? What are the 14 punctuation marks

What are the 14 punctuation marks?

What is punctuation in grammar?

Punctuation refers to a set of symbols used to separate sentences, clarify meaning and set the tone of a sentence. They help indicate pauses and make sentences easy to read and understand.

Example:

• I like eating, my friends and watching TV.         ⇒      This sentence is correct.
• I like eating my friends and watching TV.          ⇒       This sentence is incorrect.

Without the use of comma (,) readers may misunderstand the message the writer is trying to convey. The writer likes to eat, maybe hang out with their friends and watching TV, but without commas readers may think that the writer likes to eat their friends which is unlikely.

There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in modern day English writing. In this article, we will learn about each one of them and examples of how to use them.

What are the 14 punctuation marks?

There are 14  punctuation marks in English:

1. Period (.)
2. Comma (,)
3. Question mark (?)
4. Exclamation mark (!)
5. Colon (:)
6. Semicolon (;)
7. Apostrophe (‘)
8. Quotation marks (” “)
9. Hyphen (-)
10. Dash (—)
11. Parentheses (())
12. Brackets ([ ])
13. Braces ({ })
14. Ellipsis (…)

When to use punctuation?

I. Period (.)

1. To end a declarative sentence (a statement).

• Example: I am learning English.

2. In abbreviations.

• Example: Dr., Mr., U.S.A.

II. Comma (,)

• In lists – I bought apples, oranges, and grapes.
• Before conjunctions (FANBOYS) – I was tired, but I kept working.
• After introductory words/phrases – After school, I went home.
• To set off extra information – My friend, who lives in Spain, is visiting.
• For direct address – Ali, can you help me?
• In dates, numbers, and addresses – February 11, 2025 / Rabat, Morocco
• Between adjectives (if reversible) – It was a long, tiring day.

III. Question mark (?)

We use a question mark (?) at the end of a direct question.

• Simple questions– Where are you from?
• Yes/No questions– Did you finish your homework?
• Choice questions– Do you want coffee or tea?
• Tag questions– You’re coming, aren’t you?
• Rhetorical questions– Who doesn’t love music?

IV. Exclamation mark (!)

We use an exclamation mark (!) to show strong emotions, commands, or excitement.

• Excitement/Surprise:Wow! That’s amazing!
• Commands:Stop right now!
• Urgency/Anger:Leave me alone!

V. Colon (:)

We use a colon (:) to introduce information.

• Before a list– I need three things: milk, bread, and eggs.
• Before an explanation– He was late: the traffic was terrible.
• Before a quotation– She said: “Never give up.”
• In time formats– 12:30 PM

VI. Semicolon (;)

We use a semicolon (;) to:

1. Join related independent clauses– I love coffee; it keeps me awake.
2. Separate items in a complex list– We visited Paris, France; Tokyo, Japan; and Cairo, Egypt.

VII. Apostrophe (‘)

We use an apostrophe (‘) to:

1. Show possession– Ali’s book (the book of Ali).
2. Form contractions– Can’t (cannot), It’s (it is).
3. Plurals of letters/numbers– Mind your p’s and q’s.

It indicates ownership or missing letters.

VIII. Quotation marks (” “)

We use quotation marks (” “) to:

1. Enclose direct speech or dialogue– He said, “I’ll be there soon.”
2. Highlight a word or phrase(e.g., irony or special meaning) – She is the “expert” on the topic.
3. Cite titles of short works– I read the article “The Future of Technology.”

IX. Hyphen (-)

We use a hyphen (-) to:

1. Join compound words– mother-in-law, well-known.
2. Form compound adjectivesbefore a noun – a high-quality product.
3. Break a word at the end of a line– This is a hy-phen.

It links words or parts of words.

X. Dash (—)

We use a dash (—) to:

1. Indicate a pause or shift in thought– She was late—again.
2. Set off additional information or emphasis– The concert—amazing as always—was a success.
3. Replace parentheses or colons for stronger emphasis– He got the job—finally!

XI. Parentheses ()

We use parentheses () to:

1. Add extra information or clarifications– I went to the store (it was really crowded).
2. Provide an aside or afterthought– She loves reading (especially mystery novels).
3. Cite sources or references– The book (Smith, 2020) was very helpful.

XII. Brackets [ ]

We use brackets [ ] to:

1. Add clarification or extra information within a quote– She said, “He [the manager] was very helpful.”
2. Indicate changes in a quoted text– The report stated, “The results were [not] accurate.”
3. Enclose references or editorial comments– The data was unclear [see page 23 for clarification].

XIII. Braces { }

We use braces ({ }) mainly in mathematical or technical contexts to:

1. Group or set items together– {2, 4, 6, 8} (set of even numbers).
2. Show ranges or options– {x | x > 0} (values of x greater than zero).

XIV. Ellipsis (…)

We use an ellipsis (…) to:

1. Indicate omitted text– “She was… tired, but kept working.”
2. Show a pause or trailing thought– “I wonder what happens next…“
3. Create suspense or an unfinished thought– “I can’t believe it…!”

What is hedera punctuation?

The hedera punctuation (¶), also known as a pilcrow, is used to indicate the start of a new paragraph. It’s mainly found in older texts or legal documents to mark a paragraph break, especially when paragraphs are not visually separated.

Does punctuation go inside quotation marks?

In American English, punctuation typically goes inside quotation marks.

• Example: “I love reading,” she said.

In British English, punctuation often goes outside unless it is part of the quoted material.

• Example (British): He said, “I love reading”.

Conclusion

Those were the 14 punctuation marks mostly used in modern day English.

Let us know in the comments what you think of them!!

14 punctuation marks

Video explanation

Exercises 

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