Punctuation

Punctuations (speech mark) are set of symbols or marks that clarify meaning in a text.
There are very many punctuation marks which include; Periods, commas, colons,
Apostrophes, question, exclamation, quotation marks, Hyphens, dashes, brackets,
slashes, and Semicolons.

I. Period/Full stop (.)

Periods are used at the end of sentences, and are probably the most common form of
punctuation that your students will need to use.

Examples

1. I love rice.

2. Give me some money.

3. I’m tired of your lie.

They can also be placed at the end of abbreviations, which are used to shorten the
names of people, places, common objects and scientific terms.

Examples

1. Mr.
2. Mrs.
3. Ph.D.
4. M.D.
5. Dr.

II. Ellipsis (…)

One thing to note here is that when an ellipsis is used instead of the removed words,
the sentence must still retain its original meaning. In ellipsis they place three dots
meaning the sentences is incomplete (some words are left out.)

Examples

1. I called her…only to realized that she went to town

2. Tit for…
3. Where there is will there is… so I had to keep working harder.
4. She knocked on the door and waited for a moment but nobody was home.

III. Commas (,)

Commas are generally used as a break within a sentence. They indicate that the reader
needs to take a breath or a pause before continuing their reading, and greatly affect the
tone and flow of a piece of writing.
 Examples

1. Although he enjoyed the movie, he didn’t want to watch it again.

2. She told me to come on Tuesday, but I had some other things to do.
3. Please, tell me if you have forgiven me.

They are also used to separate lists of items in a sentence. See the examples below:

Examples

1. I like rice, eggs, chicken, and ham.

2. Tomorrow you bring pen, calculator, and eraser.
3. The subjects that we study are math, physic, geography, chemistry, sociology and English.

IV. Colon (:)

Colons are used to add additional information to a sentence, or to introduce a quote, for
Examples:

1. They told her to wait: they never wanted to attend to her.

2. She was too late to see the movie: her car had broken down.

3. To renew your passport you’ll need: 2 photographs, your old passport, and a self-addressed
envelope.

4. On my birthday you bring for me: bible, new car and cap.

Semi-colon (;)

Semi-colon are used to connect two independent clauses which are closely related to
each other, for example:

1. Go out; I want to be alone.

2. Tell mummy to call; I have something to tell her.
3. I can’t go out tonight; I have to babysit my brother.

V. Apostrophe (’)

Apostrophes are used in contracted words where they stand in place of removed letters.

Examples

1. I’ve I have
2. Don’t do not
2. Shouldn’t should not

Sometimes it is used to indicate that letter(s) in a word is left out.it is mostly common
with words ending with ---ing where in most cases the ‘g’ is neglected

Examples
 1. Fallin’ falling
2. Dropin’ dropping

It can be added on to the end of words with an ‘s’ to indicate possession. Remember
that if the word is in plural, mostly the apostrophe is place after ‘s’ and also with words
ending with ‘s’

Examples

1. It’s hot today.

2. The dog’s bed.
3. Girls’ choice.
4. Students’ book.
5. Children’s class.

VI. Question mark (?)

Question marks are used at the end of a sentence and indicate that the phrase is a
question and requires an answer.

Examples

1. Where do you live?

2. How long will it take for the plane to arrive?
3. Do you like carrots?
4. How old are you?

Question marks are not only used in asking questions but also in pausing questions that
doesn’t require an answer to be given (rhetorical questions.) this kind of question evoke
someone to ponder on an idea.

Examples

1. Don’t you know your name?

2. Does it need your parents to tell you that you are a girl?
3. Do you want the bell to be rang for you to know that you need to marry?

VIII. Exclamation mark (!)

Exclamation marks also go at the end of sentences to indicate heightened emotions,

typically anger, surprise or other types of emphasis.

Examples

1. Oh!
2. Oh my God!
3. I hate you!
4. I love it!
5. Beautiful!

IX. Quotation marks (‘‘… ’’)

Quotation mark/ inverted comas are used in many different ways as given below;

i). To show the direct/exact words spoken by someone. These exact words are place
inside the quotation marks

Examples

1. Jimmy said, ‘‘I need to apply for a new job.’’

2. When I reached the room, my mum said, ‘’Pack your things, we are running out of time.’’

ii). Quotation marks are also use to indicate that a word/ phrase has a different/
hidden meaning

Examples

1. There is a ‘’new signing’’ in our class.

2. Those ‘’pigs’’ are grabbing land from poor people.

iii). Quotation marks are also used to indicate that a text is taken from different
source: this can be a novel, newspapers, textbook etc.

Examples

1. 1st john 3:4 says, ‘’whosoever committed sin also transgressed against the law: for sin is
transgression of the law.’’
2. ‘’Marriage is popular because it combine the maximum of temptation with the minimum of
opportunity.’’ Trevor Stammers, Sex and Intimacy (1994) Hodder and Stoughton
publisher, London.

X. Hyphen (-)

Hyphens are used to link two words to form a new word or to give a new meaning.
Hyphenated words are common in compound words

Examples

1. Long-term
2. Tight-fittings
3. Semi-circle
4. High-heel
5. Sugar-free soda

XI. Dash (_)

As for dashes, there are two different types that exist.

The en dash is primarily used to indicate a span of time between numbers or dates,
Examples

1. He was given between 10 – 16 days

2. Material is in chapters 7-9.
3. He was born on 21st -1-2011

The em dash indicates a break in speech or thought:

Examples

1. I can’t forget that day – I wish for it again.

2. The day was finally over – or so she thought.

The primary differences between hyphens and dashes are their use as well as their
appearance. Hyphens do not have spaces around them, whereas em dashes have a
space on either side of them. The size of each type of dash is also different, with the
hyphen the smallest and the em dash the largest.

Slash (/)

The forward slash is used primarily to indicate the word ‘or’ without writing it.

Examples

1. He was given onion/garlic.

2. Tell him/ask him where he placed my watch.
3. Someone had left his/her phone in the room.

Parentheses (…) /Brackets […]

These are parentheses (), and are often known as simply being ‘brackets’.
However, the term bracket actually refers to the angular kind [], and have a different
use.

Parentheses are used in a number of types of writing, can be replaced by commas in

most cases, and add additional or surplus information to a sentence. In contrast,
brackets are usually used in technical writing or to add extra information that clarifies
the situation.

Examples

1. That girl (I told you about) was kidnapped.

2. The police have arrested them [they were warned before].
3. The party (which was usually held every year) was cancelled because of the storm.
4. It was the last time their parents saw them [the missing girls].

SUMMARY ON PUNCTUATION MARKS

Punctuation Symbol Uses Examples

 Placed at the end
of a sentence. I told them to
Periods . In abbreviations wait. Tr. Mr. Mrs.
to indicate Ph.D. M.D.
shortened
forms.
She knocked on
In an ellipsis to
Ellipsis … the door… but no
show missing
one was home.
words.
I like rice, eggs,
Used to indicate
chicken, and
breaks within a
ham. Although he
sentence.
Commas , enjoyed the
Separating lists of
movie, he didn’t
items.
want to watch it
again.
Used to
indicate that
Question marks ? Do you like
the phrase is
carrots?
a question and
requires an
answer.
Used to
Exclamation marks ! indicate I hate you!
heightened
emotions.

Used to add To renew your

additional passport you’ll
Colons : information to a need: 2 passport
sentence or to photos, your old
introduce a passport, and an
quote. envelope.
I’m tired today;
Used to connect
Semicolons ; it was too hot to
two independent
sleep last night.
clauses.
Used to indicate
words that are
contracted,
standing in the
It’s hot
Apostrophes ‘ place of removed
today. The
letters, and are
dog’s bed.
also added onto
the end of words
with an ‘s’ to
indicate
possession.
Used to surround
speech in creative “What are you
Quotation marks “ ”
 writing, or to doing?” He asked.
indicate direct
quotes.
Used to link
Hyphens – words or parts of Sugar-free soda
words to give
new meanings.
En dash is
primarily used to
indicate The material is
a span of time in chapters 7-
–
between numbers 9.
Dashes –
or dates. The day was
Em dash finally over – or
indicates a break so she thought.
in speech or
thought, used for
extra emphasis.
Used primarily to Someone had left
Slashes / indicate the word his/her phone in
‘or’ without the room.
writing it.
Often used to
The party (which
add additional
was usually held
information
Parentheses () every year) was
that isn’t really
canceled because
vital for
of the storm.
the sentence to be
understandable.

Usually used in
It was the last
technical
time their parents
Brackets: [] writing or to
saw them [the
add extra
missing girls].
information
that
clarifies the
situation.

PUNCTUATION EXERCISE

1. Whoever is elected secretary of the club Ashley, or Chandra, or Aisha must be

prepared to do a great deal of work, said Jumita, the previous secretary.
2. Darwin’s On the Origin of Species 1859 caused a great controversy when it appeared.
3. Put in semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, Italics (use an underline), and
parentheses where ever they are needed in the following sentences.
4. The men in question Harold Keene, Jim Peterson, and Gerald Greene deserve awards.
5. Several countries participated in the airlift Italy, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
6. There’s no room for error, said the engineer so we have to double check every
calculation.
7. Judge Carswell later to be nominated for the Supreme Court had ruled against civil
rights.
8. In last week’s New Yorker, one of my favorite magazines, I enjoyed reading Leland’s
article How Not to Go Camping.
9. Yes, Jim said, I’ll be home by ten.
10. There was only one thing to do study till dawn.
11. Montaigne wrote the following A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.
12. The following are the primary colors red, blue, and yellow.
13. Arriving on the 8 10 plane were Liz Brooks, my old roommate her husband and Tim,
their son.