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G7 Punctuation Marks

Punctuation marks are used to structure sentences and indicate meaning. The basic punctuation marks are the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, and colon. Each mark has a specific purpose - the period ends a statement, question marks indicate a question, exclamation points show strong emotion, commas separate parts of sentences, semicolons join two related independent clauses, and colons introduce a list or explanation. The document provides examples and guidelines for using each punctuation mark correctly.

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127 views3 pages

G7 Punctuation Marks

Punctuation marks are used to structure sentences and indicate meaning. The basic punctuation marks are the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, and colon. Each mark has a specific purpose - the period ends a statement, question marks indicate a question, exclamation points show strong emotion, commas separate parts of sentences, semicolons join two related independent clauses, and colons introduce a list or explanation. The document provides examples and guidelines for using each punctuation mark correctly.

Uploaded by

Eman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Focus: Punctuation Marks

Punctuation is the system of signs or symbols given to a reader to show how a


sentence is constructed and how it should be read.

Every sentence should include at least a capital letter at the start, and a full stop,
exclamation mark or question mark at the end. This basic system indicates that
the sentence is complete.

 The Basic Signs of Punctuation

1. Comma ,
2. Full stop .
3. Exclamation mark !
4. Question mark ?
5. Semi-colon ;
6. Colon :

1. Comma (,)
The comma is useful in a sentence when the writer wishes to:

 pause before proceeding


 add a phrase that does not contain any new subject
Example: The boy, who knew that his mother was about to arrive, ran quickly
towards the opening door.

 separate items on a list


Example: The shopping trolley was loaded high with bottles of juice, fruit,
vegetables, toilet rolls, cereals and cartons of milk.

 use more than one adjective (a describing word, like beautiful)


Example: The boy was happy, eager and full of anticipation at the start of his
summer holiday.
As commas represent a pause, it is good practice to read your writing out loud
and listen to where you make natural pauses as you read it.  More often than
not, you will indicate where a comma should be placed by a natural pause. 
2. Full Stop (.)
A full stop should always be used to end a sentence.  The full stop indicates that
a point has been made and that you are about to move on to further
explanations or a related point.
Less frequently, a series of three full stops (an ellipsis) can be used to indicate
where a section of a quotation has been omitted when it is not relevant to the
text, for example:
“The boy was happy… at the start of his summer holiday.”

3. Exclamation Mark (!)


An exclamation mark indicates strong feeling within a sentence, such as fear,
anger or love.
For example: “Help!”
In this way, it can also be used to indicate a sharp instruction “Stop! Police!”
or to indicate humor “Ha! Ha! Ha!” 
The exclamation mark at the end of a sentence means that you do not need a
full stop.
Exclamation marks are a poor way of emphasizing what you think are important
points in your written assignments; the importance of the point will emphasize
itself without a sequence of !!! in the text. An exclamation mark should only be
used when absolutely essential, or when taken from a direct quote.
The exclamation mark should be used sparingly in formal and semi-formal
writing.

4. Question Mark (?)


The question mark simply indicates that a sentence is asking a question.  It
always comes at the end of a sentence.
For example: Are we at the end?
5. Semi-colon (;)
The semi-colon is perhaps the most difficult sign of punctuation to use
accurately.  If in doubt, avoid using it and convert the added material into a new
sentence.
As a general rule, the semi-colon is used in the following ways:
 When joining two connected sentences.
Example: We set out at dawn; the weather looked promising.
 To assemble detailed lists.
Example: The conference was attended by delegates from Paris, France; Paris,
Texas; London, UK; Stockholm, Sweden; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Mumbai, India.

6. Colon (:)
The colon within a sentence makes a very pointed pause between two phrases. 
There are two main uses of the colon:
 It is most commonly used when listing.
Example: She placed the following items into the trolley: fruit, vegetables, toilet
rolls, cereals and cartons of milk.
 It can be used within a heading, or descriptive title.
Example: Human Resource Management: Guidelines for Telephone Advisers

 Add a suitable punctuation mark to the following sentences.


1. I am so excited to see my family for Christmas ______
2. Where is an exciting place to visit ______
3. Make sure to complete all your homework on time ______
4. Terry Sam and Jeremy went to the movies together ______
5. Wow ______ What a wonderful event _____
6. My friend was feeling sick _____ I walked her to the nurse’s office.

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