Punctuation: Meaning, Definition, Rules, Examples & Worksheet with Answers

Punctuations in English are the marks or symbols used in sentences to describe a pause, connection and the end. The use of punctuations in sentences makes them easier to understand, similar to the pauses one takes while communicating. For example, the sentence ‘How beautiful the city is!’ expresses admiration through the use of a punctuation exclamation mark (!) at the end. However, in case the same sentence ended with the question mark (?), it becomes an interrogative one asking the reader to tell about the beauty of the city.

Also Read: Prepositions Types & Examples

 

Have a look at the punctuation definition below:

Definition of Punctuation as per Oxford Dictionary

“The marks used in writing that divide sentences and phrases; the system of using these marks.”

Definition of Punctuation as per the Cambridge Dictionary

“(the use of) special symbols that you add to writing to separate phrases and sentences to show that something is a question, etc.”

Pronunciation: /puhngk·choo·ay·shn/

Origin: The punctuation is a noun word that originated from medieval Latin punctuatio(n- ), which came from the verb punctuare.

Also Read: Verbs Rules with Examples

The most commonly used punctuation marks in English Grammar are 14, which make written English easier to read and understandable. Have a look at the 14 types of Punctuation with Symbols and their uses below:

Types	Symbol	Use
Period or Full Stop	.	To indicate the end of the imperative or simple sentence
Comma	,	To separate parts of sentences or pauses, or links dependent clauses
Question Mark	?	To mark the end of a question or an interrogative sentence
Exclamation Mark	!	Expresses strong emotions such as happiness, sad, anger, admiration, shock, surprise, etc.
Quotation Marks	“ ”	Used to quote the words of a speaker or a statement owned by someone, or a quotation
Colon	:	To introduce a list, explanation, example or to link two related sentences
Semi-Colon	;	To separate different items in a sentence that already contains a comma, or to separate two independent clauses
Apostrophe	‘	To show ownership or possession of something or form contractions by missing letters or numbers
Hyphen	-	Combines two words to form compound words, or describes time zones or dates
Dash	–	To describe a break, a long pause, or to explain extra information
Parentheses	()	To provide extra information
Brackets	{}, []	To change the original word or add a comment, or to clarify. These are used more in mathematical equations and coding languages
Slash	/	To show options or choices, to express ‘per’, used in dates and fractions
Ellipsis	…	To deliberately leave the sentence incomplete when the meaning is clear

Also Read: Tense Types with Examples

Each punctuation mark has its own rules for usage in English Grammar. Knowing the punctuation rules is crucial not only for writing perfectly but also given appearing for competitive exams such as the SSC GD exam, TET exams, RRB exams, etc., as candidates are asked about the right usage of punctuation. Look at the rules of English Punctuation with examples below:

Rules for Full Stop/ Period

Have a look at the punctuation rules for the full stop with examples below:

Rules for Commas

Have a look at the rules for comma punctuation with examples below:

Rules for Question Mark

The question mark is used in the following situations:

Rule	Example
To end a direct question or interrogative sentence.	Why is he taking so long to come out of the house? Do you drive to college?
To end the sentences with question tags.	She does not like sweets. Does she? Rohan attended lectures online. Didn’t he?

However, the use of question mark punctuation is avoided if the question is described in indirect speech. Have a look at such an example below in both forms – direct and indirect speech:

• Question mark in Direct Speech: My dad asked, ‘Where are you going? ’
• No question mark in Indirect Speech: My dad asked where I was going.

Rules for the Exclamation Mark

The use of an exclamation mark expresses strong emotions such as:

• Excitement: Hurray! I am going on a holiday.
• Surprise: Wow! That’s the best birthday gift ever.
• Joy: Yay! We are moving to our city of dreams.
• Anger: How insensitive can he be!
• Pain: Ouch, that hurts!
• Admiration: What a wonderful evening!

Rules for Quotation Marks

The quotation mark rules are as follows:

Type	Example
Single quotation marks are used for naming books, names, movies and specific characters.	‘High School English Grammar and Composition’ is one of the best books for English grammar.
Double quotation marks are used to quote someone in exact words.	The teacher asked, “Who is the class monitor”?

Note: Never leave the quotation marks open. Always close the marks as they are used in pairs. 

Rules for Colon

The Colon is used in the following cases:

• To show a list of items or objects-
• Used in citations and references-
• To state a point, time and ratio such as 6:30 am, 1:3, etc.

Have a look at the dos and don’ts regarding the usage of Colon punctuation:

Dos	Don’ts
Use a space after the colon	Do not use a colon after words such as namely, like, includes, such as, especially, generally, etc.
For example: The ingredients for baking a cake are: flour, baking soda, vanilla essence, butter, salt and sugar.	For example: There are so many beautiful cities in the world namely Paris, Rome, Singapore, London, etc.

Rules for Semicolon

The image below describes the rules for using Semicolon punctuation along with the example:

Rules for Apostrophe with Examples

Have a look at the Apostrophe rules with examples below:

Rule	Example
Shows ownership or possession	Reema’s cat went missing today. I am my father’s daughter.
To form contractions	Don’t judge the book by its cover. As per the weather forecast, it won’t rain today.

Rules for Parentheses & Brackets

The parentheses are round brackets () and Brackets, in English Grammar, are square [], curly {} and angled < > ones. Have a look at the rules of these brackets with examples below:

Type & Rule	Example
Parentheses () are used to provide additional details.	The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) releases the monetary policy quarterly every year. Jaipur (also known as Pink City) is the capital of Rajasthan.
Square Brackets [] are used to make changes in the original words for further clarification or to add a comment.	Jehan did everything by himself; he never asked me [or anyone else] for help.
Curly Brackets {} are used to describe options within a category in a sentence.	Fruits {apple, banana, guava, watermelon, etc.} and vegetables {tomato, potato, cucumber, bell peppers, etc.} are fibre-rich foods.

Also Read: List of English Synonyms

Hyphen (-) and Dash (–) appear almost the same to the readers. Dash punctuation looks like the hyphen, but is a little longer. The table below will help you understand the difference between a dash and a hyphen:

Particular	Hyphen	Dash
Use	To combine words to form compound words	To show a break or long pause.
Rule	Refers to physical quantities Shows time frames, distances, age and fractions	It can be used in place of commas, colons or semicolons.
Example	My great-grandfather built this house from scratch. One needs to study 3-4 hours daily to clear the exam.	The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was signed in 1931 by Mahatma Gandhi. Tia – the girl from Sikkim – won the competition.

Also Read: What are English Articles?

Knowing punctuation and their correct usage is important when it comes to mastering the writing skills in the English Language. Moreover, the knowledge of English punctuation marks comes in handy when appearing for competitive exams such as UPSC exams, IBPO exams, SSC exams and others. Candidates can easily get hold of the punctuation in English grammar using the following preparation tips:

• Know every punctuation mark along with its uses and rules to clear the basics.
• Refer to the best punctuation books to know the roots, types, uses and other important details.
• Make written notes about each type of punctuation so that you remember it in the long run.
• Apply the use of punctuations while writing anything such as a complaint email to any service provider or the like.
• Read reliable materials such as newspapers and textbooks to know how different punctuations are used to describe any information, any emotion, any happening, etc.
• Undertake the practice by opting for English punctuation exercises available for free on various online platforms.
• Analyse your performance in the punctuation worksheet and work on your weak areas by practising more.

Also Read: Precis Writing Meaning & Rules

Students can refer to the following best English Punctuation books to study, understand and gain command over them:

Name of the Book	Author/ Publisher
The Best Punctuation Book, Period	June Casagrande
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation	Jane Straus and Lester Kaufman
English Grammar & Punctuation	Shelley Evans-Marshall
Oxford Primary Grammar, Punctuation And Spelling Dictionary	Paperback