The Most Important Punctuation Marks
| Symbol | Name | Use |
|---|---|---|
| . | Full stop / Period | End of a sentence |
| , | Comma | Lists, clauses, pauses |
| ' | Apostrophe | Contractions; possessives |
| ? | Question mark | End of a question |
| ! | Exclamation mark | Emphasis, surprise, strong feeling |
| : | Colon | Introduce a list or explanation |
| ; | Semicolon | Join two related independent clauses |
| "…" | Quotation marks | Direct speech |
| — | Dash | Extra information; dramatic pause |
| (…) | Brackets/Parentheses | Additional or explanatory information |
Apostrophes in Detail
1. Contractions (missing letters)
| Full form | Contracted form |
|---|---|
| I am | I'm |
| you are | you're |
| she is / has | she's |
| do not | don't |
| will not | won't |
| they have | they've |
2. Possessives (ownership)
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Singular noun → add 's | the dog**'s** bone |
| Plural noun ending in s → add ' | the dogs**'** bones |
| Irregular plural (no s) → add 's | children**'s** toys |
Warning
its vs it's: its = possessive pronoun (no apostrophe). it's = it is / it has (contraction with apostrophe).
- The cat hurt its paw.
- It's raining outside.
Commas
Use commas to:
- Separate items in a list: apples, oranges, and bananas
- After introductory words/phrases: However, she refused.
- Before conjunctions joining two main clauses: She studied hard, but she failed.
- Around non-defining relative clauses: London, which is the capital, is very busy.
Real world: text message vs formal email
Informal text: Hey, what's the plan for tmrw? Can't wait! Formal email: Dear Mr. Brown, I am writing to confirm our meeting on Tuesday. Please let me know if this is convenient.
Real world: direct speech in a story
"What's your name?" the teacher asked. "It's Alex," said the student. "I'm new here."
Tip Punctuation is invisible when used correctly — but immediately noticeable when wrong. Apostrophes appear in every contraction ("I'm, don't, can't"), question marks end every question, and commas appear in lists, emails, and essays. Mastering these basics makes all your English writing look professional.
Practice Problems
Add the correct punctuation: whats your name
Show answer
What's your name?
Write the possessive: the book belonging to James
Show answer
James's book
Write the possessive: the books belonging to the students
Show answer
the students' books
Correct the sentence: The dog hurt it's paw.
Show answer
The dog hurt its paw. ('its' = possessive, no apostrophe)