Meaning & use
the exclamation point
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Meaning
nouncountable
the punctuation mark (!) used at the end of a sentence to show strong feeling or emphasis
Grammar: Countable: one exclamation point, two exclamation points. Often used with 'the' when referring to the symbol itself.
Patterns
- put an exclamation point after something
- use an exclamation point
- an exclamation point at the end of a sentence
She ended her email with an exclamation point to show she was excited.
In formal writing, it is best to use exclamation points sparingly.
The teacher circled the missing exclamation point in his sentence.
Word forms
| plural | exclamation points |
|---|
Common combinations
- put an exclamation point
- Don't forget to put an exclamation point at the end of that sentence.
- use an exclamation point
- You can use an exclamation point to show surprise.
- add an exclamation point
- He added an exclamation point to make the message sound friendlier.
- exclamation point at the end
- There should be an exclamation point at the end of an exclamatory sentence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exclamation mark
- The British term for the same punctuation mark; use it in British English contexts.
Word family
- exclaim verb
- To cry out suddenly, often with strong emotion.
- exclamation noun
- A sudden cry or remark expressing strong feeling.
Commonly confused: the exclamation point or question mark?
the exclamation point vs question mark
A question mark (?) goes at the end of a question, while an exclamation point (!) shows strong feeling or emphasis.
Practice
Which sentence uses the exclamation point correctly?
Choose one answer.
An exclamation point shows strong emotion, as in 'I can't believe you did that!'. It is not used for direct questions (What time is it?) or indirect questions (She asked if I was coming).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the exclamation point”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.