PUNCTUATION IN ENGLISH

RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS

INTRODUCTION
• Punctuation is a way of adding emphasis and cadence to our written
sentences.
• Still, many people, from native English speakers to people learning English
as a foreign language, aren’t always sure when and where to use
punctuation marks.
• In writing, we can use punctuation marks to emphasize and to clarify what
we mean.
• Meanwhile, in speaking, we can make a pause, stop, change our tone of
voice.
• That’s why in writing, we make use of punctuation marks as signals to our
readers.
PUNCTUATION MARKS IN ENGLISH

• If you want to master your writing, whether it’s for an essay or even a
bestselling novel, it’s important to understand how to use each
punctuation mark.
• So, what are the 14 punctuation marks and how should you use them?
Let’s dive into it.
14 PUNCTUATIONS MARKS
• The14 punctuation marks used in the English language are: the period,
question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen,
brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis.
• We can break down the punctuation marks into five categories, as follows:
1. Sentence endings: period, question mark, exclamation point
2. Comma, colon, and semicolon
3. Dash and hyphen
4. Brackets, braces, and parentheses
5. Apostrophe, quotation marks, 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 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: bruseel 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.
 DASH (-)
• There are two types of dashes that vary in size and use.
1. 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.

2. 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!
 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
 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.
 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.”
 ELLIPSIS (…)
• An ellipsis is three periods used together to represent an omission of
words or letters. 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.