Common Punctuation Marks and Their Names

. → Period (or Full Stop in British English) , → Comma : → Colon ; → Semicolon ***** → Asterisk " " → Quotation Marks (or Inverted Commas in British English) ! → Exclamation Mark (or Exclamation Point in American English) ? → Question Mark _ → Underscore - → Hyphen (used to join words, e.g., well-known) / → Slash (or Forward Slash) # → Hash (British English) / Pound Sign (American English) / Number Sign @ → At Symbol (commonly called "At") ' → Apostrophe (used for contractions or possession, e.g., don't, John's) () → Parentheses (or Brackets in British English)

1. Comma (,) Used to separate ideas, list items, and clauses. To separate items in a list: I like pizza, pasta, and salad. To separate clauses (when using conjunctions like and, but, or, because): I went to the park, but it started raining. After introductory phrases: After lunch, we went shopping. With non-essential information (like relative clauses): My friend, who loves reading, is always at the library. 2. Period (.) Used to end a sentence or statement. To end a declarative sentence: I am going to the store. To end short, complete thoughts: She likes coffee. 3. Question Mark (?) Used to end a direct question. To ask a question: What time is the meeting? Where did you go yesterday? 4. Exclamation Mark (!) Used to show strong feeling or emphasis. To show excitement or surprise: Wow, that's amazing! I can’t believe it! After commands or strong reactions: Stop that right now! Help! 5. Quotation Marks (" ") Used to show direct speech, quotes, or titles of short works. To quote someone: She said, "Let's go to the beach." To show a title of a short work (like a song or article): I love the song "Imagine" by John Lennon. 6. Apostrophe (') Used for possession and contractions. For possession: That is Sarah’s book. The dog’s toy is missing. In contractions (to show missing letters): I can’t wait for the weekend. It’s raining outside. 7. Colon (:) Used to introduce lists, explanations, or quotes. To introduce a list: I need the following items: bread, butter, eggs, and cheese. To introduce an explanation or elaboration: She has one goal in life: to become a doctor. Before a quote: He said: "I’ll meet you at the park." 8. Semicolon (;) Used to link related independent clauses or separate items in a complex list. To link closely related independent clauses: I wanted to go to the beach; however, it started raining. To separate items in a complex list: The meeting included attendees from Paris, France; London, England; and Madrid, Spain. 9. Parentheses (()) Used to add extra information or clarification. For extra information: I finally saw the movie (after waiting for months). John (my best friend) is visiting next week. 10. Dash (—) Used to add emphasis or interrupt a thought. For emphasis or extra information: I can’t believe it — she actually won the prize! For dramatic pauses or interruption: She was going to tell me everything — then she stopped. 11. Hyphen (-) Used to join words or parts of words. To form compound words: This is a well-known book. I need a two-story house. 12. Ellipsis (...) Used to show omission, unfinished thoughts, or a pause. To show missing words or a pause: She said she would come, but... To show unfinished thoughts or hesitation: I’m not sure what to do... I guess I’ll decide later.

Quick Summary: Commas: Separate ideas, lists, and clauses. Periods: End statements. Question Marks: End direct questions. Exclamation Marks: Show strong emotion or emphasis. Quotation Marks: Direct speech, quotes, or short works. Apostrophes: Possession or contractions. Colons: Introduce lists, explanations, or quotes. Semicolons: Link related clauses or separate complex items. Parentheses: Add extra information. Dashes: Emphasize or interrupt. Hyphens: Join words or parts of words. Ellipses: Omission or unfinished thoughts.