Punctuation
Grammar > Using English > Writing > Punctuation
from English Grammar Today
The most common punctuation marks in English are: capital letters and full stops, question
marks, commas, colons and semi-colons, exclamation marks and quotation marks.
In speaking, we use pauses and the pitch of the voice to make what we say clear.
Punctuation plays a similar role in writing, making it easier to read.
Punctuation consists of both rules and conventions. There are rules of punctuation that have to
be followed; but there are also punctuation conventions that give writers greater choice.
Punctuation: capital letters (B, D) and full stops (.)
We use capital letters to mark the beginning of a sentence and we use full stops to mark the
end of a sentence:
We went to France last summer. We were really surprised that it was so easy to travel on the
motorways.
The Football World Cup takes place every four years. The next World Cup will be held in
South Africa. In 2006 it was held in Germany.
We also use capital letters at the beginning of proper nouns. Proper nouns include personal
names (including titles before names), nationalities and languages, days of the week and
months of the year, public holidays as well as geographical places:
Dr David James is the consultant at Leeds City Hospital.
They are planning a long holiday in New Zealand.
Can she speak Japanese?
The next meeting of the group will take place on Thursday.
What plans do you have for Chinese New Year?
We use capital letters for the titles of books, magazines and newspapers, plays and music:
‘Oliver’ is a musical based on the novel ‘Oliver Twist’ by Charles Dickens.
The Straits Times is a daily English language newspaper in Singapore.
They are performing Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony.
In addition to closing sentences, we also use full stops in initials for personal names:
G. W. Dwyer
David A. Johnston, Accountant
Full stops are also used after abbreviations, although this practice is becoming less common:
Arr. (arrival) etc. (etcetera)
Prof. (professor
Dr. (doctor)
)
See also:
Noun phrases
Punctuation: question marks (?) and exclamation marks
(!)
We use question marks to make clear that what is said is a question. When we use a question
mark, we do not use a full stop:
Why do they make so many mistakes?
A:
So you’re Harry’s cousin?
B:
Yes. That’s right.
We use exclamation marks to indicate an exclamative clause or expression in informal
writing. When we want to emphasise something in informal writing, we sometimes use more
than one exclamation mark:
Listen!
Oh no!!! Please don’t ask me to phone her. She’ll talk for hours!!!
See also:
Exclamative clauses
Punctuation: commas (,)
We use commas to separate a list of similar words or phrases:
It’s important to write in clear, simple, accurate words.
They were more friendly, more talkative, more open than last time we met them.
We do not normally use a comma before and at the end of a list of single words:
They travelled through Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland.
American English does use a comma in lists before and:
We took bread, cheese, and fruit with us.
We use commas to separate words or phrases that mark where the voice would pause slightly:
I can’t tell you now. However, all will be revealed tomorrow at midday.
We had, in fact, lost all of our money.
James, our guide, will accompany you on the boat across to the island.
Separating clauses with commas
When main clauses are separated by and, or, but, we don’t normally use a comma if the
clauses have the same subject. However, we sometimes use commas if the clauses have
different subjects:
They were very friendly and invited us to their villa in Portugal. (same subject)
Footballers these days earn more money but they are fitter and play many more
matches. (same subject)
It was an expensive hotel in the centre of Stockholm, but we decided it was worth the
money. (different subjects)
When a subordinate clause comes before the main clause, we commonly use a comma to
separate the clauses. However, we do not always do this in short sentences:
If you get lost in the city centre, please don’t hesitate to text us or phone us.
If you get lost just phone us.
When we use subordinate or non-finite comment clauses to give further details or more
information, we commonly use commas to separate the clauses:
You do need to wear a darker jacket, if I may say so.
To be honest, I thought they were very very rude.
Commas and relative clauses
We use commas to mark non-defining clauses. Such clauses normally add extra, non-essential
information about the noun or noun phrase:
The ambulance, which arrived after just five minutes, took three people to the hospital
immediately.
Hong Kong, where the first ASEAN meeting was held, is a very different city now.
The same is true for non-finite clauses:
The storm, lasting as it did for several days, caused serious damage to villages near the
coast.
Warning:
We don’t use commas to mark defining clauses:
Barcelona was the Spanish city that was selected for the Olympic Games.
Not: … the Spanish city, that was selected …
See also:
Clauses
Commas and speech forms
We commonly separate tags and yes-no responses with commas:
They are going to the party, aren’t they?
No, thank you. I’ve already eaten too much.
We also usually separate vocatives, discourse markers and interjections with commas:
Open the door for them, Kayleigh, can you. Thanks. (vocative)
Well, what do you think we should do about it? (discourse marker)
Wow, that sounds really exciting. (interjection)
We use commas to show that direct speech is following or has just occurred:
He said in his opening speech, ‘Now is the time to plan for the future.’ (or He said in his
opening speech: ‘Now is the time to plan for the future.’)
When the direct speech is first, we use a comma before the closing of the quotation marks:
‘We don’t want to go on holiday to the same place every year,’ he said impatiently.