Punctuation marks, like capitalization, are also essential in the English language while writing. These are the signs which tell the reader, the way the writer expressed his thoughts.
While speaking, our expressions and accent (stress) shows the significance of words and help the listener understand us.
But in the case of writing, this work is performed by punctuation marks. They help the listener know if the sentence is written to ask, exclaim, order or request.
A sentence without punctuation marks is like a group of words said without any stop or expression. The punctuation rules are discussed here briefly, in a very simple way with multiple examples for you to understand the use of them.
These rules are also available in a PDF file for downloading.
Rules of Punctuation Marks
The art of separating composition by means of the marks into clauses and parts of sentences is called Punctuation. The punctuation has following marks.
(1) Full Stop or Period (.)
(2) Colon
(3) Semi Colon (;)
(4) Comma (,)
(5) Mark of Interrogation (?)
(6) Mark of Exclamation (!)
(7) Dash (-)
(8) Inverted Commas (“”)
(9) Parenthesis [()]
(10) Hyphen (_)
(11) Apostrophe (‘)
(12) Capital Letters (A to Z)
Full Stop or Period (.)
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used at the end of a sentence.
|
A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.
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| It is used in courtesy titles and abbreviations of rank which appear before a name. | Mr. Amjad Qureshi, Mrs. Salma Rahim, |
| It is used with many abbreviations. | P.M., etc., i.e., Mon., Jan., M.P., M.D., D.S.R., F.D.R. |
| It is used before academic degrees when they are abbreviated.
|
M.B.B.S., Ph.D., L.L. B |
Colon ( : )
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to introduce a quotation. | Franklin D. Roosevelt said: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” |
| It is used to introduce formal lists enumerations, | I have come to the following conclusions: Accept, Reject or compromise. |
| It is used in reference to time to separate hours from minutes. | 10:15. 12:30,2:45.6:50 |
| It is used following the situation in a formal business letter. | Dear Ms. Fouzia: Dear Sin, Gentlemen |
| It is used between the sentences grammatically independent but closely connected. | Study is to acquire a habit of thinking: no study is more important. |
Semi Colon ( 😉
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to separate the main clauses of a sentence when they are joined by coordinating conjunctions. | When it is silence everywhere; no disturbance and no noise, then it is the real time of studies. |
| It is used to separate the clauses in a compound sentence. | He was brave, large hearted man and we all honored him. |
| It separates main clauses of a sentence that are joined by conjunctive adverbs. | He is taking six courses this semester; however, he has given up his part-time job and will have more time to today. |
| It is used to separate the items in a series when parts of the items are already separated by commas. | The winners are Shazia, first, Hassan, second; Beena, third.
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| It is used to separate clauses to emphasize by providing a longer pause between them. | The coconut tree gives us food; it gives us drink; it gives us material for roofing; indeed, with nearly all the necessaries. |
Comma (,)
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to separate a separate of words in the same construction of a sentence. | He has lost his lands, money, reputation and friends. |
| It is used to separate each pair of words connected by and, or. | High and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish, all must die. |
| It is used to separate the two nouns in a sentence which mean the same person or thing. | Paul, the apostle, was beheaded in the reign of Nero. |
| It is used to separate two or more coordinate adjectives. | John is a short, stocky, powerful wrestler. |
| It is used to separate three or more adverbs. | She always speaks slowly, clearly, easily and briefly. |
| It is used to separate three or more verbs in a sentence. | He is writing, directing and producing new TV-serial. |
| It is used to mark off noun clauses or adjective clauses. | I didn’t’ “now when he did it, and why he did it? |
| It is used to mark off the words that are used for addressing. | Lord of the universe, shield us and guide us. |
Mark of Interrogation ( ?)
| Rules | Examples |
| A question mark is used after every direct question. | Do you like her? |
| A mark of interrogation is not used after an indirect question. | He asked what time it was. |
| A question mark is enclosed in parenthesis after a fact which is doubtful. | America was first visited by a white man in A.D 1000 (?) |
| A mark of interrogation is used after each separate question in a series of questions. | If you poison us, do we not die? If you wrong us, shall we not revenge? |
Mark of Exclamation (!)
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to add a forceful emphasis to a declarative word, expression or sentence. | “Get out!” She screamed. |
| It is used after an expression of strong emotion- | How the mighty be fallen! |
| An interjection is a word that expresses emotion. It may be strong enough on its own merit not to require an exclamation mark. Thus, a mark of exclamation merely helps to strengthen it. | Oh, what a beautiful day! |
| The exclamation mark is placed either immediately after an interjection that begins a sentence, or at the end of the sentence introduced by an interjection. | Hark! Someone is singing a sweet song. |
Dash ( -)
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to indicate a sudden break or change of thought. | Are you — do you feel all right?
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| The dash is used to follow a direct quotation to indicate an interruption in discourse. | “Really, now you ask me,” said Alice, very much confused, “I don’t think |
| It is used sometimes in the place of commas. | His clothes – dirty, shabby, tom – belied his circumstances. |
| The dash may be used as a substitute for the expressions that is, in other words, and namely. | He admits that there are two sides of every question – his own and the wrong side. |
| The dash may be used to set off a word or group of words to add an element of surprise or to slow an unexpected turn of thought. | A pun is the lowest form of humour – when you don’t think of it first. |
| It is used before a summarizing such as, all such, these and all these. | Barrymore, Gielgud, Evans – these were Hamlets in their time. |
Inverted Commas (“ “)
| Rules | Examples |
| Inverted commas or quotation marks are used to indicate and question. | But what is the use of saying, “Call not man happy till he dies. |
| A single quotation mark is used to enclose a quotation wit in a quotation.
|
He said, “Everyone should remember that ‘God helps those who help themselves. |
Parenthesis ([ ])
| Rules | Examples |
| Parenthesis are used to separate a portion of a sentence from the rest of the sentence. | She gained from heaven (It was all she wished) a son. |
| Brackets are used to enclose a correction or explanatory comment in quoted material. | She [Mrs. Azra Touffique] used to counsel Jamil at great length. |
Hyphen ( – )
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to break up telephone numbers, account numbers, card numbers etc. | N.I.C. No: 0422-28968-5 |
| It is used to form the compound words. | Brother-in-law |
Apostrophe (‘)
| Rules | Examples |
| It is used to denote the omission of one or more letters or figures. | Shouldn’t, Wouldn’t |
| It is used to show the ownership of someone. | Have you seen Aslan’s new motor bike? |
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