Punctuation - Definition and How to Use with Examples

Punctuation Power: Mastering learning the ABC's of Coherence

What would the world be like without punctuation? Sentences tended to go on and on, forever and ever, like a car journey with a continuous freeway and no motel stop sign. The abstraction would ramp, and the significance would decay into nothingness, with the words seeing their place to stay because they excelled at it being lost. Fortunately, we have punctuation – the noiseless warriors of written communication. Implying the flow of travel, these tics serve as traffic lights, instructing readers along the crooked lines of our sentences.

What is Punctuation?

Punctuation is a system of symbols that assists us in the arrangement of sentences, indicating pauses and also conveying the meaning clearly. The situation here is similar to that of a tidied-up room wherein the orderliness helps you in navigation; punctuation work the same and make your writing easier to understand. 

The Punctuation All-Stars

Let us delve into some of the most common punctuation marks and explore their superpowers:

• The Mighty Period: This is how we end the sentence, thereby putting a full stop to the whole thought. (e.g. I loved the movie to the extent that it left me feeling anxious and excited to visit the country depicted in the movie in the future.)
• The Helpful Comma: Thereby it plays the role of a “pause” button, giving a pause to the different elements and establishing a proper reading flow. (e. g. This meant that the baker had to use flour, sugar, and eggs to make the cake.), - Along with semicolon: - In a list all ingredients are kept separate with comma. 
• The Wise Semicolon (;): Just like a comma a cola introduces a stronger pause than a comma but is not as powerful as a full stop. It is usually the transition between two related sentences. (e. g., The wind made a sound like one the banshee as the rain was pelting against the window. 
• The Explanatory Colon Symbol (:) it is a clue that an overview, a list, or a quote follows. (e. g., There are three primary colors: red, yellow and blue.) 
• The Dramatic Question Mark (?): Through the use of a question mark, the reader is raised a concern, and further, this makes them curious. (e. g., Have you seen my glasses?). 
• The Excitable Exclamation Point (!): This turns the sentence into a very emotional one filled with feelings like surprise, excitement, or anger. (e. g., Wow! What a pretty hat.)

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Comma Chaos: The quintessential punctuation obscurity 

The comma is one of the most frequently used (or sometimes abused is the term) among the punctuation marks. Here are some key comma rules and how to use them:

• Separating Items in a List: Commas are used to separate words or phrases that are in a list. (e. g. In order to feed us during this trip, I bought apples, oranges, and bananas. 
• Joining Independent Clauses: To connect two independent sentences with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, o, nor, so, yet), put a comma before the conjunction. 
• Non-Restrictive Clauses: When a period in a sentence is attached to a set off the non-restrictive clause i. e.  additional information which is used to describe the noun but itself is not the whole sentence. (e. g. Moreover, they say my friend who can cook like a boss, made a delicious meal

Beyond the Basics

Punctuation is not just about the full stops, commas, semicolons, and question marks.  They have their own organic or alternating effects. 

• Dialogue Punctuation: Enclose dialogue in quotation marks and tag them using commas (he said, she asked,) separating the quoted speech from the dialogue itself. 
• Colon Symbol vs. Dashes: Though both may apply to a series or explanations, colon symbol are more formal/ more of a formality/ for an official tone, while dashes may be more abrupt/ can make a point abruptly/ used for emphasis. 
• Zero Punctuation-Not Quite: Although some creative writers do not use the punctuation at all, the main thing is to learn the basics that will help you to communicate clearly. This practice is of zero punctuation.

Punctuation for Purpose

Punctuation – not just following the rules--, is about applying these marks purposely to reflect what you have in your content:

• Clarity: Punctuation separates the text into understandable and correct flow of information, which makes the idea clear to the listener. 
• Emphasis: The wise use of punctuation can highlight certain words or thoughts. 

Punctuation may seem like a small detail, but it has a big impact on your writing. The good news is that anyone can improve their punctuation skills! 98thPercentile's English classes, designed by expert instructors, will equip you with the knowledge and practice you need to become a punctuation pro. 

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FAQs

Ans: Yes! A dash (-) is longer and creates a stronger pause, while a hyphen (-) connects words.

Q2: Can I use an exclamation point to show excitement in formal writing?

Ans: Generally, exclamation points are best reserved for informal writing.
Q3: Should I use quotation marks for inner thoughts? 

Ans: Use italics for unspoken thoughts within a character's mind.

Ans: Use a semicolon for stronger pauses between related ideas.

Ans: Click here to book 2 weeks of FREE classes and see for yourself.

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