PUNCTUATION

RULES
To end a sentence
Period (full stop) ( . )
Question Mark ( ? )
Exclamation mark ( ! )
Ellipsis ( . . . )
THE PERIOD, FULL STOP OR POINT
The period (known as a full stop in British
English) is probably the simplest of the
punctuation marks to use. You use it like a knife
to cut the sentences to the required length.

EXAMPLES:
Rome is the capital of Italy.
Richard wants to marry Rose.
I will arrive between 6 a.m. and 7
a.m.
 THE QUESTION MARK
Use the question mark at the end of all direct
questions or at the end of a sentence that asks a
question.
EXAMPLES:
Where is the bathroom?

Are you home?

What is your name?

 Uses of question marks
1) Use a question mark when you are trying to get
information. This type of sentence is called
aninterrogative sentence.
EXAMPLES:
Who is your teacher?
Why did you stop here?
How did you do that?
Interrogative sentences can also start with
forms of the words "do" and be
Did they go to the
party?
Does he like apples?
Do you know her
name?
2. Use a question mark at the end of a
sentence when you turn a statement into a
question to get aspecific answer.
EXAMPLES:
You promise to call me every day?
See you there at 8:00 tonight?

3. Use a question mark at the end of atag

question. Atagis a word or phrase that is
added to a sentence.
EXAMPLES:
You speak English, don't you?
The dog is brown, right?
You paid the bill, didn't you?
4. Use questions marks after each question in a
series, even if the question is not a complete
sentence.
EXAMPLE
:
Do you want to eat pizza, chicken
or hamburgers?

5. Use a question mark after a rhetorical

question.
EXAMPLES:
Who cares?
Isn't it a beautiful day?
Are you kidding me?
 THE EXCLAMATION MARK
The exclamation mark is used to express
exasperation, astonishment, or surprise, or to
emphasize a comment or short, sharp phrase. In
professional or everyday writing, exclamation
marks are used sparingly if at all.
EXAMPLES:

Help! Help!
That's unbelievable!
Get out!
Look out!
 When to use
exclamatiom mark?
1. A warning
EXAMPLE:
In a story, the main character tells his
daughter: "Watch out!"

2. A direct order
EXAMPLE:
If you read a sign on a door that says "Do
Not Enter!" the exclamation mark helps
catch your attention.
 3. Expressing strong
feelings
EXAMPLES:
Fear:"That dog is going to bite me!"
Anger:"Shut up!"
Surprise:"The bus is early today!"
Happiness:"It is good to see you
again!"
How often should an exclamation
mark be used?
Exclamation marks should not be "overused."
That means, dont use them too much.
EXAMPLE:
"It was raining. I took my umbrella to school.
The wind blew it away. I arrived at school all
wet!"
 Ellipsis
The ellipsis () is a form of punctuation used in
written English language. The ellipsis is also known
to some asdot-dot-dotbecause it consists of
three periods,
Ellipsis or dots,
is the in aform
singular row.of the word,
meaning one.
Ellipses is the plural form of the word,
meaningWhen
more than tooneuse ellipsis
ellipsis.
1. Use ellipses to shorten the quote without
changing the meaning.
EXAMPLE:
"After school I went to her house and then
came home."
2. Use an ellipsis to show apausein a thought or to
createsuspense.

EXAMPLeS
:
She opened the door . . . and saw . . . a
cake!
I was thinking . . . maybe we should call
This use of ellipses is very common in informal
home.
(friendly) letters and emails.
3. Use an ellipsis to show abreak, ortrailing
of, of a thought.
EXAMPLES
:I know I saw my keys
somewhere . . .
"I'm not sure what to do . . .,"
he said.

 To separate
phrases or items
Comma( , )
Semicolon ( ; )
 THE COMMA
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.
USES OF COMMAS
1.) Using commas in lists:
EXAMPLE:
Sally likes to eat chocolate, hot dogs, and
broccoli.
2.) Commas for phrasing
It is time to eat David!
It is time to eat, David!
 THE SEMICOLON
The semicolon is somewhere between a full
stop and a comma. Semicolons can be used in
English to join phrases and sentences that are
thematically linked without having to use a
conjunction.
EXAMPLE:

I like your brother; he's a good

friend.
 Uses of the Semicolon
1.) The semicolonis used to connect, or put
together, two related or similar sentences.
EXAMPLE:
I bought a new bike; the tire is flat..
2.) We also use a semicolon to connect
items in a list if there are already commas in
the sentence.
EXAMPLE:
Sarah will be out of town for training on
January 2, 2012; October 10, 2012; and
January 15, 2013.
 To begin
a list

Colon( : )
 Colon
The colon is one of the easiest form of
punctuation in the English language because
it basically does one thing.
A colon is made of two equal dots (or
periods). One dot sits on top of the other with
a small space between ( : ) .
EXAMPLES:
In writing, colon punctuation is used for
one thing: to introduce.
Mary has only one thing on her mind:
work.
I havelived in a few states: Alabama,
Kansas, Colorado and California.
 To quote
or
indicate a title

Single & Double

quotation mark( ' ' )
 QUOTATION MARKS
Use quotation marks to cite something
someone said exactly. When rephrasing what
someone told you, no quotation marks are
needed.
EXAMPLES:

"I'm going to the store now," she said.

Harry told me, "Don't forget your

soccer jersey.

Harry told me not to forget my soccer

jersey.
 Single quotation mark( ' ' )
In the English language, we mainly use
single quotation marks ( ' ' ) when a quotation
or a title is placed inside of another quotation.

Uses of Single Quotation

1. Use single quotation marks for a quotation
or title (article, story, or poem) within a
quotation.
EXAMPLE:

' "The Red Balloon" is my favorite story',

my father said.
2. Use quotation marks to highlight words or
phrases that are not being used for their exact
meaning.
EXAMPLE:
My brother shared his 'wisdom' with me.

3. We use quotation marks to show that a

letter is being used as a letter or a word is
used as a word.
EXAMPLE:

What is the definition of 'quotations'?

To indicate extra
information

Parentheses( )
Brackets [ ]
 Parentheses( )
We use parentheses to enclose information
that can be left out. The information in the
parentheses isnot essentialto the meaning
of the original sentence. it is given as
additional, or extra, information.
EXAMPLES:

Sam (the boy from the school) helped

me with my homework.

The pig ate the ice-cream cone. (His

favorite flavor was chocolate.)
 Brackets [ ]

Brackets are placed aroundextra information in

a text, especially comments made by an editor. In
other words, they are typically used for editorial
comments, corrections, and clarifications.

EXAMPLES:

She drove 60 on the highway to town.

She drove 60[miles per hour]on the

highway to town.
 To show
alternatives

Slash ( / )
 Slash ( / )
The slash can also be called avirgule,forward
slash,slant,oblique dash ordiagonal.

Uses of Slash punctuation

1. Use slashes to separate parts of internet
(web) addresses and file names for some
computer programs.
EXAMPLES:
http://www.really-learn-
english.com/esl-ebooks.html
C:/Program Files/Windows
E:/Word Files/articles/fish
2. Use slashes for fractions

EXAMPLES:
2/3 = two-thirds
1/2 = one-half
7/8 = seven-eighths

3. Use a slash to separate the day, month, and

year in dates
EXAMPLES:

11/16/12 (November 16, 2012)

3/17/1981 (March 17, 1981)
10/05 (October 5)
4. Use a slash for some abbreviations
EXAMPLES:
w/o = without
R/C = radio control

5. Use a slash to show the word "or"

EXAMPLES:
Each child will takehis/herscience project
home tonight.
Each child will takehis or herscience
project home tonight.
Pleaseproofread/rewritethe story before
tomorrow.
Pleaseproofread or rewritethe story
before tomorrow.
6. Use a slash to show the word "per" in
measurements
EXAMPLES:
$3.87/gallon = Three dollars and eighty-seven
cents per gallon
150 lbs/day = 150 pounds a day or 150 pounds
per day
80 miles/hour = 80 miles per hour
7. Use a slash to separate lines of poetry or
rhymes in regular text

EXAMPLE: Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.