Punctuation

Senior English
 Period
• A period ends a declarative sentence.

.
 Period
• The rain in Spain falls mainly on the
plain.
• Shine on, harvest moon.
• We must do our best.
 Question Mark
• A question mark ends interrogatory
sentence.
• It’s the ending one uses when one is asking
a question.

?
 Question Mark
• Who is at the door?
• When is Lonnie coming over?
.
• How soon before the class ends?
 Exclamation Point
• An exclamation point ends an exclamatory
sentence.
• It’s the ending one uses when one exclaims
with excitement, shouts with rage, or yells
for help.

!
 Exclamation Point
• It’s too hot!
• Ouch!
• It’s the best time ever!
• Look out!
 Comma
• A comma indicates the need for a pause in a
sentence.
• A comma separates words in a series.
• A comma separates two or more equal adjectives.
• A comma, used with and or but, joins two
sentences.
• A comma is used with dates and locations.

’
 Comma
• The rain, so unexpected, gushed down.
• Mom bought chicken, rice, beans, and milk.
• It was a large, hairy dog.
• She was exhausted, but she still went to school.
• On September 5, 2008, students celebrated the
comma.
• Louisville, Kentucky, is my home.
• I dream of going to Paris, France, but I’ve only
been to Paris, Kentucky.
 Colon
• A colon signals a series of words, phrases, or
clauses follows a complete sentence.
• A colon signals that a second complete sentence
explains a closely related preceding sentence.
• A colon introduces a long quotation after a
complete sentence.

:
 Colon
• On-demand writing requires three things:
concentration, knowledge of grammar and
punctuation, and practice.
• The boss came straight to the point: I won’t
tolerate workers who show up late.
• In her works, Maya Angelou described her
belief that everyone is special: “I believe
that every person is born with talent.”
 Semicolon
• A semicolon joins two independent clauses that are
very closely related.
• A semicolon separates a series of phrases or clauses
that are long or have punctuation, like commas, within
them.

;
 Semicolon
• Sure, we were waiting; there were no
tickets available.
• The school’s community outreach
committee was led by three individuals:
Erica Hunt, a full-time student; Ms. Woods,
a school administrator; and Mrs. Wilkins, a
teacher.
 Apostrophe
• An apostrophe shows possession.
• An apostrophe shows that letters were left
out when creating a contraction.

’
 Apostrophe
• Lynette’s dog was run over by a car.
• They’re not coming.
• Isn’t that a shame?
Why Is Punctuation Important?
• a woman without her man is nothing
• A woman, without her man, is
nothing.
• A woman: without her, man is
nothing.