Punctuation Marks in English

Punctuation marks are an important part of English grammar and writing.

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

What are punctuation marks?

A punctuation mark is a mark (sign) used in writing to divide texts into phrases and sentences.

Some common punctuation marks are:

• period (full stop) ( . )
• comma ( , )
• question mark ( ? )
• exclamation mark ( ! )
• colon ( : )
• semicolon ( ; )
• single quotation marks ( ' ' )
• double quotation marks ( " " )
• parentheses ( ), brackets [ ] and braces { }
• hyphen ( ‐ )
• en dash (–) 
• em dash ( — )
• ellipsis (. . . )
• apostrophe ( ' )
• slash ( / )

Some additional punctuation marks are:

• ampersand ( & )
• asterisk ( * )
• at sign ( @ )
• bullet ( • )
• degree symbol ( ° ) 
• number sign ( # )
• percent sign ( % )
• underscore symbol ( _ )
• copyright symbol ( © )
• registered trademark symbol ( ® ) 
• trademark symbol ( ™ )
• dollar sign ( $ )

English punctuation rules

Click on the individual punctuation marks for more information and examples.

To end a sentence

• period (full stop) ( . )
• question mark ( ? )
• exclamation mark ( ! )
• ellipsis (. . .)

To separate phrases or items

• comma ( , )
• semicolon ( ; )

To begin a list

• colon ( : )

To quote or indicate a title

• single quotation marks ( ' ' )
• double quotation marks ( " " )

To indicate extra information

• parentheses ( ), brackets [ ] and braces { }
• em dash ( — )

To show alternatives

• slash ( / )

Read also

Colon vs Semicolon

Comma Splices

Illustrated Worksheet on Punctuation Marks in English

Why is punctuation important?

When we speak, we can pause or emphasize certain words and phrases to help people understand what we are saying.

In our writing, we use punctuation to show pauses and emphasis. Punctuation marks help the reader understand what we mean.

A punctuation mark is a mark, or sign, used in writing to divide texts into phrases and sentences and make the meaning clear.

In this lesson, we will look at some common punctuation marks and mistakes. You will see examples of what happens if you omit or misuse some common punctuation marks.

End Punctuation

End Punctuation is the most common punctuation in the English language. You must use end punctuation at the end of every sentence to avoid confusion.

The three most common ways to end a sentence are

• period ( . )
  
  The elephant is big.
  
  
• question mark ( ? )
  
  Where is the man?
  
  
• exclamation mark ( ! )
  
  The huge elephant sat on the man!

End punctuation tells the reader where each sentence ends. It also helps the reader understand the writer's emotions about the subject. For example, an exclamation mark ( ! ) tells the reader that I am excited or yelling.

Here is a paragraph without end punctuation:


You can see that it is very difficult to read and make sense of the paragraph. Every sentence runs straight into the next sentence.

Here is the same paragraph with end punctuation:


Now, you can see questions, statements, and exclamations in the paragraph. You can see that the writer is excited about singing and enjoyed singing for the residents of the nursing home. The writer also asks if you like singing and would like to join their choir.

Incorrect uses of end punctuation

Using the wrong end punctuation can cause confusion for the reader.

Consider these three sentences:


The words of each sentence are the same, but the end punctuation greatly changes the meaning:

Commas

Commas are another very important type of punctuation. Commas tell the reader where to pause. Commas also separate phrases, ideas, and items in a list. Commas help avoid confusion.

A) Using commas in lists:

B) Commas for phrasing

Here is another funny example:

1. In the first sentence, it sounds like we are going to eat David for lunch! 

2. The comma in the second sentence shows the writer that we are actually informing David that it is time to eat.   

Quotation marks

Quotation marks are another common punctuation mark in the English language. Quotation marks are used with commas to inform the reader that someone is talking or being quoted.

Example:


Without quotation marks and commas, it would be difficult to understand what the character is saying.


Quotation marks are also very important when you are quoting words someone has already said.

Example:


Maya Angelo is a famous author and poet. When I am quoting her, I show her exact words by enclosing them in quotation marks. By using quotation marks, I am giving her credit for her words.

Apostrophes

Apostrophes are another commonly misused form of punctuation. Apostrophes are used to show ownership and missing letters in contractions.

Misplaced apostrophes can cause confusion for readers.

Example:

it's = it is
its = ownership

• Correct:
  

• Incorrect:
  

Example:

boy's = ownership
boys = more than one boy

A final note about punctuation

These were just a few examples of the importance of using punctuation in our writing.

It is important to use punctuation correctly to help the reader understand our writing.

Without punctuation, our writing would be a confusing mess!


These were examples of the importance of punctuation. Now that you know them, it is time to practice! Read and do exercises.

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