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Punctuation

Punctuation is the system of symbols (. , ! - : etc) that we use to separate sentences and parts of sentences, and to make their meaning clear. Each symbol is called a "punctuation mark".

Full Stop or Period

1. Use a full stop at the end of a sentence:

The man arrived. He sat down.

2. Use full stops with abbreviations (in an abbreviation the last letter of the word and of the abbreviation are not the same):

Co. (Company)

etc. (et cetera)

M.P. (Member of Parliament)

3. Do not use full stops with contractions (in a contraction the last letter of the word and of the contraction are the same):

Ltd (Limited)

Dr (Doctor)

St (Saint)

Question Mark

The main function of a question mark is to indicate a question or query.

1. Use a question mark at the end of all direct questions:

• What is your name?
• How much money did you transfer?
• Did you send euro or dollars?

2. Use a question mark after a tag question:

• You're French, aren't you?
• Snow isn't green, is it?
• He should go and see a doctor, shouldn't he?

3. Don't forget to use a question mark at the end of a sentence that really is a direct question:

• How else would I get there, after all?
• What if I said to you, "I don't love you any more"?
• "Who knows when I'll die?", he asked rhetorically.

4. In very informal writing (personal letter or email), people sometimes use a question mark to turn a statement into a question:

• See you at 9pm?

In the same situation, they may use two or three question marks together to show that they are not sure about something:

• I think you said it would cost $10???

5. Do not use a question mark after an indirect or reported question:

• The teacher asked them what their names were. (What are your names?)
• John asked Mary if she loved him. (Do you love me?)
• I'm wondering if she's coming. (Is she coming?)

6. Many polite requests or instructions are made in the form of a question. But because they are not really questions, they do not take a question mark:

• Could you please send me your catalogue.
• Would all first-class and business-class passengers now start boarding.

7. Be careful with titles and abbreviations when question marks are involved:

• "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" was a play before it was a film.
• Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a play before it was a film.
• Have you seen the film "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?"?
• Have you seen the film Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf??
• Have you ever been to L.A.?

Exclamation Mark Called Exclamation Point in American English

An exclamation mark usually shows strong feeling, such as surprise, anger or joy. Using an exclamation mark when writing is rather like shouting or raising your voice when speaking. Exclamation marks are most commonly used in writing quoted speech. You should avoid using exclamation marks in formal writing, unless absolutely necessary.

1. Use an exclamation mark to indicate strong feelings or a raised voice in speech:

• She shouted at him, "Go away! I hate you!"
• He exclaimed: "What a fantastic house you have!"
• "Good heavens!" he said, "Is that true?"
• "Help!"
• "Shut up!"
• "Stop!"

2. Many interjections need an exclamation mark:

• "Hi! What's new?"
• "Oh! When are you going?"
• "Ouch! That hurt."

3. A non-question sentence beginning with "what" or "how" is often an exclamation and requires an exclamation mark:

• What idiots we are! (We are such idiots.)
• How pretty she looked in that dress! (She looked very pretty in that dress.)

4. In very informal writing (personal letter or email), people sometimes use two or more exclamation marks together:

• I met John yesterday. He is so handsome!!!
• Remember, don't be late!!
• I'll never understand this language!!!!

Slash

The slash (/) is also known as: forward slash, stroke, oblique. You should use the slash with care in formal writing.

1. A slash is often used to indicate "or":

• Dear Sir/Madam (Sir or Madam)
• Please press your browser's Refresh/Reload button. (Refresh or Reload)
• The speech will be given by President/Senator Clinton. (President Clinton or Senator Clinton)
• Mary will eat cake and/or fruit. (Mary will eat cake, or Mary will eat fruit, or Mary will eat cake and fruit.)

Do not over-use the slash to indicate "or". It can suggest laziness on the part of the writer. The "and/or" construction is widely considered to be very bad form.

2. Use a slash for fractions:

• 1/2 (one half)
• 2/3 (two thirds)
• 9/10 (nine tenths)

3. Use a slash to indicate "per" in measurements of speed, prices etc:

• The speed limit is 100 km/h. (kilometres per hour)
• He can type at 75 w/m. (words per minute)
• The eggs cost $3/dozen. ($3 per dozen)
• They charge €1.50/litre for petrol. (€1.50 per litre)

4. People often use a slash in certain abbreviations:

• This is my a/c number. (account)
• John Brown, c/o Jane Green (care of)
• n/a (not applicable, not available)
• w/o (without)

5. A slash is often used in dates to separate day, month and year:

• On credit card: Expires end 10/15 (October 2015)
• He was born on 30/11/2007. (30th November 2007 - BrE)
• It was invented on 11/30/2007. (November 30th, 2007 - AmE)

Backslash

The backslash is not really an English punctuation mark. It is a typographical mark used mainly in computing. It is called a "backslash" because it is the reverse of the slash (/) or forward slash.

The backslash is used in several computer systems, and in many programming languages such as C and Perl. It is commonly seen in Windows computers:

• C:\Users\Win\Files\jse.doc

Do not confuse the backslash (\) with the slash (/) or forward slash.

Although it is not really an English punctuation mark, the backslash is included on these pages for completeness.

Brackets/Round Brackets or Parentheses

Round brackets are basically used to add extra information to a sentence. Look at these examples:

British English
()=brackets or round brackets

American English
() = parentheses

1. explain or clarify
• Tony Blair (the former British prime minister) resigned from office in 2007.
2. indicate "plural or singular"
• Please leave your mobile telephone(s) at the door.
3. add a personal comment
• Many people love parties (I don't).
4. define abbreviations
• The matter will be decided by the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

Ellipsis Mark

The ellipsis mark consists of three dots (periods). We use the ellipsis mark in place of missing words. If we intentionally omit one or more words from an original text, we replace them with an ellipsis mark.

The ellipsis mark is also called a "suspension point" or "dot dot dot".

• Suppose we want to quote "The film focussed on three English learners from Asia who were studying at university." Perhaps we want to omit "from Asia who were" to save space. So we write:
  
  "The film focussed on three English learners...studying at university."
  
  The new sentence still makes sense, but the ellipsis mark shows the reader that something is missing.

We sometimes also use an ellipsis mark to indicate a pause when someone is speaking, or an unfinished sentence. Look at these examples:

• She turned to James and said, "Darling, there is something...I need to tell you. I have never felt like...like this before."
• "It's not easy to explain. It's not..." Her voice trailed away as emotion welled up within her.

Quotation Marks (double, single)

We use quotation marks to show (or mark) the beginning and end of a word or phrase that is somehow special or comes from outside the text that we are writing. Quotation marks can be double ("...") or single ('...') - that is really a matter of style (but see below for more about this).

Quotation marks are also called "quotes" or "inverted commas".

1. Use quotation marks around the title or name of a book, film, ship etc:

• The second most popular book of all time, "Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung", has sold over 800,000,000 copies and was formerly known as "The Red Book".
• 'Titanic' is a 1997 movie directed by James Cameron about the sinking of the ship 'Titanic'.

Note that in the above case, we may use "italics" instead of quotation marks. So the above examples would then appear as:

• The second most popular book of all time, Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung, has sold over 800,000,000 copies and was formerly known as The Red Book.
• Titanic is a 1997 movie directed by James Cameron about the sinking of the ship Titanic.

Obviously, the use of italics is not possible in handwriting or with old-style typewriters.

2. We use quotation marks around a piece of text that we are quoting or citing, usually from another source:

• In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language, David Crystal argues that punctuation "plays a critical role in the modern writing system".

3. Use quotation marks around dialogue or direct speech:

• It was a moonlit night. James opened the door and stepped onto the balcony, followed by Mary. They stood in silence for a few moments, looking at the moon. Then Mary turned to him and said: "Do you love me, James?"

4. Use quotation marks around a word or phrase that we see as slang or jargon:

• The police were called to a "disturbance" - which in reality was a pretty big fight.

5. Use quotation marks around a word or phrase that we want to make "special" in some way:

• Note that sometimes we use "italics" instead of quotation marks.

Double or single quotation marks?

Quotation marks can be double ("-") or single ('-'). If we want to use quotation marks inside quotation marks, then we use single inside double, or double inside single.

• He said to her: "I thought 'Titanic' was a good film."
• He said to her: 'I thought "Titanic" was a good film.'

Punctuation inside or outside final quotation mark?

If the quoted words end with a full stop, then the full stop goes inside the quotation marks. If the quoted words do not end with a full stop, then the full stop goes outside the quotation marks:

• He said: "I love you."
• She has read "War and Peace".

Note that in US English, the full stop usually goes inside the quotation marks in all cases:

• He said: "I love you."
• She has read "War and Peace."

However, US English adopts the British style for question marks and exclamation marks:

• He said: "Do you love me?"
• Have you read "War and Peace"?
• Can you imagine? He has never read "War and Peace"!

How do we indicate quotation marks when speaking?

People may say "quote, unquote" or "open quotes, close quotes" when reading aloud texts containing quotation marks:

• On page two it says, quote, Now is the time to invest, unquote.
• On page two it says, open quotes, Now is the time to invest, close quotes.

"Quote, unquote" may also be said informally in front of rather than around the quoted words:

• The brochure describes the car as, quote, unquote, total luxury.

"Quote, unquote" is sometimes used to mock or show disapproval or disbelief:

• Then he arrived with his quote, unquote new girlfriend.

People sometimes say "in quotes" (often putting up their two hands with two fingers extended on each hand, like quotation marks), indicating that the words came from another source, or in a mocking way, or suggesting that they don't quite believe what they have just said:

• Then he arrived with his new girlfriend, in quotes.