Punctuation Marks: The Backbone Of Good Writing

Have you ever wondered how readers perceive words written on paper and make sense of them? Indeed, comprehension, but what aids comprehension? Its punctuation marks, and the organization of words enhance the understanding of the content.

Many students struggle with using different punctuation marks and are unsure about their placement within the context. Are you struggling too? We are here to help you learn the secrets of good writing with these punctuation and grammatical marks.

What Are Punctuation Marks?

Punctuation notations are symbols or characters used in written communication to clarify and correct the meaning of sentences or texts. Punctuation is the same as the notes in music, and it helps in organizing content in a way that enhances the reliability and comprehension of the content. They help filter out english phrases that makes no sense and ensure content engagement.

Why Are Punctuation Marks Recommended?

1. Making proper structure or order of the sentences.
2. Conveying the intended message in the right tone and style.
3. Bring clarity and efficiency to the writing.
4. Separating sentences, clauses, and phrases and marking the end of sentences.
5. Increasing the readability of writing.
6. Signifying the questions, exclamations, quotations, etc.
7. Helps readers correctly interpret the writer’s message.
8. Bring engagement and variety in writing style.
9. Providing identification of abbreviations or acronyms.
10. Control the pace or speed of the writing, such as creating breaks, pauses, or emphasis, etc.

10 Common Punctuation Marks Symbols in Grammar

Students should learn the correct way to punctuate a sentence, but it’s impossible without knowing its symbols. The following are some of the most common punctuation marks and their symbols in grammar.

What Punctuation Students Use Most?

A survey was conducted, aimed at finding out what is the frequency of different punctuation marks. The students were given a task to write descriptive paragraphs, and they were evaluated based on how much punctuation marks they used. Let’s see:

Must Know Rules Of Punctuation

Following are some of the most important rules of punctuation for significant marks that you should know when and how to use. The following marks are the most used in content, and it’s impossible to even write without them. The rules are the correct way to punctuate the sentence.

Period Rules

1. Use a period to end the sentence.
2. Use period to ask indirect questions.
3. Use period at the end of the abbreviations.

Examples:

• He made delicious pasta. (Sentence)
• Boys were thinking about whether their teacher gave them marks fairly. (Indirect Question)
• Mr. Mrs. A.M. P.M. Etc. (Abbreviations)

Question Mark Rules

1. Only use question marks at the end of the direct question.
2. Never use it at the end of indirect or embedded questions in long sentences.

Example:

• Have you done your homework? (Direct Question)
• Boys were thinking about whether their teacher gave them marks fairly. (Indirect Question)

Exclamation Mark Rules

1. Use exclamation marks at the end of the sentences that show strong emotion, feelings, and emphasis.
2. Use exclamation marks rarely to give it a natural look.

Example:

• Congratulations on the wedding! (Strong Feelings)
• The match was fixed! (Emphasis)

Quotation Marks Rule

1. Use quotation marks in direct speech.
2. Use quotation marks in the title of any short work.

Example:

• He said, “I will go to the USA”. (Direct Speech)
• Critical Analysis of Tourist Spots in China. (Title)

Following the rules would help you perfectly punctuate the writing. But in order to ensure complete accuracy, use a grammar and punctuation checker tool.

14 Punctuation Marks With Examples

Understanding a punctuation mark and its usages is very important to improve your writing. Following are 14 punctuation marks that are used the most in English writing. Let’s take a look at the examples to learn more.

Comma (,)

Function: A comma is used to indicate pause, and separating items is a list. It is also used to partition the clauses in a compound sentence. 

Example:

As you can see, this statement, which was made by someone on the Internet, is wrong because it is missing a comma, and its entire meaning is lost.

Let’s take a look at how the perfect placement of commas can change the entire meaning of the sentence.

Look at this sentence with no comma. The meaning is completely changed and sounds horrific.

Now, look how using a comma has clarified the meaning.

Period (.)

Function: It marks the end of the sentence. Example: Let’s see what difference a period can make through this example.

Notice how the sentence seems incomplete and gives the impression that the writer still has something to say.

Now, the use of a period marks the end of the sentence, making it a statement.

Question Marks (?)

Function: Used to write or indicate the direct questions.

Example: “Do you play cricket”?

Let’s compare two sentences to understand the importance of question marks.

Without a question mark, it looks like a statement without any sign of concern.

Now this is the perfect question which shows your concern.

Colon (:)          

Function: it serves to insert the list, explanation, or quotation.

Example: “ Do not forget to read the following subjects: USA history, international economics, and mathematics.”

Let’s compare two sentences to see what impact a colon makes.

Now without a colon, it doesn’t seem like a list. The content is disoriented.

Now it’s perfectly organized and understandable.

Exclamation Mark (!)

Function: This symbol identifies strong emotions, emphasis, and surprise.

Example: “ Congratulations on winning the World Cup!”

Let’s compare:

Doesn’t seem too enthusiastic, right?

Now, that’s what we were talking about, a perfect exclamation of joy.

Parenthesis ()

Function: Writers use parentheses to insert additional information or explanations.

Example: “The USA (United States of America) is an economic superpower”.

Also:

Semicolon (;)

Function: The semicolons break or split the closely related independent clauses or lists when items contain commas.Example: “ She loves playing cricket ; her brother loves hockey.”

What Is – Used For In Writing?

The horizontal punctuation mark (-) is called a hyphen, which is used in writing to create compound words, prefixes, and suffixes, to connect two or more words to make a compound or hyphenated word. For example, Red-yellow, Father-in-law, In-depth, Self-esteem, Co-education, Co-existence, etc. This thin horizontal punctuation mark. It also spells out numbers such as fifty-one, seventy-four, twenty-two, etc.

What Are The Most Misused Punctuation Points?

Punctuation marks are a significant part of writing mechanics and conventions. They may seem easy and understandable but they are not that easy to use in the context when you are practicing. The question of what the most misused punctuation points and marks are has been asked in various popular forums.

Let’s not waste our time going into traditional discussions and seeing what the people on the internet are sharing from their experiences.

From Quora

Someone asked on Another Discussion Forum:

Let’s take a look at what experts say:

From Discussion Forums

Now let’s look at what Reddit users think are the most misused punctuation marks. So the thread originator asked:

The commenters went all out to state their opinion regarding punctuation marks, errors, and misuse.

An Assistance Call

Are you struggling to craft the best punctuated piece of writing? Yes, we understand that the English language and English writing assignments can be very challenging. So if you are confused, you can get help with English assignment from our professional writers for the best punctuation piece of writing. 

You Got The Punctuation Marks!

Punctuation characters are symbols writers use to bring proper structure, order, and clarity to the sentences. But before their usage, it is important to have a deep understanding of frequently used punctuation characters’ names and symbols. Make sure you know a punctuation mark and its usages before you incorporate it into your writing. Always remember that practice is the key and making mistakes is okay.