PUNCTUATION GUIDE

Punctuation (derived from the Latin punctum, a stop) means the right use of putting in points or stops in
written form. The following are the principal points:

• 1. Full Stop / Period (.)

• 2. Comma (,)
• 3. Semicolon (;)

UE
• 4. Colon (:)
• 5. Question mark (?)
• 6. Exclamation Mark (!)
• 7. Dash (—)

Q
• 8. Hyphen (-)
• 9. Inverted Commas / Quotation Marks (" ")
• 10. Apostrophe (')
RI
• 11. Capital letters

1. Full Stop / Period (.)

TA

The full stop represents the greatest pause and separation. It is used to mark the end of a declarative or an
imperative sentence; as,

I am teaching you. You are learning here.

She does not cook a meal.
R_

Come here.

The full stop can be used in abbreviations, but it is often omitted in modern style.

M.A or MA Mr. → Mr
M

M.P.A or MPA Mrs. → Mrs

U.N.O or UNO

2. Comma (,)
The comma represents the shortest pause, and is used:

1. To separate a series of words in the same construction; as,

England, France and Italy formed an alliance.
He lost lands, money, reputation and friends.
 It was a long, dull and wearisome journey.
He wrote his exercise neatly, quickly and correctly.

2. To separate each pair of words connected by and; as,

We should be devoted and humble, cheerful and serene.
High and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish, must all die.
His kith and kin, friends and foes, all deserted him.

3. To mark off a noun or phrase in apposition; as,

UE
My friend, Sarang, has arrived.
My brother, Will, is here.
Milton, the great English poet, was blind.
Sir Ali, my teacher, came yesterday.

Q
4. To mark off words used in addressing people; as,
Let's eat, grandma.
RI
How are you, Madam?
Jamil, come into the garden.

5. Before and after a Participial Phrase (having + V3 + obj):

TA

Caesar, having conquered his enemies, returned to Rome.

The students, having finished their work, went home.

6. Before and after words, phrases or clauses let into the body of a sentence; as,
He did not, however, gain his object.
R_

It is mind, after all, which does the work of the world.

His behaviour, to say the least, was very rude.
His story was, in several ways, improbable.
M

The people of Orleans, when they first saw her in their city, thought she was an angel.

7. To indicate the omission of a word, especially a verb; as,

Rama received a fountain pen; Hari, a watch.
He was a Brahmin; she, a Rajput.
He will succeed; you, never.

8. To separate short co-ordinate clauses of a Compound Sentence; as,

The rains descended, and the flood came.
Men may come and men may go, but I go on for ever.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
9. To mark off a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence; as,
He said to his disciples, "Watch and pray."
She said, "I am happy today."
"Exactly so," said Alice.

10. To separate an Adverbial Clause from the Principal Clause; as,

When I was a bachelor, I lived by myself.
If you work hard, you will succeed.

UE
Note: You will succeed if you work hard. (No comma is used when the principal clause comes first).

11. Use a comma after certain words that introduce a sentence (such as: why, Hey, Hello, yes,
no, Hi etc.); as,
Why, I can't believe this!
No, you can't do this.

3. Semicolon (;) Q
RI
1. It is used to join two closely related sentences; as,
It's too late to go out for a walk; it's beginning to rain.
TA

He studied very hard; he passed the exam easily.

Man proposes; God disposes.
Today we love what tomorrow we hate; today we seek what tomorrow we shun; today we desire what
tomorrow we fear.
R_

2. With the linking words 'However, therefore, in addition' etc.; as,

He was late; therefore, he missed the class.
I wanted to go outside for a walk; however, it started raining.
M

3. It is used to join independent clauses to make a compound sentence; as,

He was a brave large-hearted man; we all honoured him.

4. Colon (:)
A colon is used to introduce a list, explanation, example or quotation.

• List:
I bought three things: apples, bananas and oranges.
She needs the following items: a pen, a notebook and a ruler.
 • Explanation / Result:
I have one goal: to become a doctor.
We have one motto: serving humanity.
• Example:
You can use different methods: discussion, lecture and demonstration.
• Before a quotation:
The teacher said: "Work hard to succeed."
He always says this: "Never give up."

UE
5. Question Mark (?)
The Question Mark is used, instead of a Full Stop, after a direct question; as,

Have you written your homework?

How are you, Jamil?

Q
But the Question Mark is not used after an indirect question; as,

He asked me if I had written my homework.

RI
6. Exclamation Mark (!)
The Exclamation Mark is used after Interjections and Phrases and sentences expressing sudden emotion or
TA

wish; as,

Alas!
Oh dear!
What a terrible fire this is!
R_

O, what a rash man is this, my country!

Long live the King!

Note:
M

O father! I hear the sound of guns.

O Hamlet, speak no more!

7. Inverted Commas / Quotation Marks (" ")

Inverted commas are used to enclose the exact words of a speaker or a quotation; as,

Jamil said to me, "I will come tomorrow."

"We will win the match," said the boys.
"I would rather die," he exclaimed, "than join the oppressors of my country."
8. Dash (—)
The Dash is used:

1. To indicate an abrupt stop or change of thought; as,

If my husband were alive—but why lament the past?

2. To resume a scattered subject; as,

Friends, companions, relatives—all deserted him.

UE
Jamil—"come here"

9. The Hyphen (-)

The Hyphen—a shorter line than the Dash—is used to connect the parts of a compound word; as,

Q
Passer-by
Father-in-law
man-of-war
RI
jack-of-all-trades

It is also used to connect parts of a word divided at the end of the line.
TA

10. Apostrophe (')

The Apostrophe is used:

1. To show the omission of a letter or letters; as,

R_

Don't (aren't → are not)

e'er
I've
M

2. In the Genitive case of Nouns; as,

Jamil's book
Dog's tail
Girls' school
Boys' college

3. To form the plural of letters and figures; as,

A = A's
2 = 2's
Dot your i's and cross your t's.
 Add two 5's and four 2's.

11. Capital letters

Capitals are used:

1. To begin a sentence.
2. To begin each fresh line of poetry.
3. To begin all Proper Nouns and Adjectives derived from them; as, Delhi, Rama, Africa, African,
Shakespeare, Shakespearian.

UE
4. For all nouns and pronouns which indicate the Deity; as, The Lord, He is the God.
5. To write the pronoun I and the interjection O.

Practice Exercises & Examples

Q
In fact, there was nothing else to do.
Khalid, for example, is both a student and an athlete.
Waseem received a watch; Zafar, a fountain pen.
RI
What a terrible fire this is!
He said to Ahmed, "May God bless you!"
Jack-of-all-trades
TA

When was he born? Where did he die?

The climate of Murree is, I think, very pleasant.
The basic beliefs of Islam are: God, Prophet, The Book.
Here is your book, father.
R_

I am, to tell you the truth, sick of work.

Raza's sister is thirty years old.
I don't see Hamza anywhere; he must have left early.
I owe you fifty rupees, don't I?
M

If I were the president—but why to be so ambitious?