This document defines and provides examples of how to use various punctuation marks in writing, including periods, question marks, exclamation points, commas, colons, semicolons, ellipses, dashes, and parentheses. Correct punctuation is important to clarify meaning and separate elements in a sentence.

1. *noun, the marks, such as full stop, comma and brackets,
used in writing to separate sentences and their elements
and to clarify meaning. (Oxford Concise Dictionary)

2.  A full stop is used at the end of every
sentence, e.g. It is cold outside.
 Use the full stop after an initial, J.P. Jones
 After an abbreviation or each part of most
abbreviations: A.M. lbs. R.T.E. Dr. Mr.
 After each number or letter that begins a
heading in a list or outline: 1. A. ii.

3.  Use the question mark after a direct question. How
old is Bill?
 After a statement followed by a short question. It‟s
cold outside, isn‟t it?
Use the question mark after a word that denotes a
question. What? Why?
Note the difference between the direct questions above
and I wonder what they will do now.
I enquired had the hotel wireless broadband.
These are not direct questions because the do not
consist of the actual words used when asking
questions. These questions, therefore, should not
have question marks.

4.  Use an exclamation mark to denote a
surprised tone of voice.
Good lord! Manchester City have won the
league!
A tip: Do not use excessively especially in
formal writing.

5.  Use quotation marks to enclose the exact
words of a speaker. Mary exclaimed, “I refuse
to go”!
 Use quotation marks to enclose quoted words
or phrases within a sentence. The Taoiseach
told us we must “put our shoulders to the
wheel.”

6.  Use the comma to separate the parts of address. He lives at 6
Hillside Grove, Waterford.
 After the greeting and closing of an informal letter. Dear John,
Sincerely yours,
 Use the comma between words or phrases in a list or a series
and before the and or the or which precedes the final item in the
list. The group includes Ireland, Spain, Italy or Croatia.
 Use commas to „bracket‟ a weak interruption in a sentence. Her
findings, I would suggest, throw new light on the matter.
 To pause in a sentence: The Minister, Mr. Ryan, gave the order.
 To set of thousands, millions etc., in large numbers. 4,523.
9,045,384. It is really the marking point of a thousand or in the
case of a million, a thousand - thousand and so on.

7.  Use the colon after a complete statement
followed by a list. Campers must take these
items: bedding, linen and cooking utensils.
 Use the colon to separate the parts of a
citation. Chapter 15: 14-22
 The colon can be used to write ratios. The
sand and cement should be mixed in a ratio
of 2:1.

8.  Use a semi-colon between the parts of a
sentence when they are not joined by the
conjunctions and, but, or, for or nor

9.  Use ellipses within a quotation to indicate all places
where a word or words have been omitted. The house
... was built in 1935.
 Use ellipses at the end of a quotation to indicate
words omitted before the full stop but also include
the full stop. “He was a giant of a man....” For: “He
was a giant of a man and highly respected.”
 Ellipses can be used in maths. For example in the
middle of answering a question that demands
rounding; the answer may be a number with a long
amount of decimal places; so instead of putting in
the complete number you could omit some of them
but indicate this is so by inserting the ellipsis. E.G., X
= 40Sin50°/Sin100° = 31.114...cm. So the length of X
is 31.1 cm (to 3 significant figures).

10.  To introduce and conclude an expression
(phrase, clause or sentence) introduced into a
sentence by way of explanation or comment.
The ghost – so local rumour had it – walks
the short journey between the Friary and
Peter Street.
 Towards the end of a sentence, indicating
an anticipatory pause before a
conclusion, explanation or surprise:
The book is what every author dreams of – a
best-seller.

11. I am indebted to the following
sources that have helped inform
this presentation:
Creative Writing, edited by Linda
Anderson, published by Routledge
in association with The Open
University.
The Penguin Guide to Punctuation,
R.L.Trask.
World Books Dictionary