Top 14 Punctuation Marks in English Grammar You Should Know

There are 14 Punctuation Marks that form one of the most important parts of the English grammar realm. They help us in organising our thoughts and making it easier for the reader to understand the sentence. Before we dive deep into all the punctuation marks, it is important to understand what are punctuation marks. Well, they are a set of symbols that are used to separate and give meaning to the sentence. They indicate when to pause, which words are quotations etc. As per standard English, some of the commonly used punctuation marks are commas, apostrophes, question marks, exclamations, quotations, hyphens, colons, braces and several others. To understand more about these punctuation symbols, keep reading this blog and you learn more about this topic in detail.

All About Punctuation

Why are 14 Punctuation Marks Important?

Punctuation marks are an important part of writing as they help the reader to easily understand what is being said. Without proper punctuation, writing can become confusing and difficult to understand. Here are some of the reasons why using punctuational symbols in sentences is important:-

• They help make writing easier to read.
• They determine the meaning of the sentence. 
• They also help in identifying the tenses and voices that have been used.
• Lastly, they help in determining the sentence structure. 

List of 14 Punctuation Marks with Example

There are many different types of punctuation marks. The most common ones are period or full stop, comma, question mark, exclamation mark etc. Here’s your guide to 14 punctuation marks which will help you get an idea of all the types of punctuation marks that are part of the English vocabulary. 

Punctuation Mark	Symbol	Examples
Period or Full Stop	.	1. The sky turned dark, heavy clouds looming overhead. 2. She had a smile on her face. 3. The old clock ticked steadily, marking the passage of time.
Question Mark	?	1. Are you sure you want to go there? 2. What time does the movie start? 3. Did you finish your homework?
Exclamation Mark	!	1. Wow! That sunset is absolutely breathtaking! 2. Ouch! That was a really sharp thorn! 3. Congratulations! You nailed that presentation!
Comma	,	1. She bought apples, oranges, and bananas. 2. He went to the store, but he forgot his wallet. 3. The dog, a golden retriever, chased the ball.
Colon	:	1. Time to pack the essentials for the trip: passport, sunscreen, and a good book. 2. The recipe calls for three main ingredients: flour, sugar, and eggs. 3. Her new hobby provided unexpected benefits: relaxation, creativity, and a sense of accomplishment.
Semicolon	;	1. I love to travel; however, I’m afraid of flying. 2. She decided to pursue her passion for painting; consequently, she enrolled in art school. 3. The weather was dreadful; nevertheless, we went for a hike.
Dash	_	1. She ran—swift as the wind—across the field, her laughter echoing in the crisp air. 2. The decision was final—there was no room for negotiation.
Hyphen	–	1. The well-known author received an award for her latest novel. 2. Please pre-register for the event to ensure your spot.
Brackets	[ ]	I will [definitely] be there.(3+4)×2
Braces	{ }	1. The cat {which is black} is sleeping. 2. She enjoys {skiing| snowboarding|ice skating}.
Parenthesis	( )	1. She visited her favourite café (the one on Main Street) for her morning coffee. 2. The concert tickets (which she bought last week) arrived in the mail today.
Apostrophe	‘	“O, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?” “Death, be not proud.”
Quotation Marks	“ ”	1. “She said, ‘I’ll be there at 5 o’clock,'” he repeated to his friend. 2. The “deluxe” suite turned out to be a cramped room with a view of the dumpster.
Ellipsis	…	1. I brought the chips… forgot about the dip though. 2. Can’t make it… got caught up in traffic.

Uses of 14 Punctuation Marks in English Writing

Understanding the proper usage of punctuation marks is very crucial as it helps the writer to incorporate it in the sentences easily. Take a look at some of the most common punctuation marks that are part of English grammar, their function and how they should be used in the formation of sentences. 

S.No.	Punctuation Mark	Uses of Punctuation
1	Period or Full Stop	The full stop, also known as a period, is a punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence. Its primary function is to mark the completion of a thought or idea.
2	Question Mark	The question mark is a punctuation mark used at the end of a sentence to indicate that it is a question. It’s placed after the final word of the sentence.
3	Exclamation Mark	The exclamation mark is a versatile punctuation mark that can convey various tones and emotions in writing.
4	Comma	A comma is used in sentences to separate several items of list.
5	Colon	Colons can be used to introduce a list of items.
6	Semicolon	Semicolons can be used to join two independent clauses that are closely related but could stand alone as separate sentences.
7	Dash	Dashes can be used to emphasize or set off information within a sentence.
8	Hyphen	Hyphens are often used to join two or more words to create compound words. For example: my mother-in-law
9	Brackets	Brackets are used in writing for various purposes, including clarification, organization, and citation.
10	Braces	Braces are used in pairs { } to group together text or data in various contexts, such as in programming languages, and mathematics, or to indicate a set of items.
11	Parenthesis	Parentheses, are punctuation marks used to set off information within a sentence that is not essential to the main point but provides additional detail.
12	Apostrophe	They indicate where letters have been omitted to combine two words. They also show ownership or possession.
13	Quotation Marks	These are used to indicate the exact words spoken or written by someone else. For example: She said, “I’ll be there at 5 o’clock.”
14	Ellipsis	Ellipsis is frequently used to indicate that words have been intentionally omitted from a quoted passage.

Related Reads on Punctuation

What is a Colon Symbol (:)?	What is the Use of Commas (,)
21+ Apostrophe Examples in Sentences	19+ Quotation Marks Examples
20+ Exclamation Mark examples in Sentences	35+ Best Closing Phrases for English Writing

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