ENGLISH GROUP ASSIGNMENT

TITLE: PUNCTUATION MARKS

10A
GROUP MEMBERS

1) ABSALAT MULU

2) EDEN GETU

3) HANAMEEL BIRUK

4) MIHRET SISAY

5) YOHANNA ZELEKE

SUBMITTED TO: MR. YITAYAL

SUBMISSION DATE: OCT. 29, 2024

 Punctuation Marks

Punctuation marks are the unsung heroes of writing. They help clarify meaning, indicate pauses,
and structure sentences. They indicate how a piece of written text should be read and,
consequently, understood. Some of the common punctuation marks are discussed below.

1. Period (.)

A period (also known as a full stop) is a punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence
or an abbreviation.

Uses:

 It marks the end of a sentence.

o She loves to read novels.
 It is used after abbreviations.
o Oct. is the abbreviated form of October.
2. Comma (,)

Comma is a punctuation mark that represents a short pause and is used to divide parts of a
sentence.

Uses:

 Separating words: Commas are used to separate items in a list.

o My mother went to the market to buy some tomato, potato, and onion.
 Separating clauses: Commas separate clauses within a sentence.
o I love vanilla ice cream, but my brother prefers chocolate.
 Separating ideas: Commas can separate ideas within a sentence to provide clarity or
emphasis.
o He walked down the street, and then he turned down the corner.
3. Question Mark (?)

Question mark (also known as an interrogation point or interrogation mark), is a punctuation

mark used to indicate that a sentence is a question.

Uses:

 It indicates whether a sentence is a question or not.

o Are you going to Gast Mall today?
4. Colon (:)

The colon is a punctuation mark consisting of two dots one over the other.

Uses:
  Introduce a list of things like quotes, explanations, summaries… after a complete
sentence.
o A man needs three things to survive: air, water and food.
 Introduce a dependent clause that helps to emphasize or illustrate the idea in the
preceding clause.
o The average American diet is often considered unhealthy: it tends to contain too
many fried foods, too many foods with a high salt content and not enough fresh
vegetables.
o In his famous speech, Martin Luther King stated: “I have a dream that one day this
nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed.”
5. Semicolon (;)

The semicolon consists of a dot above a comma.

Uses:

 Separate independent clauses where the conjunction has been left out.
o Sumit likes to play cricket; Amit likes to play soccer.
 Link sentences which also use words such as otherwise, however, therefore… as
connectors.
o I didn’t finish reading the text; instead, I watched the news.
o My brother is an insurance salesman; we got great coverage.
6. Brace ({})

Braces, also known as curly brackets, are punctuation marks that always appear in pairs.

Uses:

 Set off incidental or optional information or thoughts from the rest of the sentence.
o She highlighted six numbers {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12} on the ruler she made.
 In formal writing, they enclose math equations, music chords, computer programming
commands, or lists of equal choices.
o Choose a color {red, white, blue, pink} to paint the wall.
o Which ice cream topping is your favorite {chocolate sauce, sprinkles, caramel,
cherries}?
7. Double Quotation Marks (" ")

Double quotation marks are punctuation marks used to denote spoken dialogue, quotations, or to
highlight specific terms.

Uses:

 Direct Speech: To indicate what someone is saying.

 o She said, "Let's go to the park."
 Quotations: To quote text from another source.
o The report stated, "The results were inconclusive."
 Titles of Short Works: To indicate the titles of short stories, articles, poems, or songs.
o I just read "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.
 Highlighting Words: To emphasize a specific word or phrase.
o The term "sustainability" is often misunderstood.
8. Single Quotation Marks (' ')

Single quotation marks are primarily used within double quotation marks to indicate a quote
within a quote or to highlight specific terms in certain contexts.

Uses:

 Quotes Within Quotes: To show that someone is quoting another person.

o "Did you hear her say, 'I will be late'?" he asked.
 Highlighting Terms: In British English, they can also be used to highlight terms.
o The word 'innovative' is often overused in marketing.
9. Exclamation Point (!)

An exclamation point is a punctuation mark used to express strong emotion, excitement, surprise,
or emphasis.

Uses:

 Strong Emotion: To convey excitement or strong feelings.

o Wow! That was amazing!
 Commands: To indicate urgency or strong commands.
o Stop!
 Interjections: To express sudden emotions or reactions.
o Oh no!
 Exclamatory Sentences: To emphasize statements that express strong feelings.
o What a beautiful day!
10. Hyphen (-)

Uses:

 To join words in compound adjectives.

o Well-known author
o The well-respected scientist presented her findings.
 To connect numbers.
o Twenty-one
 In some compound nouns.
 o Mother-in-law
11. Apostrophe (’)

Uses:

 To indicate possession.
o Sarah's book
 To form contractions.
o It’s for "it is"
o It's important to check your work for errors.
 To pluralize letters or symbols.
o Mind your p’s and q’s
12. Brackets ([ ])

Usage:

 To include additional information or clarification within a sentence.

 In academic writing, to denote changes made to quoted material.
o The results of the study [conducted in 2020] were surprising.
13. Slash (/)

The slash is a punctuation mark used to indicate alternatives, fractions, and connections between
words.

Uses:

 To separate lines of poetry.

o Roses are red/ Violets are blue/ Addis Ababa city I love you.
 To separate alternatives
o Good/ Evil
14. Interrobang (‽)

An interrobang is a punctuation mark that combines a question mark and exclamation point.

Use:

 Shows surprise or excitement in a question.

o "You did what‽"
15. Percontation Point (⸮)

A percontation point is an ancient mark similar to a reversed question mark.

Use:

 Indicates rhetorical questions or sarcasm.

 o "Oh, really⸮"
16. Asterism (⁂)

An asterism looks like three asterisks in a triangle.

Use:

 To separate sections or indicate minor breaks in text.

o "End of one story ⁂ Start
17. Parentheses ( () )

Parentheses are like little side notes in writing. They add extra information or an aside without
interrupting the main flow of the sentence.

Uses:

 Adding extra information:

o "We went to the park (which was surprisingly empty) yesterday."
 Clarifying a statement:
o "Her favorite author (J.K. Rowling) has a new book out."
 Including acronyms or abbreviations:
o "The International Space Station (ISS) orbits Earth."
18. Dash (Em dash and En dash)
A. Em Dash (—)

The em dash is longer and can replace commas, parentheses, or colons. It adds emphasis or an
interruption.

Use:

 To set off a phrase or clause.

o "She finally found it—the lost necklace."
B. En Dash (–)

The en dash is shorter than the em dash and longer than a hyphen. It indicates ranges or
connections.

Use:

 Used for ranges of numbers, dates, or to show a connection.

o "The event runs from June 1–5."
 Summary

Punctuation marks are symbols used in writing to clarify meaning, indicate pauses, and organize
thoughts. They play a crucial role in conveying the writer's intent and ensuring that the text is
easily understood. Here’s a summary of their definition and use:

Definition:

 Punctuation marks are standardized symbols that help structure written language,
signaling how sentences should be read and interpreted.

Uses:

 Clarification: They help avoid ambiguity by clearly delineating ideas and relationships
between them.
 Organization: Punctuation organizes text into manageable parts, such as separating
clauses or items in a list.
 Emphasis: Certain marks, like exclamation points, can convey strong emotions or
urgency.
 Indication of Speech: Quotation marks denote spoken words or titles, guiding readers on
how to interpret dialogue or references.
 Pauses and Rhythm: Commas, periods, and other marks indicate where to pause or stop,
affecting the flow of reading.
In summary, punctuation is essential for effective communication in writing,
enhancing clarity, structure, and meaning.