In speaking you use more than words to express your meaning: your expression, your pauses, the pitch and tone of your voice and the emphasis you give, all help.

In writing all the meaning has to be conveyed by the words themselves, by the order they are placed in, and by the stops (punctuation).

Stops are, therefore, part of the meaning of a sentence. They should be used only when it might not be equally clear without them. No rules for punctuation can be given, but a general idea of the purposes for which the various stops may be used, are given.

Punctuations

Image credit

1. The full-stop [.] marks a full stop; e.g., at the end of a sentence. "I am writing by the fire-side". Outside the soft rain is falling.
   Or at the end of a heading or title; e.g., Stops (punctuations). Little woman.
2. The semicolon [;] marks a stop not quite so full or definite as that marked by the full-stop; it may be used instead of a full-stop when the next sentence is closely connected with the first. (It is used to mark the connection between the two sentences above).
3. The question-mark [?] marks the end of a question in direct but not in reported speech; e.g., "Are you going?" But "He asked whether I was going." (In the latter example the question has, of course, become part of a statement).
4. The exclamation-mark [!] is used at the end of an exclamation of surprise, joy, horror etc., or how to indicate a shout (or a whisper); e.g., "By Jove!" "How dreadful!" or, "John! Johnnie! Come here!"

Image credit

English Grammar: EBH Fourie

Never too old or too young

Image credit

Next; The Comma etc.

please follow me @frieda