Meaning & use
punctuation marks
Last updated
UK/ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃən mɑːks/
US/ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃən mɑːrks/
Meaning
nounplural
Symbols such as periods, commas, and question marks used in writing to separate sentences and make meaning clear.
Grammar: Always plural in this form; the singular is 'punctuation mark'.
Patterns
- use punctuation marks
- punctuation marks in a sentence
A sentence needs punctuation marks like a period or a question mark at the end.
The teacher explained how punctuation marks change the meaning of a sentence.
Commas and semicolons are common punctuation marks in English.
Word forms
| singular | punctuation mark |
|---|
Common combinations
- correct punctuation marks
- The editor added the correct punctuation marks to the manuscript.
- use punctuation marks
- You should use punctuation marks to make your writing clearer.
- missing punctuation marks
- The essay lost points for missing punctuation marks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- punctuation
- Uncountable; refers to the system or the use of marks, not the individual symbols.
Word family
- punctuate verb
- To add punctuation marks to writing.
- punctuation noun
- The marks used in writing, or the act of using them.
Practice
Which of these is a punctuation mark?
Choose one answer.
A comma is a punctuation mark used to separate parts of a sentence. Letters, words, and syllables are not punctuation.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “punctuation marks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.