FULL STOPS

A full stop, also known as a period, is chiefly used to end a sentence. It is mostly
used at the end of declarative sentences and imperative sentences. A full stop marks
a longer pause than a comma and a semicolon. Furthermore, it marks the end of a
thought and the beginning of another.

Using a Full Stop at the End of a Declarative/Assertive Sentence

 Today is the last working day for us.

Using a Full Stop at the End of an Imperative Sentence

 Please send the materials as soon as possible.

Using a Full Stop after Abbreviations or Short Forms

 I had to buy pencils, pens, erasers, notebooks, etc.

Using a Full Stop after Initials

 M. Kumaran is the manager.

Using a Full Stop at the End of an Indirect Question

 The teacher asked us if we were ready for the theoretical geometry test.

COMMAS
While a period ends a sentence, a comma indicates a smaller break. Some writers
think of a comma as a soft pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses,
or ideas within a sentence.

 Commas with lists

Incorrect Julie loves ice cream books and kittens.

Correct Julie loves ice cream, books, and kittens.

Correct Julie loves ice cream, books and kittens

 When you want to join two independent clauses, you need a conjunction or
a semicolon; a comma alone isn’t strong enough to join them.

Incorrect We were out of milk, I went to the store.

Correct We were out of milk, so I went to the store.

Correct We were out of milk; I went to the store.

 Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction but if it is joining two

independent clauses:

Incorrect Cleo is a good singer but she’s an even better dancer.

Correct Cleo is a good singer, but she’s an even better dancer.

 If but is not joining two independent clauses, leave the comma out.

Incorrect Life is, but a dream.

Correct Life is but a dream.

 When joining two independent clauses with and as a coordinating

conjunction—put the comma before and.

 When you have a list that contains only two items, don’t use a comma before

the and.

Incorrect My dog Charlie is cute, and smart.

Correct My dog Charlie is cute and smart.

 A clause that is non-restrictive offers extra information about something you

have mentioned in a sentence, but that information isn’t essential for

identifying the thing you’re talking about. Non-restrictive clauses are usually

introduced by which or who and should be set off by commas.

Eg: Posey’s Cafe, which Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

The clause “which Chester recommended” is non-restrictive because “Posey’s Cafe”

is already specific. Identifying it as the restaurant recommended by Chester doesn’t

narrow it down any further.

  A clause that is restrictive adds information that is necessary in order to

identify whatever it is referring to. Restrictive clauses are often introduced

by that or who and should never be set off by commas.

Incorrect The cafe, that Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

Correct The cafe that Chester recommended is a fantastic restaurant.

The clause “that Chester recommended” is essential information in the sentence

above. If you removed it, there would be no way to tell which restaurant you were

talking about.

 A comma normally follows a participial phrase that introduces a sentence:

Grabbing her umbrella, Kate raced out of the house.

Confused by her sister’s sudden change in mood, Jill stayed quiet.

 When an adverbial phrase begins a sentence, it’s often followed by a comma,

but it doesn’t have to be, especially if it’s short. As a rule of thumb, if the
phrase is longer than about four words, use a comma. You can also use a

comma after a shorter phrase when you want to emphasize it or add a pause

for literary effect.

After the show, Cleo will be signing autographs.

 Interrupters are little thoughts that pop up in the middle of a sentence to

show emotion, tone, or emphasis. A parenthetical element is a phrase that
adds extra information to the sentence but could be removed without
changing the meaning of the sentence. Both interrupters and parenthetical
elements should be set off with commas.
Incorrect The weather I was happy to see was beginning to clear.

Correct The weather, I was happy to see, was beginning to clear.

Incorrect

Geoff’s cooking skills if you can call them skills left something to be desired.

Correct

Geoff’s cooking skills, if you can call them skills, left something to be desired.

 Commas between direct quotes and attributive tags

Eg : The professor remarked, “How attentive you have been today!”

Ellipsis

The ellipsis (…) is a type of punctuation that represents a pause or that something

has been intentionally left out.

In writing, ellipses are used to show the reader that words have been removed,

typically from direct quotes. More often than not, this is done to cut out parts of the

quote that aren’t relevant to the topic or to make the quote more compact.

For example, if you want to include what a speaker said at the beginning and the

end of a quote, but there’s a part in the middle that’s unnecessary, you can remove

that middle part and replace it with an ellipsis.

Pause for dramatic effect or suspense

An ellipsis can also be used to depict a small pause or silence in text, which is ideal

for a dramatic effect. Often, the ellipsis comes before an anticipated part, like the

punchline of a joke. The idea is to build suspense before a big reveal.

With sweaty palms, I reached out for the knob and threw the door open to reveal . . . a lost

puppy.

Trailing off into silence

In speech, we sometimes leave sentences unfinished for a variety of reasons. Maybe

we forgot what we wanted to say, or maybe our listeners already know what we’ll

say, so we don’t need to say it.

In writing, this occurrence is represented by an ellipsis. When an ellipsis comes at

the end of a sentence or quote, it means that the speaker has trailed off before

finishing.

Would you like sugar for your coffee, or . . .

To suggest there’s more

When an ellipsis comes at the end of a complete sentence, it’s usually a dramatic

device to insinuate that there’s more to come. One of the most common examples is

the phrase to be continued . . ., where the ellipsis hints that there’s more to the story.

This can be a great storytelling tool in the right spot. It essentially challenges the

reader to imagine what will happen next, heightening their anticipation and

engaging them more deeply. It works best for cliffhangers and other endings, but be

sure to use it sparingly so you don’t waste its effect.

And then only two remained . . .