Structure - Punctuation Marks - SS2 English Lesson Note

Punctuation marks are used to help make your writing clear and easy to understand. They can also help to add emphasis and create a more interesting style of writing.

The most common punctuation marks in English:

Period (.) This is used to mark the end of a sentence.
Question mark (?) This is used to mark the end of a question.
Exclamation point (!) This is used to mark the end of an exclamation.
Comma (,) This is used to separate clauses and phrases in a sentence.
Semicolon (;) This is used to join two independent clauses that are closely related.
Colon (:) This is used to introduce a list or to introduce a quotation.
Dash (-) This is used to add emphasis or to show a break in thought.
Hyphen (-) This is used to join two words together or to form a compound adjective.
Parentheses (()) These are used to enclose additional information or to clarify a point.
Brackets ([]) These are used to enclose additional information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
Apostrophe (') This is used to show possession or to form contractions.
Quotation marks (" ") These are used to enclose direct quotations.

Tips for using punctuation marks effectively:

Use a period at the end of every sentence, except for questions and exclamations.
Use a comma to separate clauses and phrases in a sentence.
Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are closely related.
Use a colon to introduce a list or to introduce a quotation.
Use a dash to add emphasis or to show a break in thought.
Use a hyphen to join two words together or to form a compound adjective.
Use parentheses to enclose additional information or to clarify a point.
Use brackets to enclose additional information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
Use an apostrophe to show possession or to form contractions.
Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotations.