Try reading a paragraph without any punctuation. Do you understand what the writer is trying to say? Probably not. Without the right use of punctuation, writing becomes almost unreadable. Punctuations are symbols that give meaning to the words you write. The reader pauses at the right places or reads with the right emotion. Here are some common punctuation rules that you must know when writing in English.

Period or full stop

This punctuation mark indicates the end of a sentence. The rule is quite straightforward; once you complete expressing a point you mark the end of the sentence using a full stop. You can use full stop as abbreviations, like 'eg.', 'etc.'. In initials like 'Mr.' or 'Dr.; you use a full stop. It is also used in the case of indirect questions.

Commas

Commas can break up a sentence into small parts that are easily readable by making a small pause. It is used when you present ideas in a grouped form. The comma is used to separate different words in a list, like when listing your groceries. It is also used to separate a phrase that is an afterthought. For example, 'I will go to the gym if I feel ok'.

Semi-colon

This symbol has several uses in a sentence. It is used to link related sentences. Instead of using a full stop which might distract the reader, a semi-colon will hold on to the thought. It is used to link sentences that express opposite opinions. For example, 'His answer was wrong; however, his approach was right.' A semi-colon is also used to separate items in a list.

Colon

Before writing a list, you can use a colon. For example, ' The following students were absent today: Abir, Kabir, Sam, and John.' It is also used to conclude, like, 'Having patience is difficult: most of the time we tend to be restless in complex situations.'

Apostrophes

Apostrophes are used to show possession, like, 'John's books'. It is also used to contract words, such as, 'you're' instead of 'you are'.

Hyphen

It is used to join parts of words. It is often used in the case of compound modifiers. These consist of multiple words that function as one adjective to describe a single noun. Using a hyphen tells the reader that the words function together to mean one thing; for example, 'environment-friendly'. Many multi-term words use a hyphen, like 'mother-in-law'. When adding a prefix to a word, we use a hyphen. For instance, 'self-explanatory'.

Quotation marks

This punctuation sets words separately from the rest of the passage or text. You can also use it to quote a source directly. Some other uses of quotation marks include writing dialogue and titles of creative works.

Question mark

As the name suggests, this punctuation mark is used in writing questions. Just like a full stop is used to mark the end of a statement, a question mark is used to show the end of a question. You can use a question mark inside a quotation mark as well.

Exclamation mark

An exclamation mark indicates emotions like surprise, sadness, happiness, and others. Example, 'Hurray!', or 'Alas!'. You can use it in a sentence too; like 'Get out of here!'

Don't feel hesitated if you still end up turning the pages of a grammar book to see the proper usage of punctuation before writing something for academic or professional purposes. Even though you have studied the basic punctuation marks in school, applying them in real writing can be confusing even for the most experienced person. By knowing these basic rules of punctuation, you can avoid embarrassment in workplace.