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English · Grammar basics

Punctuation basics

Full stops, commas, question and exclamation marks.

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What are punctuation marks?

Punctuation marks are small symbols that help us read and understand writing. They show where sentences start and end. They tell us when to pause or when someone is asking something. Without punctuation, writing would be one long confusing jumble of words!

Full stops

A full stop is a tiny dot that ends a sentence. It tells the reader to stop completely before the next sentence starts. Most sentences end with a full stop. We use them when we are telling someone something, not asking or shouting.

Question marks

A question mark goes at the end of a sentence that asks something. It looks like a curly line with a dot underneath. When you see a question mark, you know someone wants an answer. Where is my book? That is a question.

Exclamation marks

An exclamation mark shows strong feeling like surprise, excitement, or a command. It is a straight line with a dot underneath. We use it when something is really important or emotional. What a beautiful day! That shows excitement.

Commas

A comma is a small hook that tells us to pause briefly. We use commas to separate items in a list. I bought apples, oranges, and bananas. We also use commas after words like yes, no, or well at the start of a sentence.

Worked examples

  1. 1. Add the correct punctuation: The dog barked loudly

    1. This sentence tells us something. It is not a question or an exclamation.
    2. We need a full stop at the end.
    3. The answer is: The dog barked loudly.

  2. 2. Add the correct punctuation: Where are you going

    1. This sentence asks something. It wants an answer.
    2. Questions end with a question mark.
    3. The answer is: Where are you going?

  3. 3. Add commas to this list: I like swimming running and reading

    1. There are three activities in this list.
    2. We put commas between each item to separate them.
    3. The answer is: I like swimming, running, and reading.

Try it yourself

Choose the correct punctuation for this sentence: What a fantastic goal

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