Punctuation - Examples and Definition of Punctuation

Definition of Punctuation
Punctuation is a hard and fast of marks that regulates and clarifies the meanings of various texts. The term “punctuation” has originated from the Medieval Latin word “pūnctuātiōn,” which means that markings or signs.

The reason of punctuation is to make clear the meanings of texts by using linking or setting apart words, phrases, or clauses. For example, in the sentence “Yesterday, rain-fog; today, frost-mist. But how charming each” (At the Turn of the Year, through Fiona Macleod), hyphens are used to split the compound words, while commas are used to split the phrases.

Types of Punctuation
There are fifteen fundamental punctuation marks in English grammar. These encompass the period, comma, exclamation point, question mark, colon, semicolon, bullet point, dash, hyphen, parenthesis, bracket, brace, ellipsis, quotation mark, and apostrophe. The following are a few examples of those marks being utilized in a sentence.

Brackets and Ellipses
“Mr. Bumble said ‘a ass’ not ‘an ass’ in Oliver Twist. … [In a quotation, one] alternative might have been ‘The law is a[n] ass,’ although this would have carried the condescending tone of a sic flag, implying we’re smarter than Dickens.” (Quibbling Over Quotes, by using Blair Shewchuk)

In this example, see the use of rectangular brackets ([ ]) and an ellipsis (“…”). The creator has used the brackets to give an explanation for the technical description, and the ellipsis to show the omission of words.

Dashes and Parentheses
“The why and wherefore of the scorpion – the way it had got on board and got here to pick his room as opposed to the pantry (which was a dark region and extra what a scorpion might be partial to), and how on the earth it managed to drown itself in the inkwell of his writing desk – had exercised him infinitely.” (The Secret Sharer, by means of Joseph Conrad)

Here, Conrad has employed dashes to provide a short summary of the main clause. He has also used parentheses, or curved notations, to give an explanation for the concept further.

Bullet Points
“The idea is simply to stop by way of design in preference to by means of default, and any of the following practices will help:

In your notes, keep track of doubtlessly dramatic final materials.
Allow space for a advanced ending.
Commit to a last worth of the piece.
Avoid the drift closer to a clichéd ending.”
(Spunk & Bite, with the aid of Arthur Plotnik)

Here, the writer has used bullet points to show his listing of ideas.

Apostrophes and Quotation Marks
“And beneath the fellow at the horse’s picture, it always says: ‘Since 1888 we had been molding boys into splendid, clear-questioning young men.’ …”
“No, sir, I haven’t communicated with them.”

(The Catcher within the Rye, by using J.D. Salinger)

In this excerpt, Salinger has used an apostrophe, which allows the removal of letters from a word, such that the phrase nevertheless makes sense. He also uses a pair of quotation marks across the sentence so that you can quote the declaration of any other character.

Colons and Semi-Colons
“The City is termite territory: heaps of heads-down employees serving an unacknowledged queen, a fear motor buried deep inside the heart of the place.”
(Lights Out for the Territory, by way of Iain Sinclair)

“The past is a overseas country; they do things in a different way there.”
(The Go-Between, by means of L.P. Hartley)

Here, a colon appears in the first example. It is used to introduce the explanation approximately the principle clause. In the second one example, a semicolon connects the two impartial clauses.

Questions and Exclamation Marks
LAVINIA – (startled – agitatedly)
“Father? No! … Yes! He does – some thing about his face – that must be why I’ve had the peculiar feeling I’ve acknowledged him before … Oh! I won’t accept as true with it! You must be mistaken, Seth! …”
(Mourning Becomes Electra, via Eugene O’Neil)

In these lines, an exclamation point “!” indicates a sudden expression of emotion, at the same time as a query mark “?” is used to pose a question.

Periods
ESTRAGON:
“I consider the maps of the Holy Land. Coloured they were. Very pretty. The Dead Sea changed into pale blue. The very look of it made me thirsty.”
(Waiting for Godot, through Samuel Beckett)

Beckett has used five periods within the above sentences. The use of a period shows the give up of a thought. A period can also be used as a pause after a thought.

Function
Punctuation serves as a pause within a sentence, which is regularly necessary with a purpose to emphasize positive phrases or words a good way to assist readers and listeners understand higher what the author or speaker is making an attempt to convey. Thus, the primary characteristic of punctuation is to vicinity stress on certain sections of a sentence.

Punctuation marks also are used to divide text into words and terms whilst necessary with a purpose to better make clear the meaning of those phrases or phrases. On the contrary, the usage of punctuation incorrectly can convey a wholly specific meaning of a sentence from the one that changed into at the start intended.