Punctuation is the use of symbols or marks to break down or give meaningful breaks to phrases, clauses, or strings of words that make up sentences. Punctuation marks are indicators for readers. They could indicate one or more signals, such as a pause or an end.
Without punctuation, there would be no understanding of sentences, as the words would all be a long string of words that could be given a variety of meanings. Punctuation helps readers better understand the intended meaning of the writer and come to a somewhat unanimous understanding of the sentences in a text.
There are various punctuation marks, such as: full stop, hyphen, comma, quotation marks, semicolon, colon, exclamation marks, dash, apostrophe, question mark, slash, etc.
Here are some functions of punctuation marks:
Punctuation Marks Show Pauses.
Pauses are natural in speech. Similarly, some punctuation marks signal pauses in writing. One of such punctuation marks is the comma. The comma indicates a slight pause within a sentence, either by separating clauses, differentiating among items on a list, introducing a noun or acting in some other capacity.
Punctuation Marks Show Endings.
Punctuation marks such as a full stop (also called a period) indicate the end of a sentence. Usually, a full stop is used at the end of a statement. It could also be used in title abbreviations such as ‘Dr.’.
They Show Emotions.
A major advantage that speaking has over writing is its ability to convey the emotions of the speakers to one another and those around them. However, punctuation marks have their own way of conveying the feelings of the interlocutors.
For instance, an exclamation mark could show emotions such as excitement, surprise, fear and other heightened emotions. An exclamation mark also signals emphasis or interjection, in some contexts.
Similarly, the ellipsis (the … punctuation mark) shows anxiety, uncertainty, trailing thoughts or suspense. Ellipsis also shows that part of a sentence has been removed, particularly if the sentence is being quoted.
They Quote People.
Quotation marks are marks that can be used to quote the exact words of others. Quoting people directly could be the most effective way of conveying the meaning and feelings of the person being quoted. A combination of direct quotes and paraphrases could also be effective.
They Indicate a Rush of Ideas.
There are several punctuation marks that signal that a speaker is having a rush of ideas or different streams of thoughts pouring out at once. One of such punctuation marks is the parenthesis, also called a bracket. This is used to include additional information which could just be an aside, in the middle of a sentence, after which the speaker would continue with the initial idea being discussed. Another mark that introduces parenthetical information is the dash (the em-dash in particular).
Punctuation Marks Indicate Contraction.
The apostrophe is used to indicate word contractions such as “can’t,” which is a contraction of the word ‘cannot’. Apostrophes also indicate possession or ownership. For example, ‘Dave’s house’.
They List Items.
A colon is used to present a list of items. The colon indicates that the list refers back to the clause before the colon. For example, ‘Some countries in West Africa are: Nigeria, Guinea, Mali and Senegal’.
Punctuation Marks Ask Questions.
Questions are a part of human communication. So, just as we ask questions in speaking, we also ask questions in writing. The question mark is an indicator that a question is being asked. In addition to the question mark, the 5 Ws and 1 H also show that one is seeking additional information.
The 5 Ws are: who, what, when, why and where. The H is ‘how’. These are words we use when asking questions.
Punctuation marks provide clarity, and help coordinate a string of words that would otherwise not make sense or end up confusing the readers. Written communication would be impossible without punctuation marks. This, therefore, shows that they are a bedrock and necessity for every user of the English language.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE What is the Ideal Place for Writing?