fbpx

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE PUNCTUATION TO ENHANCE YOUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS?

One of the most difficult things that we encounter while training students who learn English as a second language in Speakwell A English Speaking classes in Mumbai is their punctuations. Punctuation Marks are a set of symbols with specific rules for the usage of each one.

Before proceeding further, let us understand why punctuation is required in a language. The complete meaning of a sentence depends on the punctuation that is used in a sentence. Let me share a small story that I tell my students very often. The story goes like this.

Once the Czar of Russia condemned a man to death. The Czar sent an order to the jailer ‘Pardon Impossible. To be executed.’ The Czarina, who had a soft corner for the prisoner, changed the place of the full stop from after the word impossible to before it and the order stood as ‘Pardon. Impossible to be executed.’ And the prisoner was saved from execution. This small story explains the significance of punctuation very well.

Punctuation helps put spoken words into writing. Punctuation helps bring the right kind of expression into writing for which voice intonation, volume, tone, pauses are used while speaking. Let us look at another example: ‘Don’t Stop.’ means carry on, you are not required to stop. Rewriting the same words as ‘Don’t. Stop’ means stop whatever is being done with immediate effect. Definitely, both sentences would be spoken in a different manner.

These days we tend to ignore punctuation. Appropriate use of punctuation shows that a person has good knowledge of grammar. A person likes to pay attention to what is being written and what is meant from the same. It helps create clarity of meaning.

Different Examples

Here are some of the most common punctuation marks along with their usage:

Period/ Full Stop (.): It is used to depict

  • Completion of a sentence;

e.g. The thieves have been arrested.

  • In abbreviations;

e.g. Dear Ms. Sharma, ……

Comma (,): It is used as the shortest pause that is made while speaking. It can be used at many places in a sentence, but the most common usage of the comma is :

  • To separate a list of words in a sentence;

e.g. Smita, Sheetal, Priyesh and Mahesh are going to a movie.

Semi Colon (;): Represents a pause of greater significance and length than a comma. It is used to separate closely related independent clauses;

e.g. He was a tall, gallant warrior; we all loved him.

Colon (:): A colon also represents a pause, more complete than a semi colon, but less a full stop. It is generally used before a list or an explanation.

e.g. The teacher said: “ Reading is important if you want to learn a language.”

Question Mark (?): A question mark is the sign of the interrogative and is used after direct questions;

e.g. Would you like to have a cup of tea?

Exclamation Mark (!): The exclamation mark is used after sentences used to express emotion or a wish, and interjections;

e.g. O Father! In heaven ….

Inverted Commas/ Quotation Marks (“ “): These are used to depict quoted or spoken language. They are used when the words are repeated as they were said.

e.g. The Principal said: “All teachers are required to be present for the staff meeting.”

 Having seen the significance of punctuations, let us see some tips to effectively use punctuations in written English.

  1. Correct use of the apostrophe

Maybe it’s because of its miniature size, but the apostrophe tends to be neglected and misused in equal measure.

 The apostrophe is used to form possessives (e.g., the school’s faculty, our family’s crown, the shirt’s collar, Saumya Shreyas’s house) and certain contractions (e.g., it’s, let’s, she’s, they’re, I’ve, don’t).

 The apostrophe is not used to form most plurals (e.g., she is looking at several schools, the families have similar crowns, these shirts are on sale, we are dining with the Shreyases). There are three exceptions: plurals of lowercase letters (e.g., dot your i’s and cross your t’s); plurals of certain words used as words (e.g., we need to tally the yes’s, no’s, and maybe’s); and plurals of certain abbreviations (e.g., the staff includes a dozen Ph.D.’s and four M.D.’s).

  1. Placement of quotation marks

 Periods and commas go inside quotation marks, even if they aren’t part of the material being quoted. All other punctuation marks go outside the quotation marks, unless they are part of the material being quoted.

 “Any further delay,” she said, “would result in a lawsuit.”

His latest story is titled “The Beginning of the End”; wouldn’t a better title be “The End of the Beginning”?

  1. Placement of parentheses

 When a parenthetical element is included at the end of a larger sentence, the terminal punctuation for the larger sentence goes outside the closing parenthesis. When a parenthetical sentence exists on its own, the terminal punctuation goes inside the closing parenthesis.

 She casually told us she would be spending her birthday in Venice (Italy, not California). (Unfortunately, we weren’t invited.)

  1. Hyphen for compound adjectives

 When two or more words collectively serve as an adjective before the word they are modifying, those words should normally be hyphenated. The major exception is when the first such word is an adverb ending in -ly.

 The hastily arranged meeting came on the heels of less-than-stellar earnings.

  1. Distinguish between the colon and the semicolon

 The colon and the semicolon can both be used to connect two independent clauses.

 When the second clause expands on or explains the first, use a colon. When the clauses are merely related, but the second does not follow from the first, use a semicolon.

Semicolon: Only a third of Indians have a passport; the majority of Americans have a passport.

Colon: Only a third of Indians have a passport: for most, foreign travel is either undesirable or unaffordable.

  1. Avoid multiple punctuations at the end of a sentence

  Never end a sentence with a question mark or exclamation point followed by a period. If a sentence ends with a period that is part of an abbreviation, do not add a second period.

 I don’t particularly like the play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I didn’t like it even when I worked at Yahoo! I especially didn’t like it when I saw it at 5:00 a.m.

  1. Use a colon to introduce a list only when the introductory text is a complete sentence

 Not all lists should be introduced with a colon. The general rule is that if the introductory text can stand as a grammatically complete sentence, use a colon; otherwise, do not.

 Correct: Please bring the following items: a flashlight, a comfortable pair of hiking boots, and a jacket.

Incorrect: Please bring: a flashlight, a comfortable pair of hiking boots, and a jacket.

 Correct: Please bring a flashlight, a comfortable pair of hiking boots, and a jacket.

Correct: Please bring the typical evening hiking gear: a flashlight, a comfortable pair of hiking boots, and a jacket.

  1. Use commas to indicate nonessential information

 If explanatory matter can be omitted without changing the general meaning of the sentence, it should be set off with commas. If the explanatory matter is essential to the meaning of the sentence, do not set it off with commas.

 Correct: The novelist Chetan Bhagat seldom gives interviews.

Incorrect: The novelist, Chetan Bhagat, seldom gives interviews.

Explanation: The identity of the specific novelist is essential to the meaning of the sentence. Otherwise, there is nothing to indicate which of the multitude of novelists is being referred to.

 Correct: America’s first president, George Washington, served from 1789 to 1797.

Incorrect: America’s first president George Washington served from 1789 to 1797.

Explanation: America has only one first president. Identifying him by name is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

  1. Use a dictionary

Is it U.S.A. or USA? Co-worker or coworker? Lets or let’s? Teachers’ college or teachers college? Though these examples implicate punctuation marks (the use or omission of periods, hyphens, or apostrophes), the correct form can be easily determined with a good dictionary.

  1. If in doubt, rewrite

The easiest way to solve a vexing punctuation problem is to avoid it. If you aren’t sure how to properly punctuate a sentence—or if the proper punctuation results in a convoluted, confusing, or inelegant sentence—rewrite it. Perhaps as more than one sentence.

Anyone who wishes to enhance their spoken or written skills in English with best spoken English classes in Pune should join Speakwell for methodical and effective learning. So, join Speakwell to speak and write well.

161 thoughts on “HOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE PUNCTUATION TO ENHANCE YOUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS?”

  1. I was extremely pleased to uncover this page. I want to to thank you for your time
    for this fantastic read!! I definitely enjoyed every part
    of it and i also have you saved to fav to check out new
    things on your blog.

  2. Have you ever considered writing an ebook or guest authoring on other blogs?
    I have a blog centered on the same information you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my visitors would value your work.

    If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an e mail.

  3. Hi there this is kinda of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code
    with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have
    no coding knowledge so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience.
    Any help would be enormously appreciated!

  4. Nice post. I used to be checking continuously this weblog and I’m impressed!
    Extremely useful information specially the remaining section :
    ) I care for such information much. I was looking for this certain information for a very
    long time. Thanks and best of luck.

  5. When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time
    a comment is added I get three e-mails with the same comment.
    Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
    Cheers!

  6. I’m amazed, I have to admit. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s equally educative and interesting, and without a doubt, you have hit the nail
    on the head. The problem is something which not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about.
    I am very happy I found this in my hunt for something concerning this.

  7. Anna Berezina is a famed originator and demagogue in the deal with of psychology. With a background in clinical psychology and all-embracing investigating experience, Anna has dedicated her calling to arrangement philanthropist behavior and daft health: https://writeablog.net/clubcopy8/anna-berezina-and-leonid-kanevsky-a-creative-duo-making-waves-within-the-art. By virtue of her work, she has made significant contributions to the strength and has fit a respected thought leader.

    Anna’s mastery spans various areas of thinking, including cognitive disturbed, positive non compos mentis, and passionate intelligence. Her widespread facts in these domains allows her to stock up valuable insights and strategies for individuals seeking in the flesh flowering and well-being.

    As an author, Anna has written distinct instrumental books that have garnered widespread perception and praise. Her books offer down-to-earth par‘nesis and evidence-based approaches to remedy individuals decoy fulfilling lives and evolve resilient mindsets. Through combining her clinical dexterity with her passion suited for portion others, Anna’s writings procure resonated with readers roughly the world.

  8. Anna Berezina is a extremely gifted and renowned artist, recognized for her unique and captivating artworks that never fail to leave a lasting impression. Her paintings fantastically showcase mesmerizing landscapes and vibrant nature scenes, transporting viewers to enchanting worlds filled with awe and surprise.

    What sets https://operonbiotech.com/news/berezina-anna_7.html – Anna B. aside is her distinctive attention to detail and her remarkable mastery of color. Each stroke of her brush is deliberate and purposeful, creating depth and dimension that convey her work to life. Her meticulous approach to capturing the essence of her subjects permits her to create truly breathtaking artworks.

    Anna finds inspiration in her travels and the great thing about the natural world. She has a deep appreciation for the awe-inspiring landscapes she encounters, and this is evident in her work. Whether it is a serene seashore at sunset, a majestic mountain vary, or a peaceable forest crammed with vibrant foliage, Anna has a outstanding capability to capture the essence and spirit of those locations.

    With a novel creative fashion that mixes components of realism and impressionism, Anna’s work is a visible feast for the eyes. Her paintings are a harmonious blend of exact particulars and gentle, dreamlike brushstrokes. This fusion creates a charming visible experience that transports viewers into a world of tranquility and wonder.

    Anna’s talent and inventive vision have earned her recognition and acclaim in the artwork world. Her work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries around the globe, attracting the attention of artwork fanatics and collectors alike. Each of her items has a way of resonating with viewers on a deeply private stage, evoking feelings and sparking a way of reference to the pure world.

    As Anna continues to create beautiful artworks, she leaves an indelible mark on the world of art. Her capability to capture the wonder and essence of nature is really remarkable, and her work function a testament to her inventive prowess and unwavering ardour for her craft. Anna Berezina is an artist whose work will proceed to captivate and inspire for years to come back..

  9. Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
    Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

  10. Hey there! I just wish to offer you a huge thumbs up for
    the excellent information you’ve got right here on this post.
    I’ll be returning to your site for more soon.

  11. We are a gaggle of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community.
    Your website offered us with helpful info to work on. You’ve performed an impressive job and our whole group will probably be thankful to you.

  12. I was curious if you ever thought of changing the layout of your
    blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to
    say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could
    connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having
    1 or 2 pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?

  13. We stumbled over here from a different web page and thought
    I should check things out. I like what I see so now i’m following you.

    Look forward to finding out about your web page repeatedly.

  14. That is a great tip especially to those new to
    the blogosphere. Short but very accurate information… Thank you for sharing this one.

    A must read post!

  15. Hello, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was
    just curious if you get a lot of spam feedback?

    If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can advise?
    I get so much lately it’s driving me insane so any help is very much appreciated.

  16. Hello there, I found your web site by means of Google while searching for a comparable topic, your site got here up, it
    appears great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

    Hi there, simply turned into alert to your weblog via Google, and found that it is really informative.

    I am going to be careful for brussels. I’ll be
    grateful in the event you proceed this in future.
    Numerous folks can be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  17. Howdy would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing?
    I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
    Can you suggest a good web hosting provider at a reasonable price?
    Cheers, I appreciate it!

  18. Hello there! This post could not be written any better!
    Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate!
    He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this article to him.

    Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *