Types of Punctuations

1. Comma
2. Period/Full Stop
3. Colon
4. Ellipsis
5. Semicolon
6. Apostrophe
7. Hyphen
8. Dash
9. Quotation Marks
10. Question Mark
11. Exclamation Point
13. Parentheses and Brackets

Comma
 While a period ends a sentence, a comma indicates a smaller break. Some writers think of a comma as a soft
pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.
 Commas have quite a few uses in English:

o Separating items in a list of three or more

o Connecting two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction
o Setting apart non-restrictive relative clauses
o Setting apart appositives
o Setting apart introductory phrases
o Setting apart interrupters and parenthetical elements
o Setting apart question tags (You haven't seen this film, have you? Your sister lives in Spain,
doesn't she? He can't drive, can he?)
o Setting apart names in direct address
o Separating parts of a date
o Separating parts of a location, like a city and its country
o Separating multiple coordinating adjectives
o Separating quotations and attributive tags
o When you have a list that contains more than two elements, use commas to separate them.

Julie loves ice cream books and kittens.

Julie loves ice cream, books, and kittens.

(In Detail)

 Serial comma (Oxford comma)

As mentioned above, when you are listing three or more items, commas should separate each element of the
list. However, the final comma—the one that comes before the and—is optional. This comma is called the
serial comma or the Oxford comma.
 Simon needs bread, milk, and butter at the grocery store. (With serial comma)
Simon needs bread, milk and butter at the grocery store. (Without serial comma)
Keep in mind, though, that occasionally the serial comma is necessary for clarity.
I dedicate this award to my parents, Jane Austen and Albert Einstein.

The sentence above will almost certainly cause readers to do a double take. Without a serial comma, it looks
like “Jane Austen and Albert Einstein” is an appositive, rather than the second and third elements in a list. To
put it another way, the writer seems to be saying that her parents are Jane Austen and Albert Einstein.

I dedicate this award to my parents, Jane Austen, and Albert Einstein.

 Commas with but

Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction but if it is joining two independent clauses:

Cleo is a good singer but she’s an even better dancer.

Cleo is a good singer, but she’s an even better dancer.
If but is not joining two independent clauses, leave the comma out.

My teacher is tough, but fair.

My teacher is tough but fair.
Life is, but a dream.
Life is but a dream.

 Commas with and

When correcting a comma splice by adding and—that is, when joining two independent clauses with and as a
coordinating conjunction—put the comma before and.

When you have a list that contains only two items, don’t use a comma before the and.

My dog Charlie is cute, and smart.

My dog Charlie is cute and smart.

 Avoiding comma splices

When you want to join two independent clauses, you need a conjunction or a semicolon; a comma alone isn’t
strong enough to join them. This kind of mistake is called a comma splice.

We were out of milk, I went to the store.

You can fix a comma splice by adding a conjunction or changing the comma to a semicolon.

We were out of milk, so I went to the store.

 We were out of milk; I went to the store.
Or you can simply write the two independent clauses as separate sentences.

We were out of milk. I went to the store.

 Commas with relative clauses

A clause that is nonrestrictive offers extra information about something you have mentioned in a sentence, but
that information isn’t essential for identifying the thing you’re talking about. Nonrestrictive clauses are usually
introduced by which or who and should be set off by commas.

Posey’s Cafe, which Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

The clause “which Chester recommended” is nonrestrictive because “Posey’s Cafe” is already specific.
Identifying it as the restaurant recommended by Chester doesn’t narrow it down any further.

My wife, whom I love dearly, is a brilliant physicist.

The clause “whom I love dearly” is nonrestrictive because you could remove it and it would still be clear what
person you’re talking—“my wife” is already specific.

A clause that is restrictive adds information that is necessary in order to identify whatever it is referring to.
Restrictive clauses are often introduced by that or who and should never be set off by commas.

The cafe, that Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

The cafe that Chester recommended is a fantastic restaurant.
The clause “that Chester recommended” is essential information in the sentence above. If you removed it, there
would be no way to tell which restaurant you were talking about.

 Commas with appositives

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that refers to the same thing as another noun in the same sentence.
Often, the appositive provides additional information about the noun or helps to distinguish it in some way. If
you could remove the appositive without changing the meaning of the sentence, it is said to be nonessential and
should be set off with commas. If the appositive is necessary, it’s said to be essential and should not be set off
with commas.

Nonessential appositives

My partner, Angela, is a wonderful cook.

Chocolate, my favorite treat, always makes me feel better after a bad day.

Essential appositives

Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” is a classic.

Nick Jonas’s brother Kevin is the most underrated Jonas.

The detective Sherlock Holmes is one of literature’s greatest sleuths.

 Commas with introductory phrases

A comma normally follows a participial phrase that introduces a sentence:

Grabbing her umbrella, Kate raced out of the house.

Confused by her sister’s sudden change in mood, Jill stayed quiet.

When an adverbial phrase begins a sentence, it’s often followed by a comma, but it doesn’t have to be,
especially if it’s short. As a rule of thumb, if the phrase is longer than about four words, use a comma. You can
also use a comma after a shorter phrase when you want to emphasize it or add a pause for literary effect.

After the show, Cleo will be signing autographs.

Behind the building there is enough space to park two limousines.

Without knowing why, I crossed the room and looked out the window.

In 1816 life was very different.

Suddenly, a frightened black cat sprang from the shadows.

But if there is a chance of misreading the sentence, use the comma:

Before eating the family said grace.

Before eating, the family said grace.

 Commas with dates

When writing a date in month-day-year format, set off the year with commas.

July 4, 1776, was an important day in American history.

I was born on Sunday, May 12, 1968.

If you are using the day-month-year format, however, commas are unnecessary.

Applications are due by 31 December 2024.

Use a comma between a day of the week and a date:

On Tuesday, April 13, at three o’clock, there will be a meeting for all staff.

Please join us on Saturday, June 10, 2023, for the marriage of Annie and Michael.

When you are referencing only a month and year, you don’t need a comma.
 The region experienced record rainfall in March 1999.

 Commas with coordinate adjectives

When multiple adjectives modify a noun to an equal degree, they are said to be coordinate and should be
separated by commas. One way to tell whether the adjectives are coordinate is to try switching the order of
them. If the sentence still sounds natural, the adjectives are coordinate.

That man is a pompous, self-righteous, annoying idiot.

That man is a self-righteous, annoying, pompous idiot.

The sweet, scintillating aroma of cinnamon buns filled the kitchen.

The scintillating, sweet aroma of cinnamon buns filled the kitchen.

If multiple adjectives are used but are not coordinate—that is, if one of them is more closely related to the noun
being modified than the other(s), and thus they sound unnatural if the order is changed—don’t separate them
with a comma.

The adorable, little boy was eating ice cream.

The little, adorable boy was eating ice cream.
The adorable little boy was eating ice cream.

 Commas with interrupters or parenthetical elements

Interrupters are little thoughts that pop up in the middle of a sentence to show emotion, tone, or emphasis. A
parenthetical element is a phrase that adds extra information to the sentence but could be removed without
changing the meaning of the sentence. Both interrupters and parenthetical elements should be set off with
commas.

The weather I was happy to see was beginning to clear.

The weather, I was happy to see, was beginning to clear.
Mary unlike Anne is very organized.
Mary, unlike Anne, is very organized.

 Commas between direct quotes and attributive tags

An attributive tag is a phrase, like “they said” or “she claimed,” that identifies the speaker or writer of a quote
or piece of dialogue. Attributive tags can come before, after, or even in the middle of a quote. Use commas to
separate attributive tags from quotations.

The professor remarked, “How attentive you have been today!”

 “Once you know the solution,” Tiffany said, “the whole problem seems very simple.”

“You have ice cream on your nose,” my friend giggled.

“When you leave the house,” my mother yelled, “don’t slam the door!”

If a quotation before an attributive tag end in a question mark or exclamation point, however, there’s no need
for a comma.

“You have a spider on your nose!”, my friend yelled.

“You have a spider on your nose!” my friend yelled.
“Where did that spider come from?”, I asked.
“Where did that spider come from?” I asked.

 Commas with quotation marks

In American English, commas always go before closing quotation marks.

“Pass me that thesaurus,” said Matthew.

“If you knew what was good for you, you’d finish that essay right now,” my roommate said.

“We’re going down to the soup kitchen to help serve dinner,” her mother called.

In British English, however, unquoted punctuation typically follows the quotation marks. If you are writing for
a British audience, put the comma after the closing quotation mark. (Furthermore, British English tends to use
single quotes rather than double quotation marks.)

 Commas with parentheses

Parentheses are used to give additional information to the reader—information that might disrupt the flow of
the sentence if written as a nonrestrictive clause. Commas may be placed after the closing parenthesis but not
before either the opening or the closing parenthesis. If the sentence would not require any commas without the
parenthetical material, it should not have any commas with it.

After opening the new cookie tin, Chester had a hard time replacing the lid.
After opening the new cookie tin (and eating several of the cookies), Chester had a hard time
replacing the lid.

 Commas with question tags

A question tag is a word or short phrase that is added to the end of a statement to turn it into a question. Writers
often use question tags to encourage readers to agree with them. A question tag should be preceded by a
comma.
 These willow trees are beautiful, aren’t they?

You didn’t actually write a 600-page vampire romance novel, did you?

I know, right?

 Commas with direct address

When addressing another person by name, set off the name with commas.

Mom, I can’t find my shoes!

Cleo, there’s someone on the phone for you.

Hello, Chester.

 Commas with as well as

You generally don’t need a comma before the connective phrase as well as. However, if you want the element
of a sentence introduced by as well as to be read as an interrupter or a parenthetical, setting it off with a comma
or pair of commas can communicate that.

Please proofread for grammatical mistakes as well as spelling.

Spelling mistakes, as well as grammatical errors, are distracting to readers.

 Commas with such as

The phrase such as requires commas if it introduces a nonrestrictive clause.

Coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce, do not drop their needles in the winter.

If such as introduces a restrictive clause, omit the commas.

Trees such as pine and spruce do not drop their needles in the winter.

 Commas with too

Using a comma before the adverb too is generally unnecessary but not incorrect.

I like bananas too.

I too like bananas.

Setting too off with commas can add emphasis or make the sentence easier to parse.
 I like bananas, too.

I, too, like bananas.

 With than comparisons

Don’t use a comma before than when you’re making a comparison.

This box is lighter, than that box.

This box is lighter than that box.
Hardcover books are more expensive, than paperback books.
Hardcover books are more expensive than paperback books.

Period:

 A period, or “full stop,” is a punctuation mark in English that expresses the end of a sentence and sometimes
abbreviations. It is one of the most used punctuation marks and the most common way to conclude a
sentence. It has two main purposes: ending a sentence and indicating an omission.

Periods convey a definitive pause. In spoken English, a speaker will briefly stop talking in between
sentences—the period represents that momentary break in written English. The pause indicated by a period
is a significant one, more pronounced than the pause from other punctuation marks like
a comma or semicolon.

 End a sentence

The primary function of a period is to signal the end of a sentence. Periods are one of three punctuation marks
for the end of a sentence, along with question marks and exclamation points. Specifically, you only use a period
to end declarative sentences (statements) or imperative sentences (commands).

 Indicate an omission

The secondary purpose of a period is to indicate that some information has been removed, such as letters in a
word. In particular, periods are often used in abbreviations, especially Latin abbreviations like etc., i.e., e.g., c.,
and et al.

Periods are also sometimes used for initials when only the first letter of a word or name is present, such
as in H. G. Wells. Three periods together make a new punctuation mark called an ellipsis, which can indicate
that some words or entire sentences have been omitted (we explain more about ellipses below).

 Sentences

Periods come at the end of declarative and imperative sentences. These sentences are typically simple
statements, communicating information without urgency. If spoken out loud, the speaker would use a neutral or
calm voice, without excessive emotion.
If, however, you want to add emotion or extra emphasis to a statement or command, you would use an
exclamation mark instead of a period. Exclamation marks represent excitement, urgency, or yelling in written
English. Consider the example:

Binsa wore her sister’s gown to the party.

Because a period is used, this sentence is a basic declaration. There’s nothing right or wrong about the
statement; it’s just communicating a simple, if not boring, fact.

Binsa wore her sister’s gown to the party!

Because of the exclamation mark, this sentence is now an exclamation—there’s a new layer of meaning. It
suggests that the speaker is outraged, excited, or otherwise alarmed about what’s going on. Maybe Binsa didn’t
ask her sister before borrowing the dress!

 Indirect questions

Indirect questions are declarative sentences that talk about a question indirectly, such as describing a person
asking a question. Because these are technically declarative sentences and not interrogative sentences
(questions), they use a period instead of a question mark.

Kendal asked what time it was.

However, if the question is stated directly, use a question mark instead of a period.

Kendal asked, “What time is it?”

 Abbreviations and initials

The use of periods in abbreviations and initials varies from case to case, country to country, and even style
guide to style guide. Despite the individual cases, there are a few uniform rules you can follow to make things
easier:

 Abbreviations for specific time periods often use periods, including abbreviated months (Jan., Dec.) and
days (Mon., Sat.).

 Abbreviations for metric units of measures do not use a period (cm, kg). On the other hand,
abbreviations for non-metric units of measurement, like the American system, use a period (in., lbs.).

 If a person uses initials for only part of their name, use periods (J. R. R. Tolkien). If a person uses two or
more initials to abbreviate their entire name, do not use periods. (FDR, MLK).

 Latin abbreviations like etc., e.g., c., and i.e. always use periods.

There’s another rule worth mentioning as well. If a sentence ends with an abbreviation that uses a period, do
not add a second period. The period in the abbreviation is sufficient.

They spent the day cleaning their living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc..
They spent the day cleaning their living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.
Even so, it’s perfectly acceptable to add a comma, semicolon, or colon after a period, as long as the period is
used for an abbreviation.
 Leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, kale, etc., are an excellent source of nutrition.

Another common use of periods for abbreviations is with the time periods a.m. (“ante meridiem”)
and p.m. (“post meridiem”).

 Sentences

If a sentence is either declarative or imperative, place the period directly after the final word. It’s customary to
leave a single space after a period before beginning a new sentence.

English is not an easy language.

Don’t arrive late again.

However, there are exceptions to this rule, chiefly if the sentence ends in either of the following:

 a quote that ends in a question mark or exclamation mark

 a proper noun that ends in a question mark or exclamation mark

In these cases, no period is necessary.

It’s hard to pick just one, but my favorite Taylor Swift song is “… Ready for It?”.
It’s hard to pick just one, but my favorite Taylor Swift song is “… Ready for It?”
Adelina wanted to become a doctor after watching the anime Cells at Work!.
Adelina wanted to become a doctor after watching the anime Cells at Work!

 Periods and parentheses

When a complete, independent sentence is entirely enclosed by parentheses, the period goes inside the closing
parenthesis:

Charlie scarfed up every Cheeto that fell out of the bag. (I wasn’t fast enough to stop him.) At
least we won’t have to sweep the floor.

But, if the parenthetical material is nested inside another sentence, the period should go on the outside:

Charlie barked wildly when he caught the scent of fresh bacon (his favorite).

Ellipses

An ellipsis (plural: ellipses) looks like three periods in a row with spaces in between them. There are two main
uses for ellipses. One is to show that part of a quote has been omitted:

Hamlet asked whether it was “nobler . . . to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
or to take arms against a sea of troubles.”
In the sentence above, the words “in the mind” have been omitted from the quote. Occasionally, you might
need to leave out part of a quote because it’s irrelevant or makes the quote hard to understand in the context of
the sentence. The ellipsis shows that you have left something out.

You can also use an ellipsis for literary effect, to represent a dramatic pause or a thought that trails off.
Sometimes, this type of ellipsis is also referred to as “suspension points.”

The bus was supposed to come at 3:00, so we waited and waited . . . and waited.

Wait a minute . . . If you’re not watching Charlie, who is?

I guess we could meet you there later. If there’s time . . .

This usage is fine in fiction, but you should avoid it in formal writing.

Colon
 A colon introduces an element or series of elements that illustrates or amplifies the information that precedes
the colon. Think of it as an arrow that points to the information following it. When a colon appears in a
sentence, it usually gives the silent impression of “as follows,” “which is/are,” or “thus.”
 A colon can be used to separate two independent clauses when the second clause is directly related to the
first clause (not just vaguely related), or when the emphasis is on the second clause.
 Here’s an example of how to use a colon.

There are three types of muscle in the body: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.

The colon in this sentence signals that you are about to learn the names of the three types of muscles the
sentence already mentioned. We might silently read the sentence this way.

There are three types of muscle in the body (and they are): cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.

Colons are often used with lists, as in the example above. They can also be used to signal further clarification.

We have two options here: stay and fight, or run like the wind.

One might silently read the above sentence in this way:

We have two options here (and they are as follows): stay and fight, or run like the wind.

There are many times when a colon might be used in your writing: Here are a few.

1 Lists

Colons are most often used to introduce lists.

Taylor Swift has written a few songs about John Mayer: “Dear John,” “The Story of Us,” and “Would’ve,
Could’ve, Should’ve.”

2 Nouns or noun phrases

Colons can be used before a noun or a noun phrase.

The movie had everything I wanted: action and suspense.

3 Quotes

Colons can introduce a quotation.

He ended with the immortal words of Neil Young: “Rock and Roll can never die.”

5 Numbers

Colons are used to separate units of time and ratios.

11:11 a.m.

2:1

6 Titles and subtitles

A colon can be used to separate a movie, book, or another piece of work’s title from its subtitle.

Colon-oscopy: The Best Punctuation Puns

When not to use a colon

A colon should not separate a noun from its verb, a verb from its object or subject complement, a preposition
from its object, or a subject from its predicate.

To illustrate, here is one of our sentences from above rewritten incorrectly.

The three types of muscle in the body are: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.

Putting the colon here separates the verb “are” from its subject complements (“cardiac,” “smooth,” and
“skeletal”).

When I graduate, I want to go to: Rome, Israel, and Egypt.

In this sentence, the colon separates the preposition “to” from its objects (“Rome,” “Israel,” and “Egypt”). To
write this sentence correctly, the colon should be removed.

When I graduate, I want to go to Rome, Israel, and Egypt.

Lastly, colons should not be used after “including,” “especially,” or other similar phrases. As we explained
earlier, a colon essentially replaces these words, so using them before one would be redundant.

A semicolon can also be used to connect two independent clauses, but it acts as a conjunction rather than “as
follows” or “including.”

I think I’ll go to the mall today; I need new pants and a pair of shoes.

The semicolon here takes the place of a conjunction because the second part expands on the first part.

Semicolons can also be used to separate items in a lengthy list or if the list contains additional punctuation that
might trip up the reader.
 My European football tour will consist of trips to Manchester, England; Glasgow, Scotland;
Lille, France; and Turin, Italy.

Colon examples

Here are five sentences that use colons in different ways.

 There are several grocery stores where you can buy apples: Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and Kroger, among
others.

 They’re my ideal partner: outgoing and smart.

 It’s like my grandmother said: “The journey is the destination.”

 And now it’s time to tell you why I’ve gathered you all here: time-shares.

 Computer: A History of the Information Machine

Semicolon
What is correct semicolon use? The most common semicolon use is joining two independent clauses without
using a coordinating conjunction like and. Semicolons can also replace commas when listing items that already
use commas, such as listing cities and states.

We can go to the museum to do some research; Mondays are pretty quiet there.

Remember, semicolons are not interchangeable with commas or periods. Instead, they’re somewhere in
between: stronger than a comma but not quite as divisive as a period.

1 Use semicolons to connect related independent clauses

The group of words that comes before the semicolon should form a complete sentence, the group of words that
comes after the semicolon should form a complete sentence, and the two sentences should share a close, logical
connection:

I ordered a cheeseburger for lunch; life’s too short for counting calories.

Martha has gone to the library; her sister has gone to play soccer.

The examples above are each made up of two complete, grammatically correct sentences glued together.

2 Skip the coordinating conjunction when you use a semicolon between two independent clauses

I saw a magnificent albatross, and it was eating a mouse.

I saw a magnificent albatross; it was eating a mouse.

3 Use semicolons in a serial list

You can use semicolons to divide the items of a list if the items are long or contain internal punctuation. In
these cases, the semicolon helps readers keep track of the divisions between the items.

I need the weather statistics for the following cities: London, England; London, Ontario; Paris,
France; Paris, Ontario; and Perth, Scotland; Perth, Ontario.

4 Use semicolons with conjunctive adverbs

When you have a conjunctive adverb linking two independent clauses, you should use a semicolon between the
clauses. Common conjunctive adverbs include words
like moreover, nevertheless, however, otherwise, therefore, then, finally, likewise, consequently, and many
others.

Reports of the damage caused by the hurricane were greatly exaggerated; indeed, the storm
was not a hurricane at all.

The students had been advised against walking alone at night; however, Cathy decided walking
wasn’t dangerous if it was early in the evening.

I’m not all that fond of the colors of tiger lilies; moreover, they don’t smell very good.

Apostrophe
Contractions and omissions

A contraction is a shortened form of a word or group of words that omits certain letters or sounds. In a
contraction, an apostrophe represents missing letters. The most common contractions are made up
of verbs, auxiliaries, or modals attached to other words:

“He would” = “He’d”

“I have” = “I’ve”

“They are” = “They’re”

“You cannot” = “You can’t”

Contraction Uncontracted Examples

-n’t not Isn’t (is not), hasn’t (has not)

-’re are They’re (they are), we’re (we are), you’re (you are)

-’d had, would She’d (she had, she would), I’d (I had, I would)

-’ll will We’ll (we will), you’ll (you will)

-’s is He’s (he is), it’s (it is)

I’m I am —
Contraction Uncontracted Examples

let’s let us —

Apostrophes and possessive nouns

For most singular nouns, add -’s:

The dog’s leash

The writer’s desk
The planet’s atmosphere
For most plural nouns, add only an apostrophe:

The dogs’ leashes

The writers’ desks
The planets’ atmospheres
For plural nouns that do not end in s, add -’s:

The children’s toys

The geese’s migration route
Add only the apostrophe to plural proper nouns that end in s:

The Harrises’ house

The Smiths’ vacation

Apostrophes and possessive pronouns

Personal pronouns, unlike regular nouns, do not use apostrophes to form possessives. Most writers don’t have
trouble with the possessive pronouns my, mine, his, her, and our. It’s your, yours, hers, its, ours, their,
and theirs that tend to cause the confusion. The relative possessive pronoun whose is also frequently the victim
of apostrophe abuse.

Pronoun Possessive Pronoun Absolute (Independent) Form

me my mine

you your yours

he his his

her her hers

Pronoun Possessive Pronoun Absolute (Independent) Form

it its —

we our ours

them their theirs

who whose —

Apostrophes and joint possession

When one thing belongs to two or more people jointly, make only the final name possessive:

Bob and Jim’s bait shop (Bob and Jim co-own a bait shop.)
Ryan, Jessica, and Elinor’s parents (All three have the same parents.)
When you’re talking about separate things that belong to different people but you’re discussing the things
together, make all the names possessive:

Bob’s and Jim’s bait shops (Bob owns one bait shop, and Jim owns a different one.)
Ryan’s, Jessica’s, and Elinor’s parents (Each has a different set of parents)
Using possessive personal pronouns in joint constructions often sounds awkward (You have their and my
gratitude). Usually, the best solution is to rephrase the sentence to avoid the joint construction (You have our
gratitude or You have their gratitude and mine).

Apostrophes and plurals

The one notable exception to this rule is the plural form of lowercase letters, which are formed with an
apostrophe to prevent misreading:

Don’t forget to dot all your is.

Don’t forget to dot all your i’s.
Also keep in mind to use an Apostrophe, when you are writing about specific decades, such as the ’60s or the
’90s.

Hyphen:

There are two things to keep in mind about this misunderstood punctuation mark. First, there should not be
spaces around hyphens. Second, hyphens should not be used interchangeably with dashes, which are noticeably
longer.

Hyphens' main purpose is to glue words together. They notify the reader that two or more elements in a
sentence are linked.
Hyphens Between Words
Rule 1. Generally, hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single
idea. This is called a compound adjective.

an off-campus apartment
state-of-the-art design

When a compound adjective follows a noun, a hyphen is usually not necessary.

The apartment is off campus.

However, some established compound adjectives are always hyphenated. Double-check with a dictionary or
online.

The design is state-of-the-art.

This is equivalent to writing You can expect a three-week to four-week delay in processing.
Rule 2. A hyphen is frequently required when forming original compound verbs for vivid writing, humor, or
special situations.

The slacker video-gamed his way through life.

Queen Victoria throne-sat for six decades.
Rule 3. When writing out new, original, or unusual compound nouns, writers should hyphenate whenever doing
so avoids confusion.

I changed my diet and became a no-meater.

No-meater is too confusing without the hyphen.

Rule 3. An often-overlooked rule for hyphens: The adverb very and adverbs ending in ly are not hyphenated.

Incorrect: the very-elegant watch

Incorrect: the finely-tuned watch

This rule applies only to adverbs. The following two examples are correct because the ly words are not adverbs:

Correct: the friendly-looking dog

Correct: a family-owned cafe
Rule 4. Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. A handy rule, whether writing about years,
months, or any other period of time, is to use hyphens unless the period of time (years, months, weeks, days) is
written in plural form:

With hyphens:
We have a two-year-old child.
We have a two-year-old.

No hyphens: The child is two years old. (Because years is plural.)

 Exception: The child is one year old. (Or day, week, month, etc.)

Rule 5. Never hesitate to add a hyphen if it solves a possible problem. Following are two examples of well-
advised hyphens:

Confusing: Springfield has little town charm.

With hyphen: Springfield has little-town charm.

Confusing: She had a concealed weapons permit.

With hyphen: She had a concealed-weapons permit.

Dashes

Em dashes, like commas, semicolons, colons, ellipses, and parentheses, indicate added emphasis, an
interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.

Examples:
You are the friend, the only friend, who offered to help me.
You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me.

I pay the bills; she has all the fun.

I pay the bills—she has all the fun.

Rule 1. Words and phrases between dashes are not generally part of the subject.

Example: Joe—and his trusty mutt—was always welcome.

Rule 2. Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2020 in the
following examples:

Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived.

With dash: The man—he was from Ames, Iowa—arrived.

Rule 3. Some writers and publishers prefer spaces around dashes.

Example: Joe — and his trusty mutt — was always welcome.

En dashes are shorter than em dashes and longer than hyphens. Like hyphens, they can be used for number
ranges

The student council will meet Thursday, 3:15–3:45 p.m.

During the years 1999–2016, Joshua lived in Fargo, North Dakota.
We expect 300–325 people at the reception.

Question Mark
Rule 1. Use a question mark only after a direct question.

Correct: Will you go with me?

Incorrect: I'm asking if you will go with me?
Rule 2. A question mark replaces a period at the end of a sentence.

Incorrect: Will you go with me?.

Rule 3. Avoid the common trap of using question marks with indirect questions, which are statements that
contain questions. Use a period after an indirect question.

Incorrect: I wonder if he would go with me?

Correct:
I wonder if he would go with me.
OR
I wonder: Would he go with me?
Rule 3b. Some sentences are statements—or demands—in the form of a question. They are called rhetorical
questions because they don't require or expect an answer. Many should be written without question marks.

Examples:
Why don't you take a break.
Would you kids knock it off.
What wouldn't I do for you!
Rule 4. Use a question mark when a sentence is half statement and half question.

Example: You do care, don't you?

Rule 5. The placement of question marks with quotation marks follows logic. If a question is within the quoted
material, a question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.

Examples:
Alberta asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
The question "Will you still be my friend?" is part of the quotation.

Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"?
The question Do you agree with the saying? is outside the quotation.

Exclamation Mark

Rule 1. Use an exclamation point to show emotion, emphasis, or surprise.

Examples:
I'm truly shocked by your behavior!
Yay! We won!
Rule 2. An exclamation point replaces a period at the end of a sentence. It also replaces a midsentence comma.

Incorrect: I'm truly shocked by your behavior!.

Correct: I'm truly shocked by your behavior!
 Incorrect: "I'm truly shocked by your behavior!," I told her.
Correct: "I'm truly shocked by your behavior!" I told her.
Rule 3. Avoid using an exclamation point in formal business writing.