English / Punctuations

Punctuations are used to make meaningful sentences otherwise it misleads the actual meaning of the sentence.

I.e. Punctuations make a sentence or a paragraph more meaningful and organized.

14 Punctuations List in English Grammar
S. No Type of Punctuation
1 Period / Full Stop (.)
2 Exclamation
3 Question Mark
4 Comma
5 Semicolon
6 Colon
7 Dash
8 Hyphen
9 Parenthesis
10 Brackets
11 Braces
12 Apostrophe
13 Quotation Marks
14 Ellipsis

1. Period / Full Stop (.)
It is used to terminate / end a sentence / declarative statement.

Example
He is going to his home.

Note
1. It cannot be used to end either a question or an exclamation.

2. The word written after a period (.) should start with a capital letter.

2. Exclamation (!)
It is used to express various emotions (Anger, Astonishment, joy, hurt, sorrow, surprise or to put stress on a short phrase or a comment e.t.c).

Example
a. Oh God help me! (Sorrow / request).
b. I don’t believe it! (Surprise).

3. Question Mark (?)
It is used to end direct Questions.

Example
1. What is your name?
2. Where do you live?

Note
The word written after a Question Mark should start with a capital letter.

4. Comma (,)
It is used to separate any consecutively appearing noun, pronoun, adverb verbs in a sentence.

Example
Dogs, cows, horses and bulls are domestic animals.
Educational institutions are Schools, college’s e.tc.
Vehicles like Car, bus, bike or train any one can be used for traveling purpose.

5. Semicolon (;)
It is used to separate two related phrases without having to use a conjunction.

Example
Nice pen you have got; I would like to write with it.

6. Colon (:)
It is used to separate a sentence with its explanation. It is placed after a statement and preceded by elaborate explanation of the statement.

Example
Mobile accessories List: Headphone, Bluetooth Speaker, Headset e.t.c.
System accessories List: Key board, mouse, monitor e.t.c.

7. Dash (-)
It similar as a colon (:) and is used less formal than a colon. It is advisable to avoid a dash in a formal writing. A dash (-) on the other hand, must have space on both sides.

Example
Mobile accessories List: Headphone, Bluetooth Speaker, Headset e.t.c.
System accessories List: Key board, mouse, monitor e.t.c.

8. Hyphen (-)
It used to separate 2 / more words together with no space on either side and is similar to a dash.

Example
a. Co-ordinate.
b. Twenty-Four.

9. Parenthesis ( )
It is a round bracket used to enclose information related to the sentence.

Example
Telangana state (formation day: 2 June 2014) formed in India.

10. Bracket [ ]
It is used mainly in mathematical expressions and for adding personal comments.

Example
He [Business person] purchased the building.

Note
Square bracket [ ] cannot be combined with the sentence like a round bracket ( ).

11. Braces / Curly Bracket { }
These are used for representation a mathematical expressions or a universal set.

Example
a. {19 x [22 – 19(4)] – 10}
b. Pick a color: {Blue, yellow, orange, white, green}

12. Apostrophe (‘)
It is used to combine a noun and a verb. It can be used with Not, is, will, have, are and to Show Possessiveness.

Example
S.No Thing Example
1 Not a. Cannot – Can’t b. Should not – shouldn’t
2 is a. He is – He’s b. There is – there’s
3 will a. I will – I’ll b. He will – he’ll
4 have a. I have – I’ve b. We have – we’ve
5 are a. You are - you’re b. We are – we’re
6 Show Possessiveness My bike’s clutch plates got damaged. (clutch plates  of the bike)

Punctuations
They are used to make meaningful sentences otherwise it misleads the actual meaning of the sentence.

I.e. Punctuations make a sentence or a paragraph more meaningful and organized.

14 Punctuations List in English Grammar
S. No Type of Punctuation
1 Period / Full Stop (.)
2 Exclamation
3 Question Mark
4 Comma
5 Semicolon
6 Colon
7 Dash
8 Hyphen
9 Parenthesis
10 Brackets
11 Braces
12 Apostrophe
13 Quotation Marks
14 Ellipsis


1. Period / Full Stop (.)
It is used to terminate / end a sentence / declarative statement.

Example
He is going to his home.

Note
1. It cannot be used to end either a question or an exclamation.

2. The word written after a period (.) should start with a capital letter.

2. Exclamation (!)
It is used to express various emotions (Anger, Astonishment, joy, hurt, sorrow, surprise or to put stress on a short phrase or a comment e.t.c).

Example
a. Oh God help me! (Sorrow / request).
b. I don’t believe it! (Surprise).

3. Question Mark (?)
It is used to end direct Questions.

Example
1. What is your name?
2. Where do you live?

Note
The word written after a Question Mark should start with a capital letter.

4. Comma (,)
It is used to separate any consecutively appearing noun, pronoun, adverb verbs in a sentence.

Example
Dogs, cows, horses and bulls are domestic animals.
Educational institutions are Schools, college’s e.tc.
Vehicles like Car, bus, bike or train any one can be used for traveling purpose.

5. Semicolon (;)
It is used to separate two related phrases without having to use a conjunction.

Example
Nice pen you have got; I would like to write with it.

6. Colon (:)
It is used to separate a sentence with its explanation. It is placed after a statement and preceded by elaborate explanation of the statement.

Example
Mobile accessories List: Headphone, Bluetooth Speaker, Headset e.t.c.
System accessories List: Key board, mouse, monitor e.t.c.

7. Dash (-)
It similar as a colon (:) and is used less formal than a colon. It is advisable to avoid a dash in a formal writing. A dash (-) on the other hand, must have space on both sides.

Example
Mobile accessories List: Headphone, Bluetooth Speaker, Headset e.t.c.
System accessories List: Key board, mouse, monitor e.t.c.

8. Hyphen (-)
It used to separate 2 / more words together with no space on either side and is similar to a dash.

Example
a. Co-ordinate.
b. Twenty-Four.

9. Parenthesis ( )
It is a round bracket used to enclose information related to the sentence.

Example
Telangana state (formation day: 2 June 2014) formed in India.

10. Bracket [ ]
It is used mainly in mathematical expressions and for adding personal comments.

Example
He [Business person] purchased the building.

Note
Square bracket [ ] cannot be combined with the sentence like a round bracket ( ).

11. Braces / Curly Bracket { }
These are used for representation a mathematical expressions or a universal set.

Example
a. {19 x [22 – 19(4)] – 10}
b. Pick a color: {Blue, yellow, orange, white, green}

12. Apostrophe (‘)
It is used to combine a noun and a verb. It can be used with Not, is, will, have, are and to Show Possessiveness.

Example
S.No Thing Example
1 Not a. Cannot – Can’t b. Should not – shouldn’t
2 is a. He is – He’s b. There is – there’s
3 will a. I will – I’ll b. He will – he’ll
4 have a. I have – I’ve b. We have – we’ve
5 are a. You are - you’re b. We are – we’re
6 Show Possessiveness My bike’s clutch plates got damaged. (clutch plates  of the bike)

13. Quotation Marks (“”) and (‘’) It is used to give the importance to a sentence.

Example a. It is the time to “Take your medicines”.

14. Ellipses (……)
It is used to fill the missing things in a sentence by the reader.

Example
a. I am a …………… (Male / Female).

Punctuations
They are used to make meaningful sentences otherwise it misleads the actual meaning of the sentence.

I.e. Punctuations make a sentence or a paragraph more meaningful and organized.

14 Punctuations List in English Grammar
S. No Type of Punctuation
1 Period / Full Stop (.)
2 Exclamation
3 Question Mark
4 Comma
5 Semicolon
6 Colon
7 Dash
8 Hyphen
9 Parenthesis
10 Brackets
11 Braces
12 Apostrophe
13 Quotation Marks
14 Ellipsis


1. Period / Full Stop (.)
It is used to terminate / end a sentence / declarative statement.

Example
He is going to his home.

Note
1. It cannot be used to end either a question or an exclamation.

2. The word written after a period (.) should start with a capital letter.

2. Exclamation (!)
It is used to express various emotions (Anger, Astonishment, joy, hurt, sorrow, surprise or to put stress on a short phrase or a comment e.t.c).

Example
a. Oh God help me! (Sorrow / request).
b. I don’t believe it! (Surprise).

3. Question Mark (?)
It is used to end direct Questions.

Example
1. What is your name?
2. Where do you live?

Note
The word written after a Question Mark should start with a capital letter.

4. Comma (,)
It is used to separate any consecutively appearing noun, pronoun, adverb verbs in a sentence.

Example
Dogs, cows, horses and bulls are domestic animals.
Educational institutions are Schools, college’s e.tc.
Vehicles like Car, bus, bike or train any one can be used for traveling purpose.

5. Semicolon (;)
It is used to separate two related phrases without having to use a conjunction.

Example
Nice pen you have got; I would like to write with it.

6. Colon (:)
It is used to separate a sentence with its explanation. It is placed after a statement and preceded by elaborate explanation of the statement.

Example
Mobile accessories List: Headphone, Bluetooth Speaker, Headset e.t.c.
System accessories List: Key board, mouse, monitor e.t.c.

7. Dash (-)
It similar as a colon (:) and is used less formal than a colon. It is advisable to avoid a dash in a formal writing. A dash (-) on the other hand, must have space on both sides.

Example
Mobile accessories List: Headphone, Bluetooth Speaker, Headset e.t.c.
System accessories List: Key board, mouse, monitor e.t.c.

8. Hyphen (-)
It used to separate 2 / more words together with no space on either side and is similar to a dash.

Example
a. Co-ordinate.
b. Twenty-Four.

9. Parenthesis ( )
It is a round bracket used to enclose information related to the sentence.

Example
Telangana state (formation day: 2 June 2014) formed in India.

10. Bracket [ ]
It is used mainly in mathematical expressions and for adding personal comments.

Example
He [Business person] purchased the building.

Note
Square bracket [ ] cannot be combined with the sentence like a round bracket ( ).

11. Braces / Curly Bracket { }
These are used for representation a mathematical expressions or a universal set.

Example
a. {19 x [22 – 19(4)] – 10}
b. Pick a color: {Blue, yellow, orange, white, green}

12. Apostrophe (‘)
It is used to combine a noun and a verb. It can be used with Not, is, will, have, are and to Show Possessiveness.

Example
S.No Thing Example
1 Not a. Cannot – Can’t b. Should not – shouldn’t
2 is a. He is – He’s b. There is – there’s
3 will a. I will – I’ll b. He will – he’ll
4 have a. I have – I’ve b. We have – we’ve
5 are a. You are - you’re b. We are – we’re
6 Show Possessiveness My bike’s clutch plates got damaged. (clutch plates  of the bike)

13. Quotation Marks (“”) and (‘’)
It is used to give the importance to a sentence.

Example
a. It is the time to “Take your medicines”.

14. Ellipses (……)
It is used to fill the missing things in a sentence by the reader.

Example
a. I am a …………… (Male / Female).

15. Quotation Marks (“”) and (‘’)
It is used to give the importance to a sentence.

Example
a. It is the time to “Take your medicines”.

16. Ellipses (……)
It is used to fill the missing things in a sentence by the reader.

Example
a. I am a …………… (Male / Female).


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