
For example: “You want to go out tonight?”
4) Colon (:)
A colon is mostly used before a list of items. It can also be used before an explanation of the previous statement.
For example: “I like to walk: it makes me feel alive.”
When to Use a Colon
- a) Before a list of items.
- b) In between two sentences when you want to explain the first sentence.
5) Semicolon (;)
A semicolon is mostly used to combine two separate sentences.
For example: “I wanted to go home; he wanted to go out.”
However, you can also use it when you want to show a stronger connection between the two sentences,
For example:
- “I wanted to go home; however, he didn’t want me to go.”
When to Use a Semicolon
- a) To combine two separate sentences.
- b) To show a stronger connection between the two sentences.
6) Dash (–)
A dash is used when you want to add emphasis to your quote, for example:
- “I can do this– I can do anything!”
It is also used when you want to add an explanation.
For example: “I didn’t have any money– so I couldn’t buy the ticket.”
When to Use a Dash
- a) To emphasize a quote.
- b) To add an explanation in between two sentences.
7) Apostrophe (‘)
An apostrophe is used to form contractions, that is when you want to omit some letters or characters. It can also be used to indicate possession.
For example: “He will not go there.”
When to Use an Apostrophe
- a) To form contractions.
For example: don’t become don’t, isn’t becomes isn’t, etc.
- b) To indicate possession.
For example: Maria’s book.
8) Hyphen (-)
A hyphen is used to divide words into syllables, for example: Let-ter. It is also used between the root of a word and its adjective form.
For example: ‘sun-burnt’.
When to Use a Hyphen
- a) To divide words into syllables.
For example: Let-ter.
- b) Between the root of a word and its adjective form.
For example: sun-burnt.
9) Dash (–)
A dash is used when you want to add emphasis to your quote.
For example: “I can do this– I can do anything!”
It is also used when you want to add an explanation.
For example: “I didn’t have any money– so I couldn’t buy the ticket.”
When to Use a Dash
- a) To emphasize a quote.
- b) To add an explanation in between two sentences.
10) Square Brackets []
Square brackets are used when you want to make changes to a quote.
For example: “I can do this [eat spaghetti].”
When to Use Square Brackets
- a) To make changes to a quote.
For example: “I can do this [eat spaghetti].”
11) Curly Brackets {}
Curly brackets are used when you want to enclose comments within a quote.
For example: “He said, {I can fix this}.”
When to Use Curly Brackets
- a) To enclose comments within the body of a sentence that is part of a quote.
12) Parentheses (())
Parentheses are used to enclose extra information that is not essential within a sentence.
For example: “I cannot go out tonight (it is already late).”
When to Use Parentheses
- a) To enclose extra information about a noun or pronoun, which is not essential for the meaning of the sentence.
13) Ellipsis …
Ellipsis is used to indicate that something has been omitted, like when you omit the word ‘the’ at the beginning of a sentence.
For example: “I don’t like milk (…but I do like cheese).”
When to Use Ellipsis
- a) To indicate something which has been left out.
For example: “I don’t like milk (…but I do like cheese).”
- b) To indicate a pause or a break in speech.
For example: “Hey, what’s going on?” … “Oh, nothing.”
14) Quotation Marks (” “)
Quotation marks are used to enclose direct speech.
For example: “I cannot go out tonight. It is already late.”
When to Use Quotation Marks
- a) To enclose direct speech or a quotation.
For example: “Can you pass me that pen?” said John.
- b) To indicate irony.
For example: “Don’t be so negative!”
Infographics (Punctuation Marks)
