Punctuation Marks
(Part 1)
The Period
What is the period and why is it important when writing?
The period (.) is one of the most commonly used punctuation marks in the English language.
The period is one of the three punctuation marks in the English language known as the Terminal punctuation marks. Terminal means the end. Terminal punctuation marks are used to end sentences.
End Punctuation is the most common punctuation in the English language. You must use end punctuation at the end of every sentence to avoid confusion.
The period (.) is used to mark the end of two types of sentences:
- Declarative sentences
- Imperative sentences
Declarative sentences are called declarative because they declare something. They are sentences that give information.
Here are a few examples of declarative sentences:
● I am a nurse.
● We went to the movie theater last night.
● It’s going to be cold tomorrow, so I’ll wear a jacket to the baseball game.
Imperative sentences are commands or requests.
● Please bring your laptops to class tomorrow.
● Dont let the puppy go outside in the cold rain.
● I perfer to have the green salad rather than the fruit salad.
Punctuation rules for using the period :
● Must be used at the end of a sentence or statement considered to be complete.
Examples:
● Tina was tired so she took a nap.
● Jonathan’s ate pizza for dinner last night.
The period is also used to show abbreviation.
Examples:
● Dr.,
● Mrs.
● i.e.,
● e.g.,
● etc.
Sentences not punctuated correctly are grammatically incorrect and confuse the reader. Please see the examples below.
Example:
● linda didnt go to work because she got sick with the flu? Lindas, work supervisor Tammy sent her flower’s along, with a get well card to help cheer her up! Linda appreciated Tammys kindness and generosity;
Can you identify any punctuation errors in the sentences above? If so, take a moment and write your answers on a sheet of paper.
Here is the correct punctuation:
● Linda didn’t go to work because she got sick with the flu. Linda’s work supervisor Tammy, sent her flowers along with a get well card to help cheer her up. Linda appreciated Tammy’s kindness and generosity.
Example:
Benjamin and Bradley went shopping at the mall with Jerome and Jessie they brought new clothes.
The sentence above is a run on sentence and has not been punctuated correctly. There are several ways to correct this sentence. (See below)
Correct punctuation:
- Benjamin and Bradley went shopping at the mall with Jerome and Jessie. They brought new clothes.
- Benjamin and Bradley went shopping at the mall with Jerome and Jessie, and they brought new clothes.
The word and is a conjunction and joins two independent clauses. If a sentence contains two subjects and two verbs without a period, conjunction or semicolon separating them, then you have a run-on sentence.
The period can be used in writing when used as ellipsis punctuation and when using numbers as a decimal. The period can also be used as punctuation when writing dates.
Examples:
● Ellipsis = …
“After I left the mall, I went to my friend Brandon’s house…to play some video games”.
● Decimal = .
The bag of potato chips cost $1.79
● Date = . .
10.18.2019
Now it’s time to test your knowledge on correct punctuation using the period. Please complete the worksheet titled: Periods Worksheet. You’ll find it on our website. Just click on the menu section, then select worksheets.
We hope you enjoyed this presentation!
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dfoww staff