Hi! In this blog post we are going to look at the 14 punctuation marks that are commonly used in English grammar.






So, before that let us understand what is punctuation? and why do we use it?

Punctuation is the conventional sign or we can say punctuation marks these signs are look like these which you can see right below to this paragraph.


Punctuation shows how the sentence should be read and it makes the meaning clear.

Let's meet the 14 punctuation marks so let's have a look on the 1st punctuation marks on our list is

1. Full Stop/ Period

It looks just like a dot and this is the most popular punctuation mark because you simply cannot write a single sentence without using it.

There are two most common uses of a full stop: 

It helps to indicate the end of a sentence and 

2. It helps to follow an abbreviation.

So, before going to further let's have a look on some examples

a) I like to eat pizza.

b) School starts on Wednesday.

c) The baby's name is Lisa.

Ok so let's have a look on some examples of period which follow an abbreviation. 

The full stop in abbreviations which include the first and last letters of a single word such as Mr. Mrs. Dr. and St.


2. Comma

We use comma in a sentence to show a pause it may connect two parts of a sentence or else separate items in a list.

 ok so let's see the different use of comma 

I) Separate a series of words 

We use comma between words in a series.

Notice that a comma does not follow the last word in the series.

Let me make it more clear with examples: 

a) He was tall, dark and handsome.

b) Do you want some cakes, candies or ice cream.

So, if you see in the first example you will find the sentence that we haven't put comma after dark and before handsome. Why we did it? because handsome is the last word of the sentence and we mostly use 'and' to separate two items as it is on the last.

Comma is also helps to separate Dates, Years, addresses...

For an example 

• We will meet on Friday, July 15.

• I was born in August 21st, 1998. 

and it also helps to separate the quoted part.

For an example:

a) He asked, "Do you want to go with me?

• The teacher asked, Do you love English?"

As we have just discussed where is necessary to use, but when we should not use comma in a sentence.

We should avoid to use comma when there are only two items in a list.

Let me give you an example:

• From the store I just need to pick up lipstick, and eyeshadow.

This one is wrong because there is comma after the lipstick whether there is only two items in a list then correct one will be look like this sentence.

• From the store I just need to pick up lipstick and eyeshadow.

3. Question marks

A question mark as its name suggests it's a punctuation mark that indicates a question which look like this the question mark is used at end of a direct question

Indirect question take a period which we have just discussed at the starting of this blog post

Let's have a look on some examples where we use question mark at the end of a sentence

We also call this type of sentence and interrogative sentence which contains a direct question

1. Where do you live?

2. What kind of music do you want to dance to?

3. Who finished your mail today raise your hands?

For more information you can watch the video of how to ask questions in English on our YouTube channel is uploaded earlier when I was saying about the information that how can we frame a sentence which is a question

4. Exclamation mark

An exclamation mark added at the end of a sentence which shows emphasis which means a word which is spoken in stress should be applied to a given word depending on the meaning of sentence it can indicate anger happiness excitement or any other strong emotion

The exclamation mark is used at the end of a strong command

For an example

Just shut up don't say anymore

2. Go away I don't want to talk to you

3. It is my room get off my bed I have to sleep

#the exclamation mark is also used at the end of an interjection

For an example

Pouch that hurt stop pinching me

This show is about to start it indicate for a silence

Wow that is really good news

5. Quotation marks

As their name suggests "indicate direct quotations you can also use them to show that a word or a phrase is being used ironically or for titles of articles book chapters episodes of a TV show etc.


"Also known as coats court marks speech marks inverted commas or talking marks are punctuation marks used in pairs in various writing systems to set of direct speech a quotation for a phrase

Now let's have a look on that how can we use quotation marks

Let's say you want to write about something you heard your friends say

You could do it like this

For an example

Rohan said I really hate when it's hot outside

You can also write about the same thing without using the quotation marks with a couple of changes

For an example

Rohan said he hated when it was hot outside

This the first sentence contains a direct quote a quote in which you report the exact words Rohan used.

The second sentence contains an indirect quote which is a paraphrased version of what Rohan said

"Are used only with the direct quote

So now let's finish this topic with couple of examples

We use quotation marks to emphasize a word

1. He had a chat with the neighbours yesterday

Now we are going to tell you how can you use quotation mark to give someone a special description

His name is Rahul impossible Roy.

6. Apostrophe

An apostrophe shows ownership or missing letters it has two very important uses


An apostrophe is a punctuation which has the three main uses

Let's dive into 8 to take out the exact operation of it

1. An apostrophe is used to form possessive nouns

So now the question is what is possessive noun?

Latest understand with simple words or definition

A possessive nouns are nouns that shows ownership or possession normally these words would be a singular or plural noun but in the possessive form they are used as adjective to modify another a noun or a pronoun

For an example

The cats for is a matted mess

Here is the word cats is a position now it is letting you know that the noun for belongs to the cat it means the cat owns the word ok


So let me help you to make it make you understand with some more examples

The newspapers column

Here I am talking about the column of the newspaper.

We use apostrophe for showing possession by a singular noun and we have to add as to the singular form of the word even if it ends with the letter has bracket close

Foreign example

1. This one is owners car

2. This is James is hat

Sunao as we have discussed to the use of position in singular noun so let's have a look on the use of position with plural nouns

Adding as to the end of plural nouns that end in s

Example

I get the invitation from three friends today

I have gotten the work to clean the houses roof

Add s to the last noun in a group to show joint position of an object

Such as it was the Rahul and Rohan apartment

Second use of apostrophe is to show omission of letters of something so commission means exclusion for deletion of something

For an example

If we contract do not by excluding the word then we will get don't with the apostrophe

Hear the apostrophe shows this omission

Let's have a look on more examples:

Should not will be this shouldn't

Did not will be the didn't

You know what contractions are common only in speaking and informal writing be aware of while using it don't use it in formal writing


Apostrophe is also used to form plural of letters numbers or symbols

Although apostrophe are usually not used to form plurals they are inserted in the creation of progress of numbers letters and symbols

Such as for making the plural of letters I have to add as with a apostrophe like

If I want to write two letters that happen to both BA then I will write to A's

Have a look on examples

Neeta got is on her Biology quizzes

Similarly we do this with the number to form it plural

Example

There are 65 in my SSN

125-45-5755

Here the 65 denotes the plural which has the 6 number that are each five

Note: don't use apostrophe for possessive pronouns for noun plurals

Possessive pronouns such as his her it's my yours and ask with these we don't use apostrophe by contracting it

For an example

The group made its decision

Note its is the contraction meaning of it is

7. Hyphen

Even thought it looks very similar to a dash a-has very different uses

It is most commonly used to create compound words

In simple words it helps to join the words together

While we usually refer to it as the dash the hyphen is a handy tool for making more sense out of various terms if it were not for-many sentences would have a different meaning

For an example

I saw Rahul driving his little used car today (this sentence is implying that Rahul was driving a used car that is very small)

Let's see the another one but with the hyphen

I saw Rahul driving his little used car today (the-makes it clear that Rahul is driving his little used or rarely used vehicle)

The-combines two similar words or two words that make more sense when connected

For example

I saw a truck driver today

Rahul Rohan loves to eat ice cream

Now the question will arise that when we should use a hyphen

Let's have a look one by one the use of hyphen

1. Using a hyphen to join compound number

Using a hyphen with compound number or only number is relative Li straight forward whenever we spell a number greater than 20 v hyphenated

For example

My grandfather is 92 years old

I am 21 years old

2. Splitting syllable at the end of lines

We often use the hyphen to break a word into two parts when there is no additional space to complete the term

Various sources dictate that we should use the hyphen to splits labels in case of shortage of space but it is purely circumstantial and varies from person to person

For example

Which kind of chocolate do you like

I too have some important work at workplace with my colleagues

3. Enunciation[say aur pronounce clearly]

Writers may also use high funds for the initiation of words it means to pronounce clearly that word whenever we have to teach someone how to pronounce a particular word we slowly pronounce it to make it easier to understand

Not consider this example and try to have a practice with it

Singh ne Kant makes significant

Significant means is having a particular meaning for indicating of something

So as we have completed our half journey of 14 punctuation