This document discusses various punctuation marks used in writing, including commas, question marks, exclamation marks, semicolons, colons, apostrophes, quotation marks, hyphens, parentheses, brackets, carets, full stops, and slashes. For each punctuation mark, examples of proper usage are provided. The purpose and function of each mark is explained in one to three sentences.
3. Comma ( , )
“comma” is used to show a slight pause.
It is used to group words that belong
together and to separate those that do
not.
Dear sir,
Yours faithfully,
20th Jan,2016
4. Question Mark(?)
Use a question mark (?) to indicate a direct
question when placed at the end of a
sentence.
Why What when where How
5. Exclamation mark (!)
Exclamation means a expression of
feeling of surprise, wonder or other
sudden, unexpected and unheard
feelings.
Examples:
Stop!
Look!
Listen!
Oh!
Ah!
6. Semi-colon (;)
To complete a sentence, the mark of semi-
colon is used. it is used to separate a
compound sentence transition and items of a
series.
The words such as however , therefore , hence
, thus , besides are used after a sentence
Example:
There was an earthquake ; however no loss
of life.
7. Colon(:)
This punctuation indicates a closing of a
sentence. It is used to separate sentences
like units within a sentence or before a list.
Examples:
To:
CC:
From:
Subject:
8. Apostrophe(‘)
An apostrophe (‘) is used to indicate the
omission of a letter or letters from a word,
Usage of Apostrophe:
>Possesive Apostrophe
Examples- Teacher’s table, Company’s
name, Officer’s chamber
>Apostrophe is placed after the letter ‘S’ in
case noun is a plural.
Examples: Workers 'problems, Students’
research, Customers’ demand, companies
'annual report
9. >Apostrophe is used before the letter ‘s’ in the
case of plural nouns which do not have ‘S’.
Examples:
Children’s problems
Women’s university
Men’s hostel
Omitted Letters:
Examples:
She will – She’ll
did not – didn’t
would not- Wouldn’t
We are- we’re
10. Quotation Marks/Inverted Commas(“”)
Used to indicate the exact words of the writer or speaker.
And they are repeated by someone
Quotation marks are used to enclose a direct quotation.
Examples:
I asked “who is the class teacher of your class.”
The inspector asked , “who is your employer? What is his
name”?
11. Hyphen(-)
It is used to join two parts of a word or phrase
particularly a compound noun.
To divide a word, between two adjectives and
to clarify the meaning.
Examples:
Co-exist
First-in-first-out
12. Parenthesis( )
This is used to separate the words or group
of words within a sentence from the rest of a
sentence.
13. Bracket [ ]
This is used to enclose or group together one
or more words, symbols
It is also used to enclose figures or words
already in parenthesis.
[ ( ) ]
14. Caret (^) :
It is a mark used in printing or typing to carry
out a correction to show where to insert
words, figures etc., missed originally.
15. Full stop(.)
This mark indicates the end of a sentence, or
abbreviation to separate sentences.
16. Slash(/)
Slash is used to separate words or to show
omission.
Usage of Slash
i. To show omission: c/o- “In care of”
ii. To indicate Numbers: ¾ indicating fractions
1/18/2016 indicating
dates
