1. Period (.) Comma (,) Question mark (?) Exclamation point (!) Dash (–) Colon (:) Period (.) Comma (,) Question mark (?) Exclamation point (!) Dash (–) Colon (:)

2. Introduction Dear friends! You need to know six main punctuation marks in Russian. Remember to use them appropriately! Look, read, and try to memorize them! Good luck!

3. Period (.) (.) A period is placed at the end of an affirmative sentence: Это мой друг Антон. This is my friend Anton. Антон учится в университете. Anton studies at the university.

4. Comma (,) (,) A comma is placed within a sentence during enumeration, after a vocative, and after the words "yes" and "no" if the phrase continues. Антон, Нина, Борис − мои друзья. Anton, Nina, and Boris are my friends. Друзья, приходите завтра вечером ко мне в гости! Friends, come tomorrow evening to see me! Вы поедете в субботу на экскурсию? Will you go on the excursion on Saturday? – Да, поедем./Нет, не поедем. Yes, we will/No, we will not.

5. Question mark(?) (?) A question mark is placed at the end of an interrogative sentence. Кто хочет поехать в субботу на экскурсию? Who wants to go on the excursion on Saturday? Когда будут экзамены? When will the exams be? У тебя есть деньги? Do you have money?

6. Exclamation point (!) (!) An exclamation point is placed at the end of an exclamatory sentence or after a stand-alone vocative. Какой красивый город! What a beautiful city! Студенты! Кто хочет поехать в субботу на экскурсию? Students! Who wants to go on an excursion on Saturday?

7. Dash (–) (–) A dash is used in sentences that lack a verb or linking verb. Антон учится в университете, а его сестра – в школе. Anton studies at the university, and his sister – at school. Москва – столица России. Moscow is the capital of Russia.

8. Colon (:) (:) A colon is used before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself. Мария купила в магазине разные продукты: рис, мясо, помидоры, хлеб, молоко и сыр. In the shop, Mary bought different kinds of food: rice, meat, tomatoes, bread, milk, and cheese.

9. Note №1 а) These punctuation marks are placed at the end of sentences: (.)(?)(!). b) Each new sentence begins with a capital letter. Это красивый город. В нём живёт моя семья. That is a beautiful city. My family lives there. Москва красивый город? Да, красивый. Is Moscow a beautiful city? Yes, it is. Какой красивый город! Я хочу поехать туда. What a beautiful city! I want to go there.

10. Note №2 The punctuation marks (,) and (:) are placed only within a sentence. Мария купила в магазине разные продукты: рис, мясо, помидоры, хлеб, молоко и сыр. In the shop, Mary bought different kinds of food: rice, meat, tomatoes, bread, milk, and cheese.

11. Note №3 The correct placement of punctuation marks in Russian sentences is important, because the meaning of a phrase may depend on it!

12. List of references Правила русской орфографии и пунктуации. Полный академический справочник / под ред. В.В. Лопатина. – М.: Эксмо, 2007. – 480 с.

13. Text and presentation by I. Shigina Translation consultants: Karen Chilstrom (USA), A. Leonov, PhD