Punctuation Department · Today with The Mayor

End Marks

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End Marks

Tap an officer to meet them, then work through each one.

Officer Period, the most common mark

In a sentence

The sun is up .

Use a period to end a statement

Whether it's a fact, an opinion, or just an account of what happened, a statement ends with a period.

In a sentence

Children can eat jelly beans all day .

Use a period to end a mild command

A command is like an order or an instruction. When it is said calmly, a period ends it.

In a sentence

Hand me those jelly beans .

Use a period to end a request

A request is a polite way to ask. It is not a question, so it ends with a period instead of a question mark.

In a sentence

Please hand me those jelly beans .

Periods in abbreviations

An abbreviation is the short form of a longer word, like a title or a set of initials. A period signals the abbreviation.

In a sentence

Dr . Smith is here .

Now you try

A statement can be a fact, an opinion, or just what happened. You could try one about your day, your pet, or pizza. Any statement works.

Detective Question Mark, the one who asks

Use a question mark to end a question

A question asks something and expects an answer. The question mark is the clue that the sentence is asking, not telling.

In a sentence

Do you like donuts ?

Turn a statement into a question

Swap the period for a question mark and the sentence starts asking.

In a sentence

Cats can swim .

Cats can swim ?

Now you try

A question asks something and expects an answer. You could try asking about a friend, a mystery, or what is for lunch. Any real question works.

Sergeant Exclamation Mark, used with purpose

Use an exclamation mark for strong feeling

An exclamation mark ends a sentence that carries strong feeling, like excitement or surprise. Use it when a quiet period is not enough.

In a sentence

Watch out !

Use an exclamation mark after a strong interjection

An interjection is a word that shows strong or mild emotion, like Wow or Ouch. A strong one ends with an exclamation mark.

In a sentence

Wow, that is huge !

Oh no, I dropped it !

Turn a statement or command into an exclamation

The same words can be calm or loud. Trade the period for an exclamation mark and a sentence starts to shout.

In a sentence

I like jelly beans !

Now you try

An exclamation shows strong feeling, used with purpose. You could try a cheer, a warning, or a happy surprise. One mark is plenty.

Same words, three meanings

In a sentence

It is snowing .

It is snowing ?

It is snowing !

Now you try

Keep all the words exactly the same and let only the end mark change. You could tell it with a period, ask it with a question mark, then exclaim it with an exclamation mark. Same words, three meanings.