Lesson 7 — Activity 1: Punctuation at the End

Can you see what kind of message this is?

End punctuation, as its name suggests, refers to the punctuation mark that comes at the end of a sentence.
The type of punctuation depends on the message.

There are three types of end punctuation:

The Period ( . ) is the most commonly used end punctuation. It is used to show that a statement has been made and the idea is complete.
- Most often when writing, you make comments or write facts, opinions, or other information. That information is quite straightforward, so the period concludes your point.
The Question Mark ( ? ) shows that you are asking a direct question in your writing.
The Exclamation Mark ( ! ) is not used very often in formal writing. But it may be used when writing down dialogue or conversations.
- It is also used when expressing strong emotions. And it is used when you are showing that someone is giving an urgent command or order.

End punctuation: period, exclamation mark, question mark

Here is an example of a sentence that shows how the message communicated is different when different types of end punctuation are used:

The cat is chasing the mouse.

The cat is chasing the mouse?

The cat is chasing the mouse!

The words in the sentence are the same, but the meaning of each is different.

The first sentence is just stating a fact. In the second sentence, the writer is wondering what is happening. In the third sentence, the writer is very excited about the event of the sentence.

If you are clear about the purpose of your message, you will have no trouble choosing the correct end punctuation.