10 Most Common Punctuation Marks in English

In this lesson we will study 10 most common punctuation marks in English. Punctuation marks are symbols that we use in writing to clarify the meaning of a sentence. They help us to make sure that our sentences are clear, concise, and easy to understand. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the most common punctuation marks and learn what they do. Let’s get started!

What are Punctuation Marks in English?

Punctuation marks are those little symbols that we use in writing to make our meaning clearer. They help us to structure and organize our thoughts, as well as to express emotions. In this post, we’re going to take a look at the different punctuation marks and what they do. what punctuation marks are? Many people don’t seem to understand their purpose. This post will teach you all about punctuation marks and how to use them in your writing. Punctuation marks are those little symbols that help us to clearly communicate our thoughts in writing. They can make a big difference in the clarity and tone of your message. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the most common punctuation marks, what they mean, and how to use them correctly. So let’s get started!

10 Punctuation Marks in English

Full Stop

A full stop is a punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence. It is also known as a period. A full stop is the punctuation for indicating that a sentence has ended. In English, it’s usually written as a period or an ellipsis (…).

In American English, periods are used at the end of every sentence except questions and exclamations; in British English, this varies depending on whether the closing statement of one sentence immediately precedes another statement starting with “also” or not.

For example: I like also reading; I also watch TV; I’m not sure if he likes cycling too. If both sentences are independent clauses then either type of ending would be correct, but if they form a single thought then only use parents around … to make your meaning clear.

Comma

A comma is a punctuation mark (,) that signals a pause in a sentence. It is used to separate independent clauses, items in a list, or modifiers and appositives from the nouns they modify or are apposed to.

A comma is one of the most commonly used punctuation marks. It is used to indicate a pause in writing. For ESL students, it is important to use commas correctly when writing in English to ensure clear communication. A comma can be used in a variety of ways, including:

-To separate items in a list

-To separate adjectives before a noun

-To introduce or interrupt dialogue

-To set off an introductory phrase or clause

Question Mark

A question mark (?) is used after a sentence or clause that asks a question. It can also be used in indirect questions.

ESL students should use question marks to show the reader that they are asking a question. For example, if they are not sure about the grammar of a sentence, they can put a question mark at the end of the sentence to indicate to the reader that there might be an error.

Question marks can also be used in indirect questions. An indirect question is a sentence that contains a question even though it is not written as a question. For example, “Can you tell me what time it is?” is an indirect question. Indirect questions usually begin with words like “would,” “could,” should,” etc.

Semicolon

Semicolons are used to separate two closely related sentences, phrases or words that belong together. They can be used in conjunction with commas and periods as well as other punctuation marks such as colon, semicolon and question mark.

In English grammar, a semicolon is typically followed by a comma if it follows immediately after the word or phrase it separates; but if there is no comma following the word/phrase on which it falls then neither a comma nor any other kind of punctuation is required (though some style guides prescribe adding one).

Colon

A colon is a punctuation mark used to introduce a list. It’s most commonly used in writing, but it can also be found in some other forms of punctuation such as the spoken word and mathematics.

In English, if you want to include items that are not related by any relation (such as phrases or clauses) then you need an extra “non-essential” item at the end of your list which will make readers know they’ve reached the end and stop reading – this is where colons come into play. However, if all these items are essential parts of what you’re describing then there’s no need for this extra non-essential bit at the end because your reader should already understand from having read enough.

Exclamation Mark

The exclamation mark (!) is a punctuation mark that indicates strong feelings or excitement. It is used after shouts, screams, or expressions of happiness.

For ESL students, it is important to know when and where to use the exclamation mark. In general, it should be used sparingly and only in places where it would genuinely reflect the tone of what you are writing. Be aware of the cultural connotations of the exclamation mark as well – in some cultures, overuse of this punctuation mark can make you seem like a loud and obnoxious person!

Apostrophe

An apostrophe is primarily used in contractions, or to show possession. For example, “I’m” is a contraction for “I am”, and “John’s” shows that John has something. Apostrophes can also be used to make a word plural, as in “don’t” becomes “don’ts”.

Apostrophes are often confused with hyphens, which are used to join words together. Hyphens are also used in numbers (such as phone numbers), and in compound adjectives (such as “red-haired”).

Quotation Mark

Quotation marks are used to enclose text that the author wants to make special or significant, and to show that what follows is a direct quote from someone else. The most common type of quotation mark in punctuation is the single (“), which looks like this: “. If you want to use two (″) for emphasis, or if your language doesn’t have these types of quotes available, then you’ll need to use something else like periods or commas instead.

Parenthesis

A parenthesis is a punctuation mark that looks like this: ( ). It is used to set off material that is not essential to the understanding of the sentence. Parentheses can be used to enclose information that is helpful to the reader but that could be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Parentheses are also called “round brackets” or “curved brackets”. Square brackets [ ] are a different type of bracket which are used for quoting text or for adding extra information to a sentence.

Hyphen

A hyphen is a punctuation mark that is used to join two words or parts of a word. It is also used to separate numbers and adjectives.

ESL students can use a hyphen to connect two words that together make up one idea. For example, the word “writer-director” would be connected with a hyphen because those are two professions that the person has. Another example would be the word “mother-in-law” which would be connected because it is one woman who has both roles.

A hyphen can also be used when a number is spelled out. For example, if someone says “forty-two,” you would use a hyphen because when numbers are spelled out.

Next Read:- Modal with Examples

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