The when, how, and why of using punctuation in the English language

First of all… What is punctuation? Punctuation marks are symbols that indicate structure and organization of a sentence, as well as intonation and pauses to be observed while reading aloud.

Periods “ . ” Periods indicate a full stop. They are placed at the end of a sentence. Examples: I want to eat as soon as possible. I order a grilled cheese sandwich every time I go to that restaurant. Mr. Bailey likes chocolate almost as much as I do.

Exclamation Points “ ! ” Exclamation points, or exclamation marks, are used after an interjection. Exclamation marks are also used to indicate strong feeling or emphasis in a statement. Exclamation points may also indicate a high volume (shouting). Examples: Hey! I need that glass of water immediately! Dillon! Come downstairs and clean the kitchen!

Question Marks “ ? ” Questions marks, or interrogative marks, replace full stop periods at the end of direct questions. Questions marks are not used for indirect questions. Examples of direct questions: Are you going to eat that last wing? Examples of indirect questions: She asked if I would like to get some candy with her. He wanted to know if I am allergic to any food.

Commas “ , ” Commas are punctuation marks used to indicate a separation of ideas or of elements, or a series of ideas and elements, within the structure of a sentence. Example: I want milk, cookies, and a cup of hot tea. Commas, with a coordinating conjunction, separate two independent clauses. Example: I wanted to eat, but I felt really sick. Commas set aside subordinating clauses or unnecessary elements of a sentence. Example: Ms. Edwards, the best teacher of all time, went running after the student who stole her lunch. Commas may also indicate a pause or separation in a spoken sentence; a caesura.

Colons “ : ” A colon is a punctuation mark used to introduce a list, when introductory words like “that” or “namely” are not used. After lists introduced by colons, you may separate items with a semicolon ( “ ; ” ). The clause before a colon must be able to stand on its own; it must be a complete sentence, or independent clause. Examples: She wants to eat: chocolate and cheese. I need you to buy these items at the grocery store: cheese; chocolate; and sugar.

Semicolons “ ; ” A semicolon is a punctuation mark that is used to separate two complete and related sentences. It replaces a period. Example: I wanted to eat everything in the bakery; the pastries and cupcakes looked especially good! A semicolon is used to separate series of items that include commas. Example: I have visited Boston, Massachusetts; San Diego, California; and Austin, Texas. A semicolon is used before phrases such as namely, i.e., e.g., for example, therefore, however, that is, and for instance. Example: You will want to bake many types of cookies; for example, chocolate chip, peanut butter, and coconut macaroons.

Dash vs. Hyphen Em Dash- this is the long line “ — ” En dash- looks like a hyphen , but is slightly Narrower “ – “ Hyphen- this is the short line “ – ” (The minus sign on your keyboard) En dash expresses a range of values or distance. Example: I am about to be a part of the 25 – 32 age range! Em dash sets off a parenthetical element that is abrupt (parenthetical elements are not necessary for the sentence to make sense). Example: The tea—with cardamum and spices—is delicious! Em dash also can separate the end of a sentence that is not a logical part of the sentence. Example: Many friends were present—Julia, Susie, and Melanie were among them. Hyphens are used to join words in a compound adjective, adverb, or verb. Examples Man-eating shark (instead of man eating shark) Man-eating indicates the shark eats man instead of a man eating a shark. Cookie-monster monster (instead of cookie monster) Cookie-monster indicates it is a monster made of cookies instead of a monster who eats cookies.

Parentheses “ ( ) ” Use parentheses to enclose words or phrases that clarify or act as an aside. Example: I want to eat a huge piece of cake (after eating cupcakes too). Use parentheses to enclose numbers in a list. Example: I want you to (1) go to the store, (2) buy a chocolate bar, and (3) drop it off at my house. Only use a period in parentheses when an entire sentence is in the parentheses. Example: Please eat all the food (I have left it for you in the refrigerator.).

Quotation Marks “ ” Quotation marks indicate spoken words or speech. Examples: I said, “Please get me some food.” “I really would like some chocolate,” I said quietly after my stomach growled. Quotation marks are also used to identify poems, songs, short stories, or essay titles. “Experience” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) “The Lost Ingredient” (Anne Sexton)

Apostrophes “ ’ ” An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to indicate contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed. Examples: don’t (do not), can’t (cannot), shouldn’t (should not), wouldn’t (would not), haven’t (have not),etc. An apostrophe is also used to indicate possession or ownership. Examples: Alyssa’s plate of sushi; Ms. Edwards’ favorite song. Do not use an apostrophe before the “s” in a plural item! Example: Items = correct; item’s = incorrect