punctuation marks

PunctuationTo improve command on your grammar and style…

Period (.)

The period is used in the ending of the sentences .

For example : My name is yesh.A period is used at the end of the imperative

sentence. For example: She said, “help me”.

Examples of “PERIOD”.

To indicate the end of a declarative sentence Example: Here is the place. To indicate that letters are used as

abbreviations Example: Dr. Carle D. Reynolds To indicate decimal fractions Example: 16.34

Question mark (?)

A question mark follows an interrogative word, phrases, or sentences. This is a mark always used to indicate a question .

For example: Have you done your homework?

“what time is it?” he asked.

Examples of question marks

Will you go with me? with Joe? with anyone? I wonder: Would he go with me? "Will you still be my friend?" she asked.

Comma (,)

A comma is used to introduce a short quotation , small sentences, or proverb.

For example: Helen said, “It’s a lovely day”. The saying is , “Times waits for no man”.

Example of “comma”.

This is the street, but I don’t know the number of the house.

My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew.

He is a strong, healthy man.

Colon(:)

A colon is a formal mark of punctuation . It has two functions only: to introduce and to separate . A colon is used to call attention to a formal quotation .

For example: Franklin said: “we have nothing to fear but fear itself”.

Examples of “COLON”.

He laid down three rules: no smoking, no idle talk, and no sleeping.

A rainbow consists of the following colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

I want the following items: butter, sugar, and flour.

Semicolon (;)

A semicolon is used to separate the main clause of the sentence when the clauses are joined by coordinating conjunction but when one or more contains commas.

For example: If you have charm , you don’t need to have

anything else; and if you don’t have it, it doesn’t matter what else you have.

Examples of “semicolon”.

To separate independent statements that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so).

Example: Black is a mixture of all colors; white is the complete opposite.

Brackets ([])

Brackets enclose statements that are independent of the rest of the sentences . Brackets are used to enclose an explanatory comment in quoted materials.

For example: She [Gertrude Stein] used to counsel Heming way at great length.

Example of “Brackets”.

To set off material inserted in a direct quotation .

Example: Audubon reports that “if there are not enough young to balance deaths, the end of the species [California condor] is inevitable.”

Apostrophe (‘)

The apostrophe mark is essentially a spelling device used to indicate the possessive case of nouns. It is used to denote the omission of one or more letters or figures.

For example: Don’t ,doesn’t, o’ clock. The class of ’63.

Example of “apostrophe”.

To show possession (if the word does not end in s, add an apostrophe and an s).

Example: The doctor’s advice, the housewife’s choice, man’s clothing, Martin’s house

Hyphen (-)

The hyphen both connects and separates words . As a connector, it joins compound words. The hyphen , is used to break up telephone numbers and account numbers.

For example: 7777-55555 0045-6589-37549

Examples of “hyphen”.

o To join two or more words serving as a single adjective before a noun.

Example: a one-way street, chocolate-covered peanuts

o Use a hyphen with compound numbers. Example: forty-six, sixty-three Our much-

loved teacher was sixty-three years old.

Slash (/)

Slash is used to indicate that any of the terms so joined may be used in the sentence without altering the meaning.

For example: A thing of beauty is a joy forever;/Its loveliness increases ; it will never / Pass into nothingness; but still will keep.

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