This document defines and provides examples of various punctuation marks. It discusses external punctuation marks (period, exclamation point, question mark) and internal punctuation marks (comma, colon, semicolon, hyphen, apostrophe). It then provides detailed descriptions and rules for using each punctuation mark, including full stops, commas, question marks, exclamation marks, colons, semicolons, apostrophes, ellipses, quotation marks, dashes, hyphens, brackets, and virgules. The document emphasizes the importance of punctuation in properly conveying meaning in written language.

1. PUNCTUATION

2. Definition
“Punctuation marks are use in writing to separate sentences
and their elements to clarify the message ”
Importance
Without using punctuation marks in sentences actual message
is not conveyed. They are useful in giving intended meaning to
the language.

3. KINDS OF PUNCTUATION
• There are two kinds of Punctuation Marks:-
External punctuation Marks:-
• They are used to end a sentence
• They are three external punctuation marks.
Examples:-
• Period Exclamation Mark Question Mark

4. Internal Punctuation Marks:-
• They are used at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
They are eleven in number.
Examples:-
• Comma
• Colon
• Semi Colon
• Hyphen
• Apostrophe

5. Punctuation Marks
• Full Stop .
• Comma ,
• Exclamation Mark !
• Question Mark ?
• Colon :-
• Semi Colon ;
• Hyphen -
• Quotation Marks “ ”
• Apostrophe ’
• Ellipses …
• Brackets ( ) { } [ ]
• Virgule /
• Dash _

7. FULL STOP
Other Name:- Period
• Used to mark the end of a sentence.
Example:-
Black was best man when James married Lilly.
• Used in abbreviations.
Example:-
There is a wide range of sandwiches, cakes and pizzas etc. at a
reasonable price

8. • Used at the end of an indirect question.
Example:-
I asked him where the mouse was.
• Used in websites and email addresses.
Example:-
www.google.com.
NOTE:-
Always start the next word with a capital letter after a full stop.
Example:-
Miss Tehreem Hassan teaches English with perfection. She is a
hardworking teacher.

9. COMMA
• Used to separate words or items in a list
Example:-
Harry Potter, Hermoine Granger, Sirius Black and Lupin are my
favorite characters from the book “Harry Potter”.
• Used to separate a city from its state
Example:-
I am from Lahore, Pakistan.

10. • Used to separate a day from a month.
Example:-
I was born on December 3rd, 1999
• Used to separate two adjectives instead of adding “and” between them.
Example:-
I once saw a beautiful, young dog.
• Used to separate parenthetical elements(added information).
Example:-
Frankly, it doesn’t seem to matter.

11. • Used to separate independent clauses along with a conjunction.
Example:-
He was a brilliant student, but his attendance always remained short.
USE OF OXFORD COMMA:-
• It is the final comma in a run-on list of items, it goes before the “and”
• Used to avoid ambiguity and make clear sentences
• Not compulsory in usage
Example:-
My favorite pies are lemon, chocolate, mullberry, and apple.

12. DIFFERENCE
FULL STOP . COMMA ,
A complete pause. A short pause.
A full stop at the end of the
sentence represents a complete
thought.
A comma doesn’t represents a full
thought.

13. QUESTION MARK
• Used to indicate the end of a question.
Example:-
Have you seen the film yet?
• Used at the end of a rhetorical question (asked when no answer is
expected)
Example:-
“How else should we end them, after all?”

14. RULES:-
• When a question ends with an abbreviation, a period is used before the question
mark.
Example:-
Didn’t he used to live in Washington, D.C.?
• When a question constitutes a polite request, it is not usually followed by a
question mark.
Example:-
Will everyone in the room who hasn’t received the notes please move to the
front of the line.

15. • If a series of questions are asked in a sentence and are follow-up questions
to the main question, each of the little question will begin with lowercase letter.
Example:-
Who is responsible for executing the plan? the coach? the players?
MISUSE OF QUESTION MARK:-
Do not use question mark at the end of an indirect question.
Examples:-
• I wonder whether Easha will run again.
• The instructer asked the students what they were doing.

16. EXCLAMATION MARK
• Used to express emotions usually at the end of a sentence.
Example:-
Hurray! We won the match!
• Used to convert a simple sentence into a command.
Example:-
Clean your bedroom now!

18. • Used to represent something shouted or spoken loudly.
Example:-
“Look up here!” she yelled.
• Used along a question mark at the end of a sentence to show extreme
emotions.
Example:-
“What is wrong with you!?”
• Used to emphasize a single word in a sentence within parenthesis.
Example:-
Maham saw some really(!)strange people in the ally.

19. • Used to accompany sounds mimetically, as illustrated
Example:-
The lion went grr! And the hikers backed away slowly.
RULE:-
Exclamation marks should not be combined with other punctuations.
Example:-
“Come to my party!,” INCORRECT
“Come to my party!” CORRECT

20. EXCEPTIONS:-
• It may happen that an abbreviation proceeds an exclamation mark.
Example:-
I am inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr.!
• It may happen if names are included in the sentence.
Example:-
Do you like the book HARRY POTTER!?

22. • Sometimes serves as shorthand for per.
Example:-
A top speed of 250km/hr.
•

24. COLON
• Used to introduce a list of items
Example:-
The book store specializes in three subjects: art, architecture
and graphics.
• Used between independent clauses where the second illustrates the first.
Example:-
I have very little time to learn the language: my new job starts
in five weeks

25. • Used to emphasize a phrase or single word at the end of a sentence.
Example:-
After three weeks of deliberation, the jury finally reached a
verdict: guilty.
• Used to separate hours from minutes in time.
Example:-
I wake up early at 7:45 a.m.
• Used to express the ratio between two numbers.
Example:-
The answer of 3:12 is 1:4.

26. • Used in biblical references to separate chapter from verse.
Example:-
This reference is from The Holy Quran (1:31)
MISUSE OF COLON:-
Do not use a colon when the listed items are incorporated into the flow
of the sentence.
Example:-
• I want: butter, sugar and flour. INCORRECT
• I want butter, sugar and flour. CORRECT

27. SEMI COLON
 Described as stronger then a comma but weaker then a period.
• Used between independent clauses or coordinating
conjunction.
Example:-
The 10th class can go out for lunch; 9th
class must remain in the class.

29. NOTE:-
If semi colon is removed the conjunction but is used to join the two
sentences with a comma.
Example:-
Some people write with world processor but I prefer pen or pencil.
• Used between independent clauses linked by a transitional expression.
(accordingly, consequently, for example, nevertheless, so, thus)
Example:-
Heavy snow continues to fall at the airport; consequently, the flights are grounded.

30. • Used in lists with commas; act as a sort of super comma.
Example:-
The new store will have groceries on the lower level; housewares, and
electronics on the ground floor; and books, music and luggage on third floor.
• Used in elliptical constructions:
When combined with comma, the semi-colon can be used in elliptical
constructions.
Example:-
In 1992, Starbucks had under 200 stores; ten years later, over 5000.

31. DIFFERENCE
COMMA , SEMI COLON ;
I am going home, and I intend to stay
there.
I am going home; I intend to stay
there.
It rained heavily during the
afternoon, but we managed to have
our picnic anyway.
It rained heavily during the
afternoon; we managed to have our
picnic anyway.
They couldn’t make it to the summit
and back before dark, so they decided
to camp for the night.
They couldn’t make it to the summit
and back before dark; they decided to
camp for the night.

33. APOSTROPHE
The word apostrophe comes from Greek.
USES OF APOSTROPHE:-
• It is used in contractions.
Example:-
can’t ,don’t ,isn’t , etc…
c
• It is used in abbreviations.
Example:-
The ‘60s(the 1960)

34. • It is used in possessives.
Example:-
In the eagle’s feathers.
• It is used to form a plural noun
Example:-
The men’s pictures.
NOTE:-
• In joint possession only single apostrophe is used.
Example:-
Ali and Ahmed’s house.(they share the house)
• In individual possession we use apostrophe for each possessor.
Example:-
Ali’s and Ahmed’s houses were designed by the same artist.

35. Apostrophe With Other Punctuations:-
• The apostrophe should never be separated from the word to which it attaches
by adjacent punctuation.
Example:-
The house on the left is smiths’ ,but the house at the end of
street is whites’.
MISUSE OFAPOSTROPHE:-
• My brother has two son’s. INCORRECT
• My brother has two sons. CORRECT

36. ELLIPSES
Ellipses is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots.
• Used in omitting a line ,phrase, paragraph , more form , of quoted passage.
Example:-
I was thinking…we should call home.

37. • Used to show pause in a thought to create suspense.
Example:-
She opened the door…and saw…a cake!
• Ellipse save space or remove the material that is less relevant.
Example:-
Today ,after a lot of thought we voted the bill.
Today…we voted the bill.
• Ellipse can express hesitation , changes of mood , thoughts trailing of
writer.
Example:-
I don’t know… I’m not sure.

38. VIRGULE
 It is also known as slash.
 Mostly used in informal writing.
• Most acceptable use of slash in formal writing pertains to poetry. The slash with
one space on either side, indicates a line break.
Example:-
“The Road Not Taken”: “I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made
all the difference.”

39. • Used in place of Latin preposition “cum” meaning “combined with”, “also
used as”, or “along with being”.
Example:-
He worked in his office-cum dining room.
OR
He worked in hiss office/ dining room.
• Used in abbreviations.
Example:-
• c/o (care of)
• w/ (with)

40. • Used in fractions to separate the numerator from the denominator.
Example:-
4/5
• Used to represent a conflict or connection between two things.
Example:-
The Paris/ London train leaves in an hour.
• Used to indicate something separating two years.
Example:-
Everyone is still talking about the 1995/96 winter windstorm.

41. QUOTATION MARKS
• Used to indicate material that is being reproduced word for word.
Example:-
“Shahrukh Khan is my favorite actor”, she said.
RULES:-
• Use double quotation marks to set off a direct quotation.
Example:-
“I hope you will be here”, she said.

42. • Always capitalize the first word in the statement after the quotation marks.
Example:-
Amal said, “The fight is far from over, and I will win.”
• Use a comma to introduce a direct quotations.
Example:-
He said, “I don’t care.”
EXCEPTION:-
If one-word is used in a quotation, comma is omitted.
Example:-
He said “ Stop!”

43. • If a quotation functions as a subject or object in a sentence, it might not need a
comma.
Example:-
Is “ I don’t care” is all you can say to me?
• Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside the quotation marks.
Example:-
He yelled, “Hurry up.”
• If a question is within the quoted material, a question mark should be placed in
inside the quotation marks.
Example:-
She asked, “Will you still be my friend?”

44. • If a quoted question ends in a mid sentence, the question mark replaces a comma.
Example:-
“ Will you still be my friend?”
• Use single quotation marks for quotation within quotations.
Example:-
She said: “In a town outside New Orleans I saw ‘ Tourists go home’ written
on the wall.
• Used often with technical terms or terms used in unusual way.
Example:-
It’s an oil-extraction method known as “flanking.”

45. DASH
• A dash is a punctuation mark that writers use to denote a sudden
break or shift in a thought.
Example:-
Do we—can we—dare we ask for money?
• Used to show omission of letters or words.
Example :-
Senator S—was from my hometown.
Dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma ,less formal than a
colon , and more relaxed than parentheses.

46. • A dash is used in setting off a strong interruption.
Example:-
There was no other way _ or was there.
Dashes are also used in dialogue when one character is interrupted by another’s.
Example:-
Ali said, “I was going to take the train to come to see you, but _” “Nonsense,” Ali
replied, “we will come to get you.”
• It is also use to sett off introductory list.
Example:-
Florida ,Georgia , south Carolina _ are the all states we’ll be driving on our
vacation.

47. ONE DASH=TWO HYPHEN:-
Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation such as the comma.
Example:-
The May 1 , 2013, edition of the Ames sentinel arrived in June.
The Ames sentinel _ dated May 1,2013_arrived in June.(with dash)
• Used to emphasize information that interrupts the flow of sentence.
Example:-
Three prominent citizens_ Ahmed , and Usman _ were elected to the board.

48. HYPHEN
• A hyphen is used for joining the parts of a compound word.
Examples:-
• Man-of-war.
• Jack-of-all-trades
• Hyphen make adjective out of noun.
Example:-
The woman was African-American.

49. • Hyphen is used to join numbers.
Example:-
Thirty-seven-year old man died yesterday.
• Hyphen is also used with prefixes.
Example:-
She is my ex-girlfriend.
• Hyphen is also used to separate individual words.
Example:-
My mother-in-law is very ill.

50. DIFFERENCE
DASH _ HYPHEN -
• It is long. • It is short
• It shows interruption in thoughts
or speeches.
• It connects parts of words
• One Dash= Two Hyphens • One Hyphen=Two Dash

51. BRACKETS
Brackets are used to include information that is not essential to the main
point.
Example:-
Tigers are carnivores(meat eaters)
• If the original material contain noun that is unclear ,it can be used for
clarification.
Example:-
The president stated that he “will not pass the bill they[Republican members
of the house] have been talking about.”

52. TYPES OF BRACKETS:-
• Curved brackets are used to add extra information, add comment and
in abbreviations.
Example:-
The matter will be decided by IOC (International Olympic Committee).
• Square brackets are used to add in missing words.
Example:-
It is [a] good example.

53. • Curly brackets are rarely used in English and used commonly in math ,
poetry.
Example:-
Select your animal{goat ,cow , buffalo}and follow.
• Angle brackets are used to enclose highlighted material.
Example:-
If you have any problem mail me at <www.the punctuation guide.com.>
IMPORTANCE:-
Bracket is a tall punctuation mark. Dates and other numbers are also in it, so it
has an important role in punctuation.