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There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in the English language. They are: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis.

If you want to make your writing easier to read and generally look more professional, you should know what each one is and how to use them.

Don't worry, we'll break down each punctuation mark and show you exactly how and when to use it.

The 14 Punctuation Marks with Examples

We can break down the punctuation marks into five categories, as follows:

Sentence endings: period, question mark, exclamation point

Comma, colon, and semicolon

Dash and hyphen

Brackets, braces, and parentheses

Apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipsis

Each category serves its own purpose within a sentence or a text. While there are some differences between American and British punctuation styles, here we'll focus on the main examples instead of breaking down the slight differences. Let's take a closer look at each punctuation mark and its usages.

This one is probably the most straightforward. Also referred to as a full stop, the period denotes the end of a sentence. A full sentence is considered as one that is complete and declarative.

Here's an example of a period at the end of a sentence:

Periods are also used in abbreviations, such as in names or titles.

Here are examples of how to use a period in abbreviations:

Dr. Smith read his patient's chart.

Mr. H. Potter opened his front door.

Question Mark (?)

A question mark also ends a sentence, however it ends a sentence that is a direct question. Typically, sentences that are questions begin with what, how, when, where, why, or who.

Here's how to use a question mark in a sentence:

How do you like your eggs?

Why didn't you like the movie last night?

Generally, a question mark also denotes a shift in tone in a sentence if it's being read out loud, so this is something to take note of.

Exclamation Point (!)

An exclamation point or exclamation mark is also used at the end of a sentence when that sentence expresses an intense emotion. The expression can be a variety of things, from excitement, disgust, anger, joy, or anything else. Exclamation points are meant to add emphasis to a sentence.

Here's how to use one in a sentence:

"Look out behind you!" she yelled.

I'm so excited to go to the park tomorrow!

Commas are used to insert a pause into a sentence. The purpose of the pause can be for different reasons, such as to separate ideas, phrases, or even alter the structure of a sentence.

Commas have a few different uses. Commas are used for a direct address, such as:

They're also used to separate two complete sentences:

He went to the library, and then he went out for lunch.

Commas can also be used to list items in a sentence:

She went shopping and bought shoes, a dress, two shirts, and a pair of pants.

Commas are one of the most misused punctuation points, and its misuse often results in a comma splice. A comma splice is when you join two independent clauses with a comma instead of a conjunction. For example:

Oxford commas are often debated within academics and the English language, and using one often comes down to preference. An Oxford comma is when a final comma is placed on the last item of a list. For example:

He likes to eat fruits, cake, vegetables, and pasta.

A colon has three primary uses. One way to use it is when introducing something, such as a quote, an example, a series, or an explanation.

She took four classes last semester: history, biology, arts, and economics.

A colon can also be used to link two independent clauses if the second clause clarifies or completes the first one. For example:

Similar to a colon, a semicolon links two independent clauses. However, in this case, the clauses are more closely related than when you would use a colon. For example:

I have a meeting tomorrow morning; I can't go out tonight.

Both clauses are independent enough to be their own sentences, but instead of using a period, it's possible to use a semicolon to show both clauses are connected.

Another less common use for semicolons is within a list that uses commas. Have a look:

Last summer we traveled to London, England; Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Athens, Greece.

There are two types of dashes that vary in size and use.

En dash: Typically shorter in length, the en dash is used to denote a range, such as between numbers or dates. For example:

The company was operational from 1990-2000.

He took the Chicago-New York train last night.

Em dash: this dash is longer, and is sometimes used instead of other punctuation marks, like commas, colons, or parentheses. Here's an example:

Not to be confused with a dash, a hyphen is used in compound words when two or more words are connected. Here are some examples of hyphenated words:

Brackets are used to clarify something or for technical terms or explanations. It can also be used to clarify a subject when quoting another person or text. For example:

She [Mrs. Smith] agrees that cats are better than dogs.

Adam said that "[summer] is my favorite time of year."

It's unlikely you'll need to use braces very often unless you're writing a mathematical or technical text. However, it's still good to know so you don't accidentally use them instead of brackets or parentheses. Braces are usually used in operations, for example:

Parentheses (( ))

Parentheses are used to supply further details or information or as an aside. Parentheses can often be replaced with commas and the sentence would retain its same meaning. Here's an example:

Kate (who is Matt's wife) likes to go for walks.

Apostrophe (')

Apostrophes are meant to show that a letter or letters have been omitted and also to indicate the possessive or contractions. It can also be used to pluralize lowercase letters. Here are some examples:

Quotation Marks (")

Quotation marks are used to denote text, speech, or words spoken by someone else. It is also used to indicate dialogue.

"I don't like this," said Mark.

She told him that she "prefers not to think about that."

Single quotation marks (' '), not to be confused with apostrophes, are often used for a quote within a quote.

Jill told her mother "Jack ran up the hill and he said he was going to 'fetch a pail of water' before he fell."

An ellipsis is three periods used together to represent an omission of words or letters. They are often used to jump from one sentence or phrase to another while omitting unnecessary or obvious words. It's also used when quoting someone and unnecessary words are left out.

Here are some examples:

At midnight, she began to count down: "ten, nine, eight..." and then the ball dropped.

When Martin Luther King said "I have a dream..." he was talking about civil rights and an end to racism.

Now that you've learned more about what are the 14 punctuation marks and you're able to use them, you'll be a much stronger overall writer. If you're a student who needs some extra help with grammar or punctuation, you can always find help through your school.

At University of the People, our student support advisors can offer you help with your writing skills among a number of other things.

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What Are The 14 Punctuation Marks You Need To Know? | UoPeople

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There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in the English language. They are: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis. If you want to make your writing easier to read and generally look more professional, you should know what each one is and how to use them.

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PUNCTUATION 📚 | English Grammar | How to use punctuation correctly

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings.

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings.

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Using different types of punctuation marks we can see that the meaning of the prayer changes, so we say that using the punctuation marks is a powerful tool.

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings.

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings.

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With the correct use of the comas the girl is able to help to arrest the thief, but did not use the coma to separate the sentence, therefore the policeman did what he asked, help the thief to escape, excellent!

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings. 

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings. 

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Like the first example, the first sentence invites us to eat our grandmother, with the correct use of the coma we can save our grandmother’s life from being dinner.

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings. 

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Examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation marks leads to misunderstandings. 

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Without the correct use of punctuation marks we can understand that the first sentnce makes us an invitation to eat kids, which no one should ever do.
The second sentence has the correct use of punctuation marks which let us understand that the children are being invited to go out to eat.

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In English language, punctuation marks play an important role in communicating meanings. Misusing semicolons, an apostrophe or comma can distort the entire meaning of a sentence or phrase for a reader. They can also give an impression that you are not familiar with the rules of formal writing.

Punctuation is an important set of symbols used to help make the meaning of sentences clearer, such as periods, commas, and semicolons. Grammar refers to the rules for how words should be put together in order to form correct sentences.

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A timeline of the history of translation and interpretation. 

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A timeline of the history of translation and interpretation. 

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In the year 382

Pope Damascus I of the Biblical Commissions scholarly and ascetic priest Jerome to produce a revised Latin Bible. The Vulgate (from the Latin vulgate, meaning "common use") becomes the preferred text of the Roman Catholic Church for centuries to come. Today, Saint Jerome is the patron saint of translators and scholars. Thanks to this data we can mention that a record is kept from the antiquity of the translation.

In 1372

Geoffrey Chaucer was featured in the works of Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio on a trip to Italy. While the author of the Canterbury Tales was not primarily a translator, much of his great classic was adapted from the writings of Italian Contemporaries. It is said that what he wrote was an adaptation of the texts which let us know this was the first interpretations and adaptations of languages.

1519

La Malinche began interpreting for Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of Mexico. The young Aztec who would become a translator and guide for the Spanish that  learned a number of languages that were spoken in the region. She was recognized in history for being almost a decade as an interpreter, without her it would have been completely difficult communication between the Spanish and those who would be the natives of the Mexican region.

In the year of 1680

Dryden popularizes the approach in translation theory to distinguish between three types of translation: metaphrase (following the text literally), paraphrase (adhering to meaning rather than exact wording), and imitation (reconstructing the text with creative license). It was the ancient Greeks who first discussed these modes of translation, but it was Dryden who ushered them into modern translation theory. Which opens a bigger door to what would be the interpretation and adaptation.

1945

The Nuremberg Trials Mark the Beginning

of simultaneous interpretation as the standard for diplomatic conferences. With the exception of the 1927 International Labour Conference in Geneva, interpreters had worked consecutively, listening, speaking and reproducing language with the aim in manageable pieces. These led performers to use headphones and microphones to work almost in real time.

Modern times:

Nowadays there are many tools on the internet that translate literally what we are saying, being this a very important tool for people when they want to communicate with people who do not speak their mother tongue, There are translators who help us to translate texts, and still today many people also choose to look for people who help them communicate like others in a language different from theirs.