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PUNCTUATI
… ON
what is
punctuation?

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 WHAT IS
PUNCTUATION?
Punctuation is the use of symbols
such as full stops or periods(.),
commas(,), or question marks(?) to
divide written words into sentences
and clauses. (Punctuation is the
symbols that you use to divide
written words into sentences and
clauses).
Punctuation is defined as a set of
symbols used to separate and
clarify the meaning of sentences
and written elements. In other
words, punctuation tells readers of
your writing where to pause, what
words are quotations and which
are clarifications, where words
have been omitted, and more.
PERIOD (.)
Period (.) this one is probably
the most straightforward. Also
referred to as a full stop, the
period denotes the end of a
sentence. A full sentence is
considered as one that is
complete and declarative.
 •The dog ran under
the fence.
Here’s an example of a
period at the end of a •Periods are also
sentence: used in
abbreviations, such
as in names or titles.
 •Dr. Smith read
his patient’s
Here are examples chart.
of how to use a
period in
abbreviations: •Mr. H. Potter
opened his front
door.
QUESTION
MARK (?)
A Question Mark (?) also
ends a sentence; however, it
ends a sentence that is a
direct question. Typically,
sentences that are questions
begin with what, how, when,
where, why, or who.
 •How do you like
your eggs?
Here’s how to use a
question mark in a •Why didn’t you
sentence:
like the movie last
night?
Generally, a question mark
also denotes a shift in tone
in a sentence if it’s being
read out loud, so this is
something to take note of.
EXCLAMATI
ON POINT (!)
An exclamation points or
exclamation mark is also used at
the end of a sentence when that
sentence expresses an intense
emotion. The expression can be a
variety of things, from excitement,
disgust, anger, joy, or anything
else. Exclamation points are
meant to add emphasis to a
sentence.
 •“Look out behind
you!” she yelled.
Here’s how to use
one in a sentence: •I’m so excited to
go to the park
tomorrow!
COMMA (,)
Commas are used to insert a
pause into a sentence. The
purpose of the pause can be
for different reasons, such as
to separate ideas, phrases, or
even alter the structure of a
sentence.
 •Joe, it was nice to see
you again.
Commas have a
few different uses. •They’re also used to
Commas are used separate two complete
for a direct address, sentences:
such as:
•He went to the library,
and then he went out
for lunch.
 •She went shopping
and bought shoes, a
Commas can also
be used to list items dress, two shirts,
in a sentence: and a pair of pants.
Commas are one of the most
misused punctuation points,
and its misuse often results in
a comma splice. A comma
splice is when you join two
independent clauses with a
comma instead of a
conjunction.
 •It’s almost time for dinner,
I’m not hungry.
For example: Instead of using a comma,
the sentence should read:

•It’s almost time for dinner

and I’m not hungry.
Oxford commas are often
debated within academics and
the English language, and
using one often comes down
to preference. An Oxford
comma is when a final comma
is placed on the last item of a
list.
 •He likes to eat
fruits, cake,
For example: vegetables, and
pasta.
COLON (:)
A colon has three primary
uses. One way to use it is
when introducing something,
such as a quote, an example,
a series, or an explanation.
Example:
•She took four classes last
semester: history, biology, arts, and
economics.
A colon can also be used to
link two independent clauses if
the second clause clarifies or
completes the first one.
 •They didn’t have time
to waste: it was already
For example: late.

•Finally, a colon can

also emphasize a
subject in a sentence:
SEMICOLON
(;)
Similar to a colon, a semicolon
links two independent clauses.
However, in this case, the
clauses are more closely related
than when you would use a
colon.
 •I have a meeting
tomorrow morning; I
For example: can’t go out tonight.
Both clauses are independent
enough to be their own
sentences, but instead of
using a period, it’s possible to
use a semicolon to show both
clauses are connected.
 • Last summer we
traveled to London,
Another less
common use for England; Paris,
semicolons is within France; Rome, Italy;
a list that uses and Athens, Greece.
commas. Have a
look:
DASH (-)
There are two types of dashes
that vary in size and use.
En dash(-): Typically shorter in
length, the en dash is used to
denote a range, such as
between numbers or dates. For
example:
 •The company was
operational from
For example: 1990-2000.

•He took the Chicago-

New York train last
night.
Em dash(---): this dash is longer,
and is sometimes used instead
of other punctuation marks, like
commas,colons, or parentheses.
Here’s an example:
For example:
•Her answer was
clear — Yes!
HYPHEN (-)
Not to be confused with a dash, a
hyphen is used in compound
words when two or more words
are connected. Here are some
examples of hyphenated words:
 •Step-by-step
For example:
•Mother-in-law

•Ex-boyfriend
BRACKETS ([ ])
Brackets are used to clarify
something or for technical terms
or explanations. It can also be
used to clarify a subject when
quoting another person or text.
 •She [Mrs. Smith]
For example: agrees that cats are
better than dogs.

•Adam said that

“[summer] is my
favorite time of year.”
BRACES ({ })
It’s unlikely you’ll need to use braces
very often unless you’re writing a
mathematical or technical text.
However, it’s still good to know so you
don’t accidentally use them instead of
brackets or parentheses. Braces are
usually used in operations.
 FOR
EXAMPLE:
6{3x+[28+2]}=xy
PARENTHESES ((
))
Parentheses are used to supply
further details or information or as an
aside. Parentheses can often be
replaced with commas and the
sentence would retain its same
meaning.
 FOR
EXAMPLE: •Kate (who is
Matt’s wife) likes to
go for walks.
APOSTROPHE (‘)
Apostrophes are meant to
show that a letter or letters have
been omitted and also to indicate
the possessive or contractions. It
can also be used to pluralize
lowercase letters. Here are some
examples:
 •I’ve been working
FOR from home for 6
EXAMPLE: months and it’s great.

•Rebecca’s dog had

surgery yesterday.
QUOTATION
MARKS (“)
Quotation marks are used
to denote text, speech, or
words spoken by someone
else. It is also used to indicate
dialogue.
 •“I don’t like this,”
FOR said Mark.
EXAMPLE:
•She told him that she
“prefers not to think
about that.”
Single quotation marks (‘ ’),
not to be confused with
apostrophes, are often used
for a quote within a quote.
 Jill told her mother
FOR “Jack ran up the hill
EXAMPLE: and he said he was
going to ‘fetch a pail
of water’ before he
fell.”
ELLIPSIS

(…)
An ellipsis is three periods used
together to represent an omission of
words or letters. They are often used
to jump from one sentence or phrase
to another while omitting unnecessary
or obvious words. It’s also used when
quoting someone and unnecessary
words are left out.
 •When Martin
FOR Luther King said “I
EXAMPLE: have a dream…” he
was talking about civil
rights and an end to
racism.
 COMMON
PUNCTUATION ERRORS
AND HOW TO AVOID
THEM
Proper punctuation is vital for
content readability. Misusing
punctuation marks will make
your writing clumsy and
unpleasant to the reader. It’s
not difficult to avoid these
mistakes.
With the right tips and some
practice, you’re good to go!
This article discusses the
common punctuation errors
and highlights how you can
avoid them.
 Common Punctuation
Errors
Punctuation mistakes are
common in written language,
which is why we must pay
attention to them and make
sure we avoid them.
They are seen in nearly any
writing and range from comma
and apostrophe misuse to
interchange of punctuations.
Some of the punctuation
mistakes commonly seen in
writing are highlighted below:
1.Misuse of Apostrophes
An apostrophe is commonly
used for two reasons—one, to
form the possessive form of a
noun, e.g., a dog’s bone. And
two, to indicate a contraction,
e.g., shouldn’t, couldn’t, isn’t.
A common misuse of the
apostrophe is to pluralize
nouns.
Examples.
Incorrect: The house’s in this
estate are beautiful.
Correct: The houses in this
estate are beautiful.
Another misuse is in writing a
possessive pronoun.
Possessive pronouns, unlike
possessive nouns, do not
need an apostrophe.
Incorrect: The dog is
beautiful. It’s eyes are
charming.
Correct: The dog is beautiful.
Its eyes are charming.
2. Misuse of Comma
The comma is a commonly
misused punctuation mark. Its
absence or excessive use in
writing creates a
grammatically incorrect
sentence that is difficult to
understand.
The comma should be used in
moderation to produce an
appealing sentence. The correct
use of commas prevents
confusion and indicates
relationships between ideas and
sentence parts. Consider the
examples below:
Incorrect: I bought a pair of shoes a video
game and a guitar for my brother (absent of
comma).
Incorrect: I bought, a pair of shoes, a video
game, and, a guitar, for my brother
(excessive use of comma).
Correct: I bought a pair of shoes, a video
game, and a guitar for my brother.
3. Use of dashes and hyphens
interchangeably.
The hyphen (-) and dash (—) are
commonly used interchangeably.
A common rule is to use the
hyphen to link words that express
a single idea.
It is most frequently used to
connect two words into a
compound modifier, like part-
time, blue-eyed, and well-
behaved. On the other hand, the
dash allows you to move to a
different idea or thought.
Examples:
Correct: Daniel is a part-time
worker.
Incorrect: Daniel is a part —
time worker.
Correct: I like the ice
cream from the restaurant
— it tastes delicious. But I
prefer the chocolate kind —
the milk isn’t perfect for me.
Incorrect: I like the ice
cream from the restaurant-it
tastes delicious. But I prefer
the chocolate kind-the milk
isn’t perfect for me.
4. Use of semicolons and
colons interchangeably.
Semicolons are commonly
used to connect two closely
related independent
clauses and emphasize
their relationship.
Colons are usually used to
introduce a list, a quotation,
or explain a previous
statement. The statement
after a colon is usually a
summary, explanation, or
interpretation of what
comes before the colon.
Examples:
Correct: I can’t go to the
movies; I’m writing my final
exams tomorrow.
Incorrect: I can’t go to the
movies: I’m writing my final
exams tomorrow.
Correct: I got three gifts for
my birthday: a football, a
computer game, and a
wristwatch.
Incorrect: I got three gifts
for my birthday; a football, a
computer game, and a
wristwatch.
5. Misuse of exclamation
marks.
Another common
punctuation error is the
misuse of the exclamation
mark.
Exclamation marks are
used to express strong
emotions, such as anger,
excitement, and
astonishment. They are
also used to create
emphasis in writing.
An exclamation mark appropriately used
can create a powerful impact in a text.
However, when used excessively, it can
overwhelm the reader and make them
undermine the emotions behind your
message. You must use exclamation
marks in moderation if you want to be
taken seriously.
Examples:
Incorrect: Wow! Your dress is
gorgeous! Where did you get it! It
must have cost a fortune!
Correct: Wow! Your dress is
gorgeous! Where did you get it? It
must have cost a fortune.
6. Unnecessary Quotation
Marks
Quotation marks are used for
dialogue and to state the
exact words of a speaker or
writer.
Unnecessary quotation
marks serve no purpose; it
will be best to leave them
out. The use of quotation
marks can also change the
meaning of a sentence.
For example,
Correct: “Did anyone see
my notebooks,” Mary
asked.
Incorrect: Mary will submit
our assignment to ‘the
course instructor.”
TO WRAP UP
The dangers and impropriety of
punctuation mistakes lie in their
misuse. Misuse of punctuation
marks often confuses the text’s
original meaning and makes
writing challenging to
comprehend.
Some of the common errors in
punctuation and how to avoid
them have been highlighted in
this article. By taking note of the
rules and applying them, you will
successfully improve your
writing.