The
term ‘punctuation’ has its root in
the Latin word ‘punctum’. The meaning
of ‘punctum’ is ‘sign’. In a written language, some signs are used to indicate a
pause or ending of the sentence which are known to be punctuation marks. While
writing something, a writer should apply these signs properly to make his/her
writing easy to understand. The major punctuation marks used in written English
sentences are discussed below:
Full Stop (.)
1. Full
stop is used to close sentences. It indicates the longest pause. After a full
stop, a new sentence begins with a capital letter.
Example: I looked out of the window. It was snowing again.
2. Assertive, imperative and optative
sentences are always followed by a full stop.
Example: Read diligently.
May you have the thing you want.
3. Full stops are used after
abbreviations and initials.
Example: Prof. Mark is a man of cool personality.
Dr. Andrew is expert in surgery.
Commas (,)
Comma is generally used for a pause of limited duration.
This punctuation mark is extensively used in English. The uses of commas are
discussed below:
1. Commas separate each pair of words formed by
‘and’.
Example: High and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish, must
all die.
2. Before and after a case in apposition.
Example: Mr. Johnson, CEO of a manufacturing company, is
expected to come.
3. When a word is written twice, they are
separated by comma.
Example: The sky is far, far away.
4. Use commas to separate an adjective from
another adjective formed by ‘ly’.
Example: A lovely, black boy came to me and asked for help.
5. When a vocative case precedes a sentence,
comma is used after it. In case it takes place at the middle, it is enclosed by
commas.
Example: Brothers, please help me.
Tell me, my child, what your problem is.
6. Long coordinating clauses which are
connected with ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’ are usually separated by commas if they are
not very short.
Example: He has very little to live on, but he would never
think of adopting dishonest way.
7. When a subordinate clause begins a sentence,
it is followed by comma.
Example: Seeing him running, I ran after him.
8. Nominative absolute is always followed by
comma.
Example: The weather being rough, the program was postponed.
9. Commas are used to indicate the omission of
verb.
Example: John was given a book and Michael, a pen.
10. Commas are used before and after
parentheses.
Example: You are, in fact, a man of word.
He is, I think, going to recover.
11. When adverbial clauses or phrases begin
sentences, they are followed by commas.
Example: Disappointed of the job, he started a new business.
12. Small sentences which are not linked by
conjunctions are separated from each other by commas.
Example: I saw, I observed, I delivered my opinion.
13. After ‘be’ and other ‘linking verbs’,
commas are always used between adjectives.
Example: He has brought a green, red, Iranian carpet.
14. Commas are used to separate items in a series or
list. A comma is used with ‘and’ if the last two items are long.
Example: He bought a T-shirt, a trousers and a hat.
I spend my days playing football, listening to songs, and visiting to places of
natural beauty.
15. A comma is used between a reporting verb
and a reported speech.
Example: He cried, “Oh! How nice the pen is”.
If the reporting verb follows a reported speech, a
comma is used before the closing quotation mark.
Example: “I have finished reading the book”, said the boy.
16. Commas are always used in question tags.
Example: It’s time to leave, isn’t it?
Semicolon(;)
Semicolon is used when pause duration is more than a
comma and less than a full stop.
1. Semicolons are necessary to link two or
several independent clauses having close meaning.
Example: Some people walk in the morning; others do in the
evening.
2. While expressing contrast
or inference, semicolons are used in sentences beginning with yet, still,
otherwise, than, however, so, therefore etc.
Example: The boy was innocent; yet he was punished.
3. Semicolons are used to separate items in a
list which are grammatically complex.
Example: You can expect to have a good result on the
condition that you attend your classes regularly; that you study hard; that you
obey your parents and teachers.
4. Comparatively large compound sentence often
takes semicolons if there is no conjunction.
Example: I went to school; I attended all the classes; I
listened to my teachers’ lectures attentively.
Colons (:)
1. A colon is used to introduce an explanation.
It is also used to further details.
Example: I will not join the meeting: I am ill.
2. A colon is used to introduce a list of
things.
Example: He is a strong person: physically, mentally, and
morally.
3. A direct speech normally follows a comma,
but it may be introduced by a colon if the direct speech introduces a long
passage.
Example: Bacon says: “Reading maketh a full man; conference
a ready man; and writing an exact man”.
4. To subdivide a title or heading.
Example: Global warming: A terrifying warning
5. American usually put a colon after the
opening salutation in a business letter.
Example: Dear Mr. Robert:
You are, hereby, informed…….
Dashes (─)
1. To introduce an aftermath or something
surprising.
Example: I found him lying on the floor ─dead.
2. When several subjects, objects, complements
are arranged together they are followed by dashes.
Example: Relatives, friends and colleagues ─ all
were invited to the party.
3. To introduce a sudden change or alteration
of thoughts.
Example: If I had vast riches ─ but why should I lament
for this.
Hyphens(-)
Hyphens are short lines which are put between words
to form a new one. Hyphens are used in the following cases:
1. To form compound noun or adjectives.
Example: Blotting-paper, brother-in-law, an out-of-date idea
2. In number or fraction.
Example: Thirty-five, one-third
3. In words beginning with single letter.
Example: X-ray, A-class
4. When the middle of a compound sentence begins
with a capital letter.
Example: He is suspected to be an anti-British.
Inverted commas or Quotation marks (‘
’)/(“ ”)
1. Inverted commas are used to mark the
beginning and the end of a speech exactly as it is spoken.
Example: He said to me, “Don’t talk too much”.
2. For quotation inside quotation, we use
double quotation mark inside single or single quotation mark inside double.
Example: Father said to me, “Never say ‘It is impossible’”.
3. Inverted commas are used to mark the title
of stories, poems etc.
Example: “Hamlet” is written by Shakespeare.
4. To draw attention to specific words or
sentence.
Example: Still you are my ‘baby’.
Apostrophes (’)
1. Letters are replaced by apostrophes in
contracted forms.
Example: What’s (what is/has) happened to you?
What’s wrong with
you?
2. Adverbs or linking words sometimes have an
apostrophe in plural form.
Example: There are a lot of if’s and why’.
3. Used in possessive case.
Example: My uncle’s house is not big enough to accommodate
all.
4. To make plural of letter or figure.
Example: Four 5’s make twenty.
5. Used in abbreviations.
Example: There are many PhD’s in our university.
Question Marks (?)
1. Interrogation sign is used to ask direct
question.
Example: Why did you do that?
2. To imply something that is uncertain.
Example: He visited Dhaka on July (?).
He draws salary $1000 (?) per month.
Note of Exclamation (!)
1. Note of exclamation is used to imply fear,
surprise, exhilaration or grief.
Example: Alas! I have lost everything.
2. Sometime used after vocative case to put
emphasis on it.
Example: Oh my God! Please help me.
Parentheses or Brackets ( )/[ ]
1. To explain something.
Example: I have lost all I had in the money bag (tk1000).
2. To enclose a phrase or clause that stands
apart from the main sentence.
Example: Kabir invented (such is the power of genius)
vehicle tracker without academic knowledge.
Asterisk (*)
1.
Used before
a word to indicate a foot note. The foot note gives further information about
the thing previously spoken of.
Example: This is an extract
from *The Tempest.
*a romantic comedy by
Shakespeare.