Punctuation is the system of marks that organizes written language. It shows where sentences end, how ideas fit together, and which words belong together. Compare Call me, Sam with Call me Sam. In the first, the speaker is asking Sam to call. In the second, the speaker is asking to be called Sam.
Marks that end sentences
- Period (.) The trail ends here.
- Question mark (?) Does the trail end here?
- Exclamation point (!) Watch your step!
Marks that organize a sentence
A comma separates list items or marks the end of an opening dependent clause. A semicolon can join closely related independent clauses, as in The trail was steep; we slowed down. A colon can introduce what a complete statement leads you to expect, as in Pack two things: water and a map.
Quotation marks enclose a speaker’s exact words in direct speech. An apostrophe marks possession or missing letters, as in the hiker’s pack or we’ll. A hyphen connects parts of a compound such as two-mile in a two-mile walk.
