Punctuation Marks
PUNCTUATION MARKS
EXCLAMATION MARK (!)
1. Use an exclamation mark after an interjection or after an exclamatory sentence.
2. Do not overuse exclamation marks because they will introduce an almost hysterical tone.
PERIOD (.)
1. Use a period to indicate the end of a declarative or an imperative sentence.
2. Use a period or periods with a Latin abbreviation or abbreviations that appears or appear in lowercase. Do not use a period or periods with an abbreviation or abbreviations that appears or appear in uppercase.
3. Do not put another period when a sentence ends with an abbreviation that requires a period.
4. Do not use periods within abbreviated religious or academic, honorary, or professional titles or degrees.
5. Do not use periods within abbreviated units of measurements.
6. Do not use periods within initials.
QUESTION MARK (?)
1. Use a question mark to indicate the end of a direct query.
2. Do not use a question mark to indicate the end of an indirect query.
COMMA (,)
1. Use commas to set off elements in a series that consists of three or more words, phrases, or clauses. When a coordinating conjunction joins the last two elements in a series, a comma, also known as serial or series comma or Oxford comma, should appear before the conjunction to prevent ambiguity. Do not use commas when elements in a series that consists of three of more words, phrases, or clauses, are joined by the coordinating conjunction or.
2. Use commas to set off adjectives that separately limit, qualify, modify, and describe a noun.
3. Use a comma to set off an introductory phrase or clause from an independent clause.
4. Use commas to set off a non-restrictive modifier from the rest of the sentence. Do not use commas to set off a restrictive modifier from the rest of the sentence.
5. Use commas to set off abbreviated religious or academic, honorary, or professional titles or degrees.
6. Use commas to set off items in dates, ages, titles, and addresses.
7.
EXCLAMATION MARK (!)
1. Use an exclamation mark after an interjection or after an exclamatory sentence.
2. Do not overuse exclamation marks because they will introduce an almost hysterical tone.
PERIOD (.)
1. Use a period to indicate the end of a declarative or an imperative sentence.
2. Use a period or periods with a Latin abbreviation or abbreviations that appears or appear in lowercase. Do not use a period or periods with an abbreviation or abbreviations that appears or appear in uppercase.
3. Do not put another period when a sentence ends with an abbreviation that requires a period.
4. Do not use periods within abbreviated religious or academic, honorary, or professional titles or degrees.
5. Do not use periods within abbreviated units of measurements.
6. Do not use periods within initials.
QUESTION MARK (?)
1. Use a question mark to indicate the end of a direct query.
2. Do not use a question mark to indicate the end of an indirect query.
COMMA (,)
1. Use commas to set off elements in a series that consists of three or more words, phrases, or clauses. When a coordinating conjunction joins the last two elements in a series, a comma, also known as serial or series comma or Oxford comma, should appear before the conjunction to prevent ambiguity. Do not use commas when elements in a series that consists of three of more words, phrases, or clauses, are joined by the coordinating conjunction or.
2. Use commas to set off adjectives that separately limit, qualify, modify, and describe a noun.
3. Use a comma to set off an introductory phrase or clause from an independent clause.
4. Use commas to set off a non-restrictive modifier from the rest of the sentence. Do not use commas to set off a restrictive modifier from the rest of the sentence.
5. Use commas to set off abbreviated religious or academic, honorary, or professional titles or degrees.
6. Use commas to set off items in dates, ages, titles, and addresses.
7.