PUNCTUATIONS
What Are the Fourteen Punctuation Marks in English Grammar?
Knowing where and when to use the fourteen punctuation marks found in English grammar can greatly improve your writing skills.
What are the fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar? They are the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parentheses, brackets, braces, apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipses.
Sentence Endings
Three of the fourteen punctuation marks are appropriate for use as sentence endings. They are the period, question mark, and exclamation point.
The period (.) is placed at the end of declarative sentences, statements thought to be complete and after many abbreviations.
For example:
• As a sentence ender: Jane and Jack went to the market .
• After an abbreviation: Her Mar . birthday came and went.
Use a question mark (?) to indicate a direct question when placed at the end of a sentence. For example:When did Jane leave for the market ?
The exclamation point/mark (!) is used when a person wants to express a sudden outcry or add emphasis.
1. Within dialogue: “Holy cow!” screamed Jane.
2. To emphasize a point: My mother-in-law's rants make me furious !
Comma, Semicolon and Colon
The comma, semicolon and colon are often misused because they all can indicate a pause in a series.
The comma is used to show a separation of ideas or elements within the structure of a sentence. Additionally, it is used in letter writing after the salutation and closing.
• Separating elements within sentences: Suzi wanted the black , green , and blue shoes.
• Letter Salutations: Dear Uncle John ,
• Separation of two complete sentences: We went to the movies , and we went to the beach.
The semicolon (;) is used to connect independent clauses. It shows a closer relationship between the clauses than a period would show. For example: John was hurt ; he knew she only said it to upset him.
A colon (:) has two main uses:
T The first is after a word introducing a
Knowing where and when to use the fourteen punctuation marks found in English grammar can greatly improve your writing skills.
What are the fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar? They are the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parentheses, brackets, braces, apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipses.
Sentence Endings
Three of the fourteen punctuation marks are appropriate for use as sentence endings. They are the period, question mark, and exclamation point.
The period (.) is placed at the end of declarative sentences, statements thought to be complete and after many abbreviations.
For example:
• As a sentence ender: Jane and Jack went to the market .
• After an abbreviation: Her Mar . birthday came and went.
Use a question mark (?) to indicate a direct question when placed at the end of a sentence. For example:When did Jane leave for the market ?
The exclamation point/mark (!) is used when a person wants to express a sudden outcry or add emphasis.
1. Within dialogue: “Holy cow!” screamed Jane.
2. To emphasize a point: My mother-in-law's rants make me furious !
Comma, Semicolon and Colon
The comma, semicolon and colon are often misused because they all can indicate a pause in a series.
The comma is used to show a separation of ideas or elements within the structure of a sentence. Additionally, it is used in letter writing after the salutation and closing.
• Separating elements within sentences: Suzi wanted the black , green , and blue shoes.
• Letter Salutations: Dear Uncle John ,
• Separation of two complete sentences: We went to the movies , and we went to the beach.
The semicolon (;) is used to connect independent clauses. It shows a closer relationship between the clauses than a period would show. For example: John was hurt ; he knew she only said it to upset him.
A colon (:) has two main uses:
T The first is after a word introducing a