1. The Full Stop [.] This is the strongest punctuation mark, making the most definite pause (in reading aloud or silently) when used at the end of a sentence.
The infographic ranks each punctuation mark according to how many applications it has, and therefore, how difficult it is to learn. While the comma is the most difficult with 15 applications, the period is the easiest—its only job is to end a sentence (except when it ends an abbreviation: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.).
For example, the comma—by far the most complex punctuation mark—has fourteen different ways to use it. Fourteen divided by sixty-eight rules brings us to roughly 20%. If we were to memorize all the punctuation mark rules all at once, 20% of what we focused on would be entirely dedicated to commas!
Basic punctuation marks include the period, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, and colon. Advanced punctuation rules include semicolons, colons, parentheses, hyphens, and dashes.
Whether you love them, hate them, or just don't know when to use them; the semicolon can be a divisive and contentious punctuation mark.
Asterism
It's also known as a triple asterisk. People have used asterisms to mark part of a text, or to indicate minor breaks (e.g., scene changes within a chapter in a novel). But this punctuation mark is rare these days, with a line of three or more asterisks more common.
Essentially, when the “Smart Punctuation” detects that you should be using an apostrophe, like when you're using a contraction (i.e. I'm, should've, can't, etc.), it will automatically insert the character.
The Em Dash (—)
Em dashes get their name from typography: Possessing the same width as the letter “m,” em dashes are a versatile punctuation mark with a variety of uses. In fact, it might the most versatile punctuation mark there is. One use case for em dashes is as a substitute for commas.
They are: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis. If you want to make your writing easier to read and generally look more professional, you should know what each one is and how to use them.
The semicolon is stronger than a comma, but weaker than a period (full stop). A period separates two independent clauses with complete finality; a semicolon, on the other hand, signals a less final ending and indicates that the following clause will convey an additional idea that is closely related to the current one.
Semicolons help you connect closely related ideas when a style mark stronger than a comma is needed. By using semicolons effectively, you can make your writing sound more sophisticated.
The comma is one of the oldest marks of punctuation. It was created over 2,300 years ago by a Greek scholar named Aristophanes, head of the fabled Library of Alexandra, in a punctuational big bang that also gave us the colon and the period.
WHAT IS A SEMICOLON? A semicolon (;) is a stronger mark of punctuation than a comma but not as strong as a period.
The sentence and the full stop
The full stop is the most important punctuation mark. It shows the end of the sentence. The English language also uses capital letters at the beginning of sentences.
Semicolons should introduce evidence or a reason for the preceding statement; for example, this sentence appropriately uses a semicolon. A colon, on the other hand, should be used for a stronger, more direct relationship. It should provide emphasis, an example, or an explanation.
The em-dash. The em-dash (“—”) is the longest dash in common use. It comes most commonly in pairs and has a function similar to parentheses (i.e. to break the flow of thoughts).
The hyphen (-), the shortest of the three marks, is familiar (sometimes wretchedly so) to most writers. So is the em dash (—), more often called the long dash, or sometimes just the dash. The middle-length en dash (–) is the most mysterious of the three.
The dash (—), also called the em dash, is the long horizontal bar, much longer than a hyphen. Few keyboards have a dash, but a word processor can usually produce one in one way or another.
Apple's new iOS keyboard will learn your habits over time, fixing words that you frequently misspell – and leaving words alone that you intentionally thumbed in. It will also use AI to better predict your next word and provide improved autofill suggestions.
Google Assistant will soon be able to automatically insert punctuation when you dictate messages inside the Assistant app on Android or iOS. That means you'll no longer have to awkwardly say “period” or “question mark” or “comma” if you're a stickler for grammar.
A complex sentence combines a dependent clause with an independent clause. When the dependent clause is placed before the independent clause, the two clauses are divided by a comma; otherwise, no punctuation is necessary. Example: Because the soup was too cold, I warmed it in the microwave.
Dashes are also acceptable these days but should be used with discretion. Avoid things like slashes, dots, a series of question marks, exclamation points and emojis [;-)]. Indeed, you'd do well to restrict yourself as much as possible to the comma and the period.
What Is an Interrobang? An interrobang (sometimes called an interabang or exclamation question mark) is a nonstandard double punctuation mark that combines the glyphs and functions of the question mark and exclamation point. The glyph for an interrobang is ‽, but you can also write it as !?, ?!, or ?!?