2.

10 PUNCTUATION MARKS

(Punctuation marks are visual indicators used ina written or printed text in order to
separate
sentences or a part of a sentence from another. They are used to make an idea readable) Look
at the following example:
1. Ican't do it he said speaking at the top of his voice she listened to it and said ok go to hell.
Would you like to read something of this sort? Of course, it would be quite a challenge to read a
thing like that. Can you make out what is wrong with the above expression? The sentence does
not have any commas, inverted commas, full stop, or exclamation marks, in brief, the signs that
are known punctuation marks.
as
the
In this section, we shall learn how to use punctuation marks correctly. Given below
are

used in written English:

important punctuation marks which are normally
6. Double inverted commas (" ")
1. Full stop () 7. Single inverted commas ()
2. Comma ()
8. Colon ()
3. Dash (-)
9. Apostrophe ()
4. Hyphen ()
10. Parentheses ()
5. Semicolon C)
 ENOLISH F

13 Capital letters
mark (?)
11. Sign of interrogation/Question
12. Exclamation mark ()
in detail.
Let us see all these punctuation marks

2.10.1 Full Stop

The full stop (.) is used to mark the end ofan afirmative, negative,
or
ive ssenternce. Fo
imperative

example:
1. Marie Curie was a great scientist.
2. She did not know the way to the market.
3. Listen to me.

It is also used in abbreviations, such as the following:

1. He is an M.B.B.S. doctor.
2. She works for I.D.B.l.
3. Our teacher is pursuing his Ph.D.

Not long ago, it was customary to write Mr. and Mrs. in English, that is, with a full ston at sd
t the
end of these words. In current usage, however, we write these abbrevi1ations as Mr and Mrs, th
a
is, without a full stop since they are now seen as full spellings.

2.10.2 Comma
Just as a full stop marks the end of a sentence, a comma (,) suggests a pause in the writing,
Following are the main uses of a comma:
It indicates omission of a word,
especially a verb.
1. You can do that; , never.
2. Her mother was an English; her father, an American.
3. She got her prize; , my punishment.
It separates the co-ordinate clause(s) in a compound sentence.
1. Icame, I saw, I conquered.
2. Father is in the office, mother is in the kitchen.
3. Men may come and men may go, but go on for
I ever.

It separates the subject and the long preceding phrase that characterizes it.
1. Harassed and distraught right from the
early days of her marriage, she decided to
of her own. embark on a journey
2. Contrary to the notion that it consumes a lot of your time and gives you
an opportunity to look not just
only a little, reading gives you
beyond but inside you as well.
It separates the same parts of speech used in the same sentence.
1. She was tall, slim, and beautiful.
Books, chairs, tables, desks, and settees could be seen in the lawn.
2.
3 Unwilling to go to school, the child whined, cried, groaned, and protested whichever
way he
e cold
lt separates the parenthetical ideas from the core ideas in a sentence.
1. Your suggestion, however, is quite tempting
2. The villain, having trapped the hero, gave a malicious smile.
3. No such efforts, therefore, are going to yield fruit.
 an-dehning clause. It is used to contribute to the original idea in
be ited
Omille without doing any harm to the core
a
parenthetical way
can meaning of the sentence.
ho is a journalist, doesn't think so.
a n d

My he
T h epoet, t h e .one who always defied the system, decided not to comply with the king's orders.
at he wrote at the fag end of his
that
book, the one career, is likely to create a stir.
His
3.
ced to separate two or more nouns in apposition.
ence. For It is used

akespeare, the greatest dramatist of all times, was born in 1564.

2. Indira andhi, the only woman Prime Minister of India so far, was a great politician.
uncle, is returning from England.
2 Sam, my

used to
address people.
[t is
indebted to you.
1. Sir,
I am
are you, my
dear?
2. How
here, little gir.
3. Come
from the rest of the sentence.
It marks off direct quotations
oat the 1. Mother
said to her children,'Have yourfood
think/ said he, 'is the cause of your failure
s, that 2. What do you
tell what happened, the fat man said and moved away from the door.
3. Come in and

It is used to separate
an adverbial clause from the principal clause.
1. When back, we found the doors open.
we came
cannot succeed.
riting. 2. If you do not work hard, you issue.
of my business, I cannot force myself into aloofness on this
3. Though it is none

clauses that are introduced to the main thought

It is used before and after words, phrases, or

a parenthetical way.

1. This, in way, is my problem.

no
when they first saw him, thought
he was an angel.
2. The poor little children,
tale.
3. Your story,in all probability, is fairy

2.10.3 Dash
used in place of a colon or parenthe
horizontal line is often
A dash () indicated by long
a

Here are its uses: sentence.

in the
It is used to emphasize the idea anticipated
television set at home.
ney desired-our first
had all along
1. Finally, we got what we earth!
be-the greatest fool
on
2. He is what you expect him to
you be done.
was to be
told-nothing could
5. They told us whatever
from the rest of the sent
dash is used to separate an expression
Atumes, much like a comma, a

1. He is-after all-his mother's son.

that all that shines
is not gold.
would say
n the end-to be precise-I

W e are-generally speaking-people
short memories. of
that tollows.
indicate something
s also used after the colon to
1. These are some of the views
. He says-frailty thy name is woman!

of dea.
1s also used to indicate an abrupt change
 what is the use of thinking like that?
1.Had he not boarded the plane-but
are coming, aren't you?
2. Once you reach here-but wait, you
3. Only if we were a little more educated-but how would that have changed our li.
ives?

2.10.4 Hyphen
A hyphen (-) is a shorter line than a dash. The uses of a hyphen are as follows
words in a compound word.
It is used to join two or more

1. She was truly tormented by her daughter-in-law.

2. The commander-in-chief refused to sanction any leave to the sergeant.
3. The ex-director of the company is paying a visit this afternoon.
4. These days, in the name of scholars, you will see jack-of-all-trades but master-of-none,

2.10.5 Semicolon
A semicolon (:) stands for a longer pause than a comma. Following are the uses of a semic
It is used to separate clauses. icolon
1. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.
2. Man
proposes; God disposes.
3. Not that I loved Caesar less; but that I
loved Rome more.
4. It is easy to be
difficult; but difficult to be easy.
It is used to
express different ideas without writing a new sentence.
1. Today, we don't do
anything regarding global warming; tomorrow there is
about it. nothing we can do
2. In the
morning, he fought with his wife; in the afternoon, he
3. One man reconciled with her.
kept her in good humour; the other kept her in the
need of the first.
2.10.6 Colon
A colon (C) is used to list
examples and enumeration.
1. Following are the examples of parts of speech:
2. noun, pronoun,
These are the points to be kept in mind:.. adjective, adverb, etc.
3. The team consists of eleven players: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul
Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman..
2.10.7 Single and Double Inverted Commas
Double inverted commas
("") are used to quote the exact
1. He
said, "You my friend"
are words of the person being
2. "One cannot fool oneself for quoted.
a long
time, cleaning his
yourself foolish enough for a pretty long time.
glasses he
spoke, "but you have
3. Eliot begins by saying, "April is the
tried to keep
cruelest month'
Single inverted commas (' ") are used to
cite a
1, "There is no
point keeping a pulled face, said quotation within another quotatian
in
conundrum" if are he, 'even you perturbed by the'to
2. "What sort of be be'
movie was that-so loud and or not to
art lies in
concealing art!"
so
pompous?" felt she, "they seem
to hava i
e forgotten that
Many publications, including this book, follow the exact
Cxamples, as per their individual opposite of the
rules
house-style guidelines. mentionedd in
in the
e
2 . 1 0 . 8 A p o s t r o p h e

used to indicate the possessive of If the noun 1s Singular,

a noun.
() is used
(C) the apostro-
is plural, the s is followed by
aposirophe

Theapostrophe is
the is tollowed by an s; if he noun
nastrophe as in the case of a
few irregular nouns,
the plural does not end in s,
.vcept vhen
ex
phe,
for example, childrcn's.

purse(the of à grl)
books are lying there. 4. The girl's purse was lost. of many
children's stolen. (purses
1The to ours. 5. The girls' purses w e r e
house is n e x t
Brown's girls)
still appreciated.
captaincy is
3.
Waugh's
in a contracted form.
used to show words
stands for
. [t is also complete fool. (you're
4. Youre just a
time to
move out of the house. (it's
1. Ifeel it's you are) for will
stands
stands for
it is) come inside? (won't
met her. (it's stands 5. Won't you
s i n c e we
been ages not)
2, It's that! (dont
to him like
for it has) 6. Don't you dare speak
and watch s o m e play. (let's stands stands for do not)
3. Let's go
form to avoid
for let us) in the plural
also used to show
the letters and figures
sometimes
I t is
confusion.
Cinema.
the first wave of Parallel Hindi
1970's was s e e n
1. In
Articulate your
s's and sh's properly.
2. 0.50's in the final total
off all the 0.25's and
3. Round

words, a
2.10.9 Parentheses some
by introducing
indicate an afterthought
Parentheses ( ) are used by writers to
wife.
clause: have killed his
phrase, or a
the area) is reported to
is to be in huts.
out of their
(this is how he
seen

1. The great
man
achieved turning the poor
by
was
development (so it seems)
2. The
Mark
Interrogation/Question
or a tag questior
2.10.10 Sign of used after a direct question
interrogation/question
mark (?) is
The sign of
stupid, aren't you?
statement:
to a 3. You are
that is appended
understand
what I say?
1. Do you
rest? indirect question.
2. Shall we take some
after an
mark is not used
Kemember that a question
do in life.
not sure what to a lie.
.lam telling
could not
make out if she w a s parenting.
2.he inspector
they are doing good
whether
their children
3.
They asked
e-
sudden, strong
2.10.11 Exclamation Mark sentences
that express
and
is used in phrases
exclamation
mark (!)
e more!
no
speak then d-
tion or a wish: 3. O Hamlet, to me first and
fool! Listen
4. Oh, you
1. May you live long
2. What a terrible sight!
 2.10.12 Capital Letters

used for various purposes.

To begin with, start
we start.a
Capital letters are
entence with
letter 3. Has he come? ACan
1. We can't do anything about it.
2. No problem.

sentence inside inverted commas.

They are used to begin a
1. Itis said, To err is human
2. Shakespeare says, 'One may smile and smile, and still be a villain.

They normally begin a proper noun and the adjectives we form from it.
1. Pinter is known for his theatre language popularly known as Pinteresque idiom.
2. Italy is a place of intellect; the Italian thinker Machiavelli is still well known.
3. Though Magbool does
try to recreate Shakespeare's classic Macbeth, the sweep of imanin
grandeur of spectacle is hardly Shakespearean.
They are used to refer to a person's title or degree.
1. Pandit Nehru was the first prime minister of India.
2. Sir V.S.
Naipaul visiting India next year.
is
3. Dr
R.P.Pareek, an MD, is an expert in diabetics.
They are used to refer to the names of
1. Christmas falls on 25th December. festivals.
2. Diwali is the single most important festival in our
family.
They are used to refer to the
of names
1. On
Sundays, we generally get up quite late. days, weeks, months, and events.
2. North India is quite cold in
3. The
Trojan War has acquired
January.
mythical significance in our collective
They are used to mark the unconscious.
important words in
nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs, and adverbs,title.
a
Normally, the head words, such as
conjunctions, prepositions, articles are written in
and are written
in capital
1. Ode on a
Grecian Urn' is a small letters. letters, whereas
2. The title of great poem by John Keats.
my book, Language as
3. His sister is
pursuing Stratagem in Pinter's Plays, has
her research and
Indian Diaspora: A is
currerntly busy in the won me laurels on many occasions.
Study of Postmodern Fiction
English with writing
Lahiri, Rohinton Mistry, and in of a
Jaishree Mishra. project entitled Rediscovering
Special Reference
.They are chosen to refer to to the
Works of Jhumpa
1.
the word God
God is great. and the pronouns
2. No one knows His ways. replacing
3. Don't it.
They are used in words of
worry; He knows that
innocent.
1. Oh! You
are back.
exclamations. you ae

2. This is the
solution, Eh! 3.
Ugh! forgot
The to call you
personal pronoun / is always written
1. Ican't see in capital letter.
2. It is
you.
3.
doubtfulI said to her
Iwill not say Ihave won the battle
unless I am convinced that Ihave done it.