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

I like movies about koala bears .

Use a period to end a statement

A declarative sentence states a fact, an opinion, or a piece of information, and a period brings it to a close.

In a sentence

Coral reefs are home to a quarter of all marine species .

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

Consider the evidence carefully .

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 turn in your homework .

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

My favorite author is C . S . Lewis .

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

Have you ever spent the night in a tent ?

Turn a statement into a question

A statement and a question can be built from the very same words; the end mark is the only evidence of which one you mean. Swap the period for a question mark and the sentence stops telling and starts asking.

In a sentence

Sally left the house this morning .

Sally left the house this morning ?

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 charged with strong feeling, such as excitement, alarm, or triumph. Save it for the lines that truly earn the force, since one is powerful and a calm period handles the rest.

In a sentence

I won the lottery !

Use an exclamation mark after a strong interjection

An interjection, which is Izzy the Interjection's department, is a word that shows strong or mild emotion. When that emotion runs strong, an exclamation mark gives it force.

In a sentence

Hey, that guy stole my car !

Ouch, I think I broke my leg !

Turn a statement or command into an exclamation

Any statement or command can become an exclamation when the feeling spikes; the words stay the same while the end mark raises the intensity. Use it only when the moment is worth it.

In a sentence

We are almost out of time !

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

We won the game .

We won the game ?

We won the game !

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.