Punctuation
Punctuation
Punctuation
The word ‘Punctuation’ is derived from the Latin word Panctum, which means a point or pause.
Punctuation is the art of putting points, pauses or stops in writing in order to make their meaning clear and logical.
The chief Punctuation Marks are:
1. Full stop(.)
2. Comma(,)
3. Semicolon(;)
4. Colon(:)
5. Mark of Interrogation(?)
6. Mark of Exclamation(!)
7. Inverted Commas (Quotation Marks) (“……”)
8. Hyphen(-)
9. Dash( ——— )
10. Apostrophe(’s)
11. Brackets or Double Dashes( ), ( _ _ )
12. Capital Letters.
As Punctuation Marks make our writing clear, logical and meaningful hence we should make proper use of them. Otherwise, the wrong use of punctuation marks might make our writing a bubble and incomprehensive. The learners should practise this art very attentively and urgently.
The Uses of Punctuation Marks are illustrated below:
Punctuation
The Use of Full Stop (.)
The Full stop is the longest pause which represents the separation or stop of a sentence. It is used:
(i) To make the end of a sentence, as-
David Copperfield is my favourite novel. It is written by Charles Dickens.
(ii) After Abbreviation and Initials, as-
M.K. Gandhi is called the Father of the Indian Nation.
Note: 1. In modern style, the Mark of Full Stop is omitted after an abbreviation.
Note: 2. In current English Mr. and Mrs. occur without a full stop, as this have come to be regarded as the full spellings.
Note: 3. Generally, Full Stop (.) is used after Assertive Imperative and Optative Sentences.
Punctuation
The Use of Comma (,)
The comma is the shortest pause and it is used most frequently of all the Marks of Punctuation. It is used:
(i) To separate more than two words of the same kind, as:
He left India with his parents, sons, brothers and friends.
Ram, Rahim, Babul and Aajmal are good friends.
My cousin Shah Alam is honest, bold, kind, truthful, intelligent and industrious.
That was red, blue and black.
(ii) To mark off each pair of words of the same rank, as-
Shahin would be kind and honest, humble and devout, happy and cheerful.
Death must come to the rich and poor, the wise and fool, the high and low.
All men, teachers and students, peasants and labours, leaders and writers have protested against Iraq versus American war.
(iii) Before and after the Nominative Address, as-
O God, help me.
Ram, come here.
Friend, good bye.
(iv) After a Nominative Absolute, as-
The weather being good and favourable, we set our sail.
The sun having set, we returned home.
Making no reply, he turned away.
(v) Between repeated words when used to emphasise, as-
I will go there, but never with you.
Go ahead, ahead a mile.
(vi) To mark off a Quotation, as-
Ram said, “I shall not go there alone.”
Chandra said to me, “You should not neglect your own duty.”
(vii) Before and after a Noun in Apposition, as-
Tipu Sultan, the tiger of Mysore, was a contemporary of Napoleon Bonaparte, the dictator of France.
Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire, was cruel and kind, bold and coward.
William Shakespeare, the greatest of all dramatists came of a poor family.
(viii) To indicate the omission of a verb in some sentences, as-
Failures are the pillars of success; success the reputation.
To err is human, to forgive is divine.
(ix) To separate short co-ordinating clauses of a compound sentence, as-
He came, he drank, he went.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
(x) After the word ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, as-
Yes, I had gone there.
No, he was not present.
(xi) To Mark off a Relative Clause used in a continuous sense, as-
I met your friend Ram, who had given me this pen.
I congratulate him warmly, who fails but draws inspiration from his failure.
(xii) Before and after words, phrases or clauses inserted into a sentence, as-
Good is he, to speak the truth, he will remain so.
He is, after all, a sponsor.
(xiii) Before and after a Principal Clause, provide that the phrase might be expanded into a sentence.
My friend, having completed his studies returned home.
The thief, having a look to the right and left, ran away.
(xiv) Before words or phrases indicating comparison or contrast, as-
Though he is poor, yet he is happy.
He is wise, but can not read and write.
(xv) To mark off one Abbreviation from another, as-
My friend is an M.A., Ph.D., B. Litt.
Punctuation
The Use of Semicolon (;)
The semicolon (;) is a longer pause than the comma. It is used:
(i) To separate the clause of a compound sentence, when one or more of its clause contains a comma or commas, as-
Raman was the most favoured and honourable guest in the meeting; and everybody waited eagerly for him.
I invited him; but he did not comply with me.
(ii) To separate a loosely connected co-ordinate clause, as-
To be dutiful is good; to be punctual is better; to be disciplined is the best.
(iii) To mark off co-ordinate clauses connected by otherwise, therefore, so, then, for, yet, still etc.
Work hard; otherwise you will not succeed.
Take exercise regularly; for it is good for health.
Note: Now-a-days however, it is noticed that comma (,) is used in place of semicolon (;).
Punctuation
The Uses of Colon (:)
The colon denotes a longer pause than the semicolon. It is used:
(i) To introduce a quotation, as:
William Shakespeare says: “Life is a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.”
Keats says: “Beauty is truth, truth is beauty.”
(ii) Between sentences, grammatically independent but closely related in sense, as-
To err is human: to forgive is divine.
Man proposes: God disposes.
Speech is silver: silence is golden.
(iii) To enumerate some details or facts, as:
Some novels by Charles Dickens’ are: Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and A Tale of Two Cities.
(iv) To introduce some examples, as-
That day he bought some books: Shakespeare’s Othello, King Lear; Jane Austine’s Emma, Pride and prejudices and Rabindranath’s Geetanjali.
(v) To introduce an explanation of some facts which has been mentioned before, as:
I shall not go there: the place is too dark.
None can avoid death: it comes to all.
(vi) Between headings or letters of books, chapters, articles etc. as:
The book contains two chapters: one on ‘Morality’ and the other is on ‘Science and Prejudices’.
(vii) To mark off the name of an author from the title of the book he has written, as-
Abul Kalam Azad : India Wins Freedom.
Jawaharlal Nehru: The Glimpes of World History.
Punctuation
The Uses of Interrogation Mark (Question Mark /?)
The Mark of Interrogation is used on the following occasions:
(i) After an Interrogative sentence, as:
What are you doing now?
How did he do it?
(ii) Sometimes it is used after an Assertive Sentence to mean doubt or wrong what has been said, as:
As you said he was the guilty person (?)
Ram, the thief (?) had taken off your box.
Note: On such occasions, the Interrogation Mark is written generally within brackets.
Punctuation
The Use of the Mark of Exclamation (!)
The Mark of Exclamation (!) is used to express sudden joy, wonder, sorrow etc. Sometimes it is used after the word which expresses such feeling and sometimes it is used at the end of the sentence. For example-
Alas! I am ruined.
Oh! he is wounded badly.
Rose! how a lovely flower.
What a pity!
O, then you have come!.
Punctuation
The Uses of Inverted Commas/Quotation Marks (“……”)
1. Inverted Commas or Quotation Marks (“……….”) are used to mark off the exact words of the speaker if quoted (in Direct Narration). Inverted Commas are used at the beginning of quoted words or sentences and at the end of the quoted words, as:
Ramen said, “I shall always stand by the poor and try my best to drive off poverty from our society.”
Shakespeare said, “All that glitters is not gold.”
Note: 1. To indicate a quotation within a quotation single Inverted Commas (‘…….’) are used.
Ram said, “I do not like to say ‘No’ like Rajen.”
2. To quote a single word single inverted commas are used, as-
The word ‘Punctuation’ has come from the Latin word ‘Punctum’.
Punctuation
The Use of Hyphen (-)
(i) Hyphen is used to make compound words, as-
Brother-in- law, Editor-in-chief, Now-a-days.
(ii) It is used to connect a line divided at the end of a line.
Ram – to speak the truth- is not guilty of theft.
Punctuation
The Uses of Dash (—— )
The Dash is used:
(i) To mark words in Apposition or Explanation, as: He has bought all his necessary things— books, pens, pencils, box, chair and cloths.
(ii) He has handed over his all things—land and property— to his son.
(iii) To mark as an abrupt turn or break in a sentence, as-
Oh! Ram — call in Shyam.
He had died for the laymen,— why then lament for him.
Punctuation
The Use of Apostrophe (’s)
The Apostrophe is used:
(i) In the Genitive case of Nouns, as-
Rahim’s pencil is red and blue.
Tagore’s poems are enjoyable.
(ii) To form the plural of letters and figures, as-
Efface the double o’s and use double f’s in the title.
Minus two 7’s and four 3’s.
(iii) To show the omission of a letter or letters, as-
aren’t, didn’t, ev’r, n’ver, I’ll.
Punctuation
The Use of Brackets or Double Dashes {( ), or (- -)}
The Brackets or Double Dashes are used before and after a clause, phrase or group of words coming in a sentence, but have no grammatical relation with it. For example-
He has, by chance, met – what he wishes – his friend Ravindra indeed.
While I was a primary student (it was about 30 years ago) then I made friends with him.
I shall go there (not with him) to fetch the box.
Punctuation
The Use of Capital Letters
The Capital Letters are used-
(i) To begin a sentence.
When the train started, it was raining heavily.
Man proposes; God disposes.
(ii) To commence the first word of a direct quotation, as-
Shelley said, “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thoughts.”
(iii) In poetry the first letter of the first word of each line is written in capital letters, as-
“Oft when on my couch I lie
In a vacant or pensive mood
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.”
— William Wordsworth.
(iv) The capital letter is used for all Nouns and Pronouns that mean God, as-
God, help me.
O my Lord, thou art my saviour.
Allah the Almighty is present everywhere.
Bhagwan! lead us from dark to light.
(v) The first letter of the personified object becomes capital, as-
O, Solitude where are thy charms?
Where art thou, O, Death!
(vi) The Pronoun ‘I’ and the Interjection ‘O’ are always written in capital letters, as-
He said that he and I should go there.
Where art thou, O Lord!
(vii) The first letters of the Name of Days and Months are written in Capital, as-
In the month of July, he must visit us.
On Friday, he will send the post.
(viii) The capital letter is used in the first letter of a historical event, as-
The Glorious Revolution weakened the power of the king of England.
The Battle of Panipath-I changed the page of Indian history.
(ix) The Abbreviations are written in capitals, as-
My brother Shahin is an M.A. in English.
The local M.L.A. was present in the meeting.
(x) The names of books, magazines, articles etc. are always begun with a capital letter, as-
“The Pride and Prejudices” is my favourite novel.
“The Assam Tribune” is the only esteemed paper in Assam.
(xi) Proper Nouns are always begun with capital letters, as-
Ram, Rahim, Chandradhar, all are my friends.
(xii) The names of River, Lake, Mountain, historical buildings etc. are begun with capital letters, as-
The Brahmaputra is a big river.
The Baikal lake is deep.
The Himalayas are on the north of India.
The Red Fort is a historical building of India.
(xiii) The salutation or Greeting written in letter is always begun with capital letters, as-
My dear Friend, My respectable Uncle.
My dear Father, Honourable President etc.
Punctuation
EXERCISE
Punctuation
Q.1. Punctuate the following sentences.
(i) Antonio said to Shylock will you lend me three thousand ducats.
(ii) Mr Saikia asked what sort of work do you like
(iii) The teacher said the new master comes tomorrow.
(iv) Help us o almighty god.
(v) I came I saw I conquered.
(vi) She replied I am going to walk where i like.
(vii) Have you done the work asked Sita.
Q.2. Punctuate the following sentences.
one day walking up a hill i said to my friend ramesh do you not wish yourself to be in your own country again yes he said what would you do there said i would you turn wild and eat man’s flesh again he looked full of concern and shaking his head said no no.
Q.3. Punctuate the following.
mathew arnold married Frances lucy wightman daughter of judge sir william wightman in 1851. His married life was happy one he had six children of whom four were boys and two were girls.
Q.4. Punctuate the following.
as caesar loved me I wept for him as he was fortunate I rejoice at it as he was valiant I honour him but as he was ambitious i slew him. said Brutas.
5. Punctuate the following:
I am going to Japan on the first May this year. What is the strange outcry he asked. It shall be paid said crito is there anything else. wait for what is coming. Antonio said to shylock will you lend me money. Mercy is a double blessing said portia. He said to me do not follow him. This time our teacher said you must do well. the sun is as it were the lamp of the universe. the young and old, the strong and weak, the wise and fool must eat something to live. This i hope will please you. Ram come here. christmas comes in December. During the world War -II Winstone Churchil was the Prime Minister of Great Britain. hello he said when did you get in here. I tell you sir, I cannot give in. what is his name. If you prick us do we not bleed. Rabindranath the greatest of all Bengali poets till today won the Nobel Prize in literature for his Geetanjali a book of song in 1913 A. D. he is the thief he has taken away your gold chain. tell me a story mother he said. he came, drank, ate, rested and returned. man proposes God disposes. o what is that. o lord protect us. mr Kakati is a european. we live in india. let us pray to the almighty father. dot your i’s. never say no to my words. he has lost his all health wealth and reputation. go then said the ant. Narendra lives in the usa. the sun is as it were a huge ball of fire. However i shall not play with you.
Punctuation
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Punctuation
N.B. The article ‘Punctuation’ originally belongs to the book ‘School English Grammar Part- I‘ by Menonim Menonimus. Punctuation
Books of Composition by M. Menonimus:
- Advertisement Writing
- Amplification Writing
- Note Making
- Paragraph Writing
- Notice Writing
- Passage Comprehension
- The Art of Poster Writing
- The Art of Letter Writing
- Report Writing
- Story Writing
- Substance Writing
- School Essays Part-I
- School Essays Part-II
- School English Grammar Part-I
- School English Grammar Part-II..
Books on Linguistics by M. Menonimus:
- A Brief History of the English Language
- Essays on Linguistics
- My Imageries
- Felicitous Expression: Some Examples
- Learners’ English Dictionary
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