Punctuation in English

 

We learn English online to help us with our written and spoken communication. One of the most important parts of written English is punctuation. However, people can become very hung up on punctuation rules. The most important rule to remember is that punctuation is there to help the writer make their meaning clearer.

When we speak, we use intonation, pauses, body language and volume to help make our listeners understand what we want to say. When we write, we use punctuation for the same purpose.

When to use punctuation, and which type to use, can be confusing; here we look briefly at each example, then expand with more details and examples of the punctuation type’s use.

It should be pointed out that there are no hard and fast grammar rules for formatting or punctuating these items; they are a matter of style. Technically a writer can use any formatting they wish, but adhering to a particular style helps ensure readers fully understand what the writer intended.

Some of the confusion arises due to the fact that different publications, institutions, and schools often use different style guides. The major style guides, Chicago Manual of Style, the AMA Manual of Style, and the AP Style Guide generally follow the same rules, but minor variations occur. The variations and idiosyncrasies occur more often in the lesser used or more specialized style guides.

Another source of confusion to some writers derives from their reading experience. Thousands of articles, papers, and publications exist where underlining is used to emphasis text and to indicate book titles and other works. While there is nothing inherently incorrect with using underlines in a paper or article, underlining is considered an obsolete method of formatting and should generally be avoided.

This change in formatting is another example of how the web, the rise of word processors, and other technological advances have changed styles and standards for both formal and informal writings.

In this article we will give you the formatting and punctuation guidelines for a number of specific types of works.

Types of Punctuation

The table below lists the types of punctuation used in English. It shows what each punctuation mark looks like and explains its purpose in a sentence.

More Detail and Examples with Punctuation Marks

1. Full Stop, Question Mark and Exclamation Mark

These three punctuation marks are, along with the ellipses, sentence enders. A sentence is a unit of meaning. It can be as small as one word (a sentence with special emphasis, for example: The family enjoyed my apple pie. Phew. Here, relief is indicated by the one word ‘Phew.’; with an exclamation mark, surprise would be indicated. A question mark would indicate that the audience has doubt about the outcome. It can be seen that punctuation marks which end sentences are there to help us understand the meaning intended by the writer.

2. Comma

In a list, a comma is used to separate each item except for the final two, which are usually separated with the connective ‘and’. However, there is one exception. If the final item in the list is meant to be emphasised, because it carries importance in the sentence, then the Oxford comma is used (before the ‘and’): He visited his parents, his sister, his brother, and his mother in law.

In normal use, the comma indicates a pause in the sentence. Usually, it separates clauses.

3. Colon

Introducing a quote or speech is a technical use of the colon.

Separating two clauses is for effect, to emphasise meaning. The colon introduces a pause into the sentence, which in turn, adds emphasis to the second half of the sentence.

4. Semi Colon

The semi colon is rarely used for emphasis, but adds clarity to a list.

When separating two clauses, because the pause is shorter than for a colon, the second half does not carry additional emphasis.

5. Possessive Apostrophe

How long with the apostrophe last? Its only function is to tell the reader whether the subject of a clause is singular or plural.

6. Contraction Apostrophe

Again, the apostrophe is for clarity. The use of text speak is beginning to render it redundant. But not yet!

7. Speech Marks (sometimes called quotation marks)

All words AND punctuation that is directly quoted, or said, sits within the speech marks. The only reason for single and double speech marks is to identify speech within speech. For example. “My favourite quote,” said John “is ‘To be or not to be,” from Hamlet.” However, although both forms are correct, they should be used consistently within a particular piece of writing.

8. Parentheses

The three forms of parentheses are largely interchangeable. Technically, the brackets simply add information, the dashes add information in a more emotive way and the commas surround a subordinate clause. No native English speaker would object to whichever form the writer chooses.

9. Hyphen

The hyphen is another mark beginning to become redundant. It is used when two separate words are combined to create a noun. However, a quick look in Word spellchecker shows that increasingly words can be written with or without the hyphen.

Punctuation is a terrific tool. It brings the written word to life and helps to communicate writers’ meanings and intentions. Some pieces have retained their technical use (for example, the semi colon and the apostrophe). Mostly, though, punctuation should be used (sparingly) to help communicate what we want to say.