Understanding The Basics Of Punctuation

Understanding The Basics Of Punctuation

Punctuation is one of the earliest tools of English grammar that students earn right after mastering letters and words. It is a vital element that makes it possible for you to comprehend any writing correctly. 

Before you move on to learn about its importance and types, you should have a good understanding of some punctuation marks definitions.

There are many ways in which you can define punctuation marks in English. But the most common one is that it is a system of spaces and symbols that you use to make your writing understandable and improve the flow.

There are many such symbols that you can use, but the function of all punctuation marks remains the same. However, it is common for students to have a hard time understanding how to use this system properly.

Understand How To Use Punctuation Marks Correctly

Knowing the correct use of punctuation marks can save you a lot of trouble in your assignments and elevate the quality of your writing. Each specific symbol has its name and unique function in the English language.

You'll find 14 punctuation marks that most people repeatedly use in any English text. However, not many are aware of how to use them correctly. This results in students losing a lot of grades in their assignments. Let's look at some basic rules that you need to follow to avoid this scenario in the future:

• Read up the types of punctuation marks
• Understand the functions for each symbol
• Pay close attention to interchangeable punctuations and similar-looking ones
• Use a period at the end of the sentence instead of the middle
• Know how you should use quotation marks. Do not confuse between the single and the double quotations
• Do not put multiple punctuation marks at the end of a sentence

As long as you keep these simple rules in mind, you can avoid making the common mistakes that students usually make when learning how to use correct punctuation.

What Is The Importance Of Punctuation Marks In Essay Writing?

Many students wonder why it is necessary to use punctuation marks at all. You'll be surprised to know that it will be impossible to gather the correct meaning out of most sentences without these symbols. 

Let's look at some of the most significant reasons you should emphasise the importance of the use of all punctuation marks.

• Helps you to convey the meaning of your sentences
• Wrong punctuation marks can change the meaning of the sentence
• Proper punctuation makes your writing seem more logical
• Gives credibility to your writing

For example, if you want to quote someone and forget to give punctuations directly, the sentence will seem like this: Anne said I am going to the supermarket. In this sentence, you can't convey to the reader which part of the sentence contains Anne's quoted words. However, when using proper punctuation with quotation marks, the line will become: Anne said, "I am going to the supermarket." 

Therefore, you can see how much the comprehension of the sentence increases when you use the correct punctuation marks.

Comprehensive List Of All The Punctuation Marks In English

As you have already read earlier, there are 14 punctuation marks that people use in English most commonly. Each of these has a specific function that it performs to make your understanding of the text better. Let's look at what these symbols and their functions are:

• Period (.)– You put a period at the end of every declarative sentence to imply that the meaning is complete. You can also use it after abbreviations.

• Question mark (?)– Placing this at the end of a sentence indicates that you want to ask a direct question.

• Exclamation point (!) – You use an exclamation point a the end of a sentence or word when you want to express extreme emotions such as excessive joy, anger, sadness.

• Comma (,)– If you want to separate different ideas, lists or even two complete sentences, then you'll have to use the comma to indicate this short pause.

• Semicolon (;)– A semicolon indicates a longer pause than a comma and is used to connect independent clauses to show the close relationship between the two.

• Colon (:)– The colon indicates the most prolonged pause among the comma, semicolon and colon. You can use this after a word preceding a quotation or explanation; between two independent clauses; and to indicate emphasis.

• Dash (--)– You can use a dash to separate words into individual sentences, indicate ranges in dates or connections and differentiations.

• Hyphen (-)– In English, there are compound terms formed using one or more words. A hyphen separates these words. For example, up-to-date, long-term, mother-in-law, etc.

• Brackets ([])– In any text, if you wish to clarify something after a word or provide further explanation, you can use the closed frames, also called the square brackets.

• Braces ({})– Braces are not the most common punctuation mark in the English language, but it is used when you want to include two or more lines of a text to indicate that they are a unit.

• Parenthesis (())– Parenthesis are interchangeable with commas and are used to provide extra information or clarify specific thoughts.

• Apostrophe (')– The apostrophe has many uses, such as indicating omitted letters from a word, expressing possessive case and showing the plural of lowercase letters.

• Quotation marks ("" "")– You have to use the double quotation marks ("") to indicate any direct speech of a person. Meanwhile, the single quotation marks (") help show quoted sections or words within the double quotations.

• Ellipses (…)– You'll find the use of ellipses in most academic articles and research papers. It is used to omit any unnecessary information from a lengthy quote while also indicating to the reader that you are skipping certain sections.

It is not too challenging to remember this list of punctuation marks and symbols in English, along with their functions. The best way to master these is to read more books and see how the authors use these symbols yourself. If you still need for english assignment help then Essaygator.com is here to help you.

Are You Losing Grades Due To Incorrect Punctuations?

Our Assignment Writers Are Here To Help

There is no doubt that using correct punctuation is vital in any assignment. A single mistake can change the entire meaning of your sentence. As a result, your professors will not be lenient if they find any errors in your assignment. 

However, it is common for students to confuse punctuation marks like comma, semicolon and colon because their function isn't too different. You need to have a thorough knowledge of all 14 of the symbols and the subtle differences in role to write a proper assignment.

This can be extremely challenging when you have to juggle so many assignments every week. The best solution to this is to hire one of our professional writers who can help you proofread your essay for any punctuation errors.

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