Lesson 12 — Activity 4:

Punctuation to End Sentences


You have reviewed the parts of speech and looked at ways they can be arranged to form various sentence structures. In this activity, you will review the various ways that punctuation can be used to help make the information in your sentences as clear as possible to the reader. 


Courtesy of Pixabay


You know that the three types of punctuation that end a sentence are

  • the period (.)

  • the question mark (?)

  • the exclamation mark (!)


When you are writing, choosing your end punctuation correctly helps your reader understand your purpose. When you speak, you do not see the punctuation that follows your statement, but it is reflected by your tone of voice.

People make four types of statements in speaking or writing. Click on each tab below to see examples of the four categories of statements.

  • Declarative sentences are most commonly used in conversations and in writing. You state a fact or comment, and the punctuation mark that is used at the end is a period.

    I am meeting my Grandpa at Tim Horton's this afternoon.

  • Interrogative sentences ask direct questions. The punctuation at the end is a question mark, of course. You can usually tell when a person is asking a question because the person's voice goes up at the end of the sentence.

    Where are you going to meet your Grandpa?

  • Exclamatory sentences expresses emotion or feeling. The punctuation used is a exclamation mark. Exclamation marks are not used very often in formal writing, but they are quite common in informal writing (notes, e-mails, or text messages to friends). When people are speaking, their statements are exclamatory if their voices sound excited.

I love Tim Horton's!

  • An imperative sentence is a command; you are telling someone to do something. Depending on how urgent the command is, it might end with either an exclamation mark or a period.

    An instruction: Meet Grandpa at 3 o'clock at Tim Horton's.
    - or -
    An urgent command: Meet Grandpa at 3 o'clock at Tim Horton's!



Knowing your purpose when writing your sentences will help you decide what kind of punctuation to use to conclude your sentences. Punctuation helps your reader to understand your message better because the end punctuation helps to express your tone.

Click here to go to an online quiz on the four different types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative.


Courtesy of Pixabay

Digging Deeper!


Click on the Play button below to watch a video on the four different types of sentences. When you have finished watching it, complete the assignment at the end of the video — write your own declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences. Write one of each type of sentence, and then hand it in to your teacher to check it!