This document discusses punctuation marks and their uses. It defines punctuation marks as symbols that provide organization and meaning to written text. Several common punctuation marks are then defined, including periods, commas, colons, semi-colons, ellipses, quotation marks, question marks, and exclamation marks. Examples of proper uses are provided for each punctuation mark. The document concludes with exercises for the reader to practice punctuation.

1. Punctuation Marks
Department of English

2. What are punctuation marks?
• Punctuation marks are symbols in written text
that tell the reader how something should be
read.
• Through punctuation marks the writer is able to
better organize a writing, add suspense, emotion
and things of the sort.

3. Punctuation Marks
Mark Symbol Description Example
Period of Full
Stop .
Periods always go
at the end of a
sentence or after
an abbreviation.
My name is
Pedro.
Mr. Torres was
absent today.
Comma
,
Marks a short in a
sentence.
Separates nouns,
verbs, adjectives
and clauses.
Pedro, Maria and
Luis were
studying.
I like to kick,
punch and train.
Colon
:
Introduces
information.
The following
people get a
bonus: Lisa and
Miguel.
You got to
options: get in or
get out.

4. Punctuation Marks
Mark Symbol Description Example
Semi-colon
;
Unites two
independent
clauses that are
related.
I stayed; she left.
Iris was a lawyer;
Marcus was a
teacher.
Ellipsis … Creates suspense See you
tomorrow…
Wait until you get
home…
Quotation Marks “ ” Used to identify
statements made
by someone else.
Also identifies
words from
another language.
The teacher said,
“Shut up!”
I like to eat,
“tostones”.

5. Punctuation Marks
Mark Symbol Description Example
Question mark ? Used after a
question was
asked.
Who are you?
Where are you
from?
Exclamation mark ! Shows strong
emotion.
Yeah!
Shut up!
Sit down!
Parenthesis ( ) Expands on
something within
the sentence.
The two brothers
(Gustavo and
Adrian) were
learning how to
play guitar.

6. Period or Full Stop
• Used at the end of every sentence and after all abbreviations:
• Examples:
• 1) My name is Walter.
• 2) Mr. White was talking with Mr. Smith.
• 3) I was talking to Prof. Rogers.

7. Comma
• Commas are used to make a short pause in a sentence or
separate nouns, adjectives or clauses.
• Examples:
• 1) Maria, Jose, Juan and Pedro were in the debate team.
• 2) Lisa is strong, pretty, intelligent and humble.
• 3) Since the beginning, I have been training to be the best.

8. Colon
• Colons are used to introduce new information. Also, after the
greeting in a letter a colon is used.
• Examples:
• 1) In order to make an omelet you need the following: eggs
and butter.
• 2) Dear mother:
I take this opportunity to say hello and tell you all about
my new life here in the states. I miss all of you very, very much….
• 3) Topic: Punctuation Marks

9. Semi-colon
• Semi-colons are used to put together that sentences that
share a relation.
• Examples:
• 1) She is an Aquarius; I am a Taurus.
• 2) You say, “yes”; I say, “no”.
• 3) My daughter is a lawyer; my son is a teacher.

10. Ellipsis
• Ellipses are used to create suspense in a sentence.
• Examples:
• 1) To be continued…
• 2) The end…
• 3) You’ll never believe what I saw…

11. Quotation Marks
• Quotation marks are used to identify statements said by
someone else. They also are used to identify book, movie or tv
show titles, among others. Words from other languages also
use quotation marks. Also, words that are used but have a
special meaning are put in quotations.
• Examples:
• 1) My mother said, “Come home early.”
• 2) I heard him say, “Je vouz aime”.
• 3) I love eating “piononos”.
• 4) I love “The Matrix”.
5) My dog is “special”.

12. Question Marks
• Question marks are used at the end of a question. Unlike in
Spanish, the question mark is only used at the end.
• Examples:
• 1) Who are you?
• 2) What is your favorite food?
• 3) You bought a car?
• 4) Where is my blue shirt?

13. Exclamation Marks
• Exclamation marks are used to show strong feelings or
emotions such as hate, anger, frustration, excitement, etc.
• Examples:
• 1) Yeah!
• 2) No!
• 3) Close the door!
• 4) Shut up!
• 5) Sit down!

14. Parenthesis
• Parenthesis are used to expand within a statement. They make
a clarification or add information needed to fully understand
the intended message.
• Examples:
• 1) I used to play sports (basketball and baseball) back in
college.
• 2) My kids (Juan and Luis) are very loving.
• 3) A bought a car (a Honda Accord).
• 4) You two (Walter and Wanda) sit down and shut up.

15. Practice exercise
• 1. Open the door
• 2. To make an omelet you need the
following two eggs and butter
• 3. Veronica Adriana and Lisa were eating
• 4. No way

16. Practice exercise
• 5. Where are you from
• 6. My friend said to me Goodbye
• 7. I stayed she left
• 8. Until next time