Punctuation Marks | Types Rules Examples

Learn Punctuations Marks with its uses, kinds, definitions and examples of every type by using in sentences.

Definition of Punctuation Marks

Punctuation marks are signs or marks, used in writing for making the sentence clear for the readers to understand.  It also plays a vital role in the construction of sentences. Without punctuation marks, a sentence is said to be incorrect.

Let us know how and which punctuation is used to finalize the sentences.

1. Use of Capital Letters as Punctuation Marks

The first letter of every sentence is written with a capital letter.

They produce great content. The first letter of each line of a poem is written with a capital letter.

For Example, Flowers are lovely, Love is like a flower,

The pronoun “I” is written in the capital in any place in a sentence.

They requested me to leave and I did it.

The first letter of every proper noun is written with a capital letter. Smith loves to live in New York. I have a Samsung mobile. He loves to read the Quran (the holy book).

 2. Use of Full Stop

A full stop (.) is used at the end of the positive and negative sentences. A full stop expresses that the sentences have been finished.

 For Example, She makes very strong tea. I love to visit desert. I have reached in the stadium.

 3. Use of Question Mark (?)

The question mark is used in the sentences where any question is asked. The question mark is placed at the end of the sentences and also called a sign of interrogation because it is used in interrogative sentences.

We will have to place a question mark whether the sentence is a single questionnaire or a double questionnaire. Single question sentences are those which start from helping verb whereas double question sentences are those which start with “Wh” words like what, who, when, where, whom, whose, etc.

 For Example, Where is your NB cricket bat? Did you notice his mistake? Were they doing their assignments? Was he taking tea? Is he not guilty for this act?

4. Use of Comma (,)

A comma is used for separating each part of a sentence. We use a comma when there are more than two parts of speech like nouns, pronouns or adjectives are present in the same sentence. So, each part of speech will be separated with a comma except the last one.

For Example, I have ball, bat and a cap in my kit bag. I,you and he will join the insurance corporation. He is beautiful, active and intelligent person. He loves to eat pizza, burger and fries.

 5. Use of Colon (🙂

We use colon to introduce a list of items.

 For Example: (a)We need several ingredients for the chocolate cake: flour, cocoa, butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. (b)If you want to improve your cooking, you can do three things: read cooking books, go to cooking classes and cook as much you can.

 6. Use of Quotation Marks (“”) Or Use of Inverted Commas

Quotation marks are used to enclose a direct quotation (sayings) or speech of the person exactly said by that person word by word. These marks are also used in direct and indirect speech concept.

Examples: The bird asked, “Why are you weeping”. He says, “He will write a story”. The angel said, “God is happy with you”.

 7. Sign of Exclamation (!)

This sign or mark is used for the phrases or sentences which are spoken for exclamation and exclamatory sentences are those which express emotions, anger, surprise, happiness and end with an exclamation mark.

 Examples: Wow! I appreciate your efforts. What a beautiful animal! Alas! He failed. Aha! I got success.

 8. Use of Hyphen (–)

It is a punctuation mark that is used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word. The use of a hyphen is called “hyphenation”.

 Examples:

(i) He had a friendly-looking boss.

(ii) He got a part-time job in an insurance corporation.

(iii) I want up-to-date papers.

Rules of Hyphenation

Rule 1:

Generally, we hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single idea. This called a compound adjective.

Example:

(i) An off-campus apartment.

(ii) State-of-the-art design.

 Rule 2:

Hyphenate all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.

Examples:

(i) Forty-three people were present in the session.

(ii) Twenty-seven of them were rolled for call.

 Rule 3:

Hyphens are often used tell the ages of and things.

Examples:

(i)  We have a five-years- old child.

(ii) A five-years-old mango tree is there in our garden.

Rule 4:

While using numbers, hyphenate spans or estimate of time, distance, or other quantities. Remember not to use spaces around hyphens.

Examples:

(i)  3:15-3:45p.m.

(ii) 1999-2015

(iii) 200-325 people

Rule 5:

Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions. But do not hyphenate fractions introduced with a or an.

Examples:

(i) More than one-third of registered voters opposed the party candidate.

(ii) More than a third of registered voters used their right of casting votes.

Rule 6:

Hyphenate prefixes when they come before proper nouns or proper adjectives.

Examples:

(i) Trans-American

(ii) Mid-July

Rule 7:

Hyphenate all words beginning with the prefixes.

Examples:

(i) Self-assured.

(ii) Ex-mayor.

Support;

Prefix: When a word or letters are added before a proper word like enable. Suffix: When a word or letter is added after a proper word like effortless.

9. Use of Dash (–)

A dash is used in pairs to make off information or ideas that are not essential to an understandings of the rest of the sentence.

Examples:

(i) Thousands of children – like girls in the photograph – have been left homeless.

(ii) My son –where has he gone? –would like to meet you.

(iii) You are the friend –the only friend –who offered to help me.