Punctuation marks are symbols that help organize and clarify writing. They indicate pauses, emphasis, and structure in sentences. Here are the most important punctuation marks and their rules:

1. Period (.)

The period is used to indicate the end of a declarative sentence or an abbreviation.

✅ Examples:

  • She is a doctor.
  • I love learning English.
  • Dr. Ali is our teacher.

🚫 Incorrect: She is a doctor? (A period cannot be used in a question.)

2. Comma (,)

The comma is used to separate parts of a sentence, list items, or indicate a pause.

Comma Rules:

🔹 In a list:✅ I bought apples, bananas, oranges, and grapes.

🔹 Before conjunctions (FANBOYS) in compound sentences:✅ I wanted to play, but it started raining.

🔹 After introductory words/phrases:✅ After dinner, we went for a walk.

🔹 Before and after non-essential information:✅ My brother, who lives in London, is visiting us.

🚫 Incorrect: I bought apples bananas oranges and grapes. (Missing commas)

3. Question Mark (?)

A question mark is used at the end of an interrogative sentence (question).

✅ Examples:

  • What is your name?
  • Where are you going?

🚫 Incorrect: Where are you going. (Missing question mark)

4. Exclamation Mark (!)

The exclamation mark expresses strong emotions, such as surprise, excitement, or urgency.

✅ Examples:

  • Wow! That’s amazing!
  • Watch out!

🚫 Incorrect: Wow. That’s amazing. (Lacks excitement)

5. Apostrophe (‘)

The apostrophe is used for contractions and possession.

🔹 To show possession:✅ Ali’s book is on the table. (The book belongs to Ali.)
✅ The students’ classroom is big. (Belongs to multiple students.)

🔹 To form contractions:✅ I’m (I am), He’s (He is), They’ve (They have)

🚫 Incorrect: The cat’s are sleeping. (cats are not needed; it should be cats are.)

6. Quotation Marks (” “)

Quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech or quotations.

✅ Examples:

  • She said, “I love reading.”
  • “Honesty is the best policy,” my father always says.

🚫 Incorrect: She said, I love reading. (Missing quotation marks)

7. Colon (:)

A colon introduces a list, explanation, or quote.

✅ Examples:

  • We need the following items: bread, milk, and eggs.
  • She had one goal: to win the race.

🚫 Incorrect: We need: bread, milk, and eggs. (No need for a colon before a list without a complete sentence before it.)

8. Semicolon (;)

A semicolon connects two closely related independent clauses or separates items in a complex list.

✅ Examples:

  • I love coffee; it keeps me awake.
  • We visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Madrid, Spain.

🚫 Incorrect: I love coffee, it keeps me awake. (Comma splice; use a semicolon instead.)

9. Dash (—) and Hyphen (-)

🔹 Dash (—) is used for emphasis or interruption.
✅ I finally met her—she was amazing!

🔹 Hyphen (-) joins words or parts of words.
✅ Well-known author, mother-in-law

🚫 Incorrect: Well-known author (Missing hyphen in compound adjective)

10. Parentheses ( )

Used to add extra information that is not essential to the sentence.

✅ Example:

  • My friend (who is a teacher) loves reading.

🚫 Incorrect: My friend who is a teacher loves reading. (If extra info, use parentheses or commas.)