Many people tell us they don’t feel confident when they’re writing because they aren’t entirely sure how to use some punctuation marks. Some elements of punctuation can be confusing because there are rules—and then there are exceptions to some rules.
Here are some tips to help you confidently punctuate sentences with three of the most commonly misused and misunderstood punctuation marks.
Understanding the Semicolon
While the semicolon has a reputation as being a difficult punctuation mark, it is one of the easiest punctuation marks to use.
Read these two short sentences:
We discussed the business proposal. We decided not to give the group its funding.
While they’re correct, these two short sentences are abrupt. To convey the information in a way that is less choppy, replace the period with a semicolon, like this:
We discussed the business proposal; we decided not to give the group its funding.
Imagine the period like a stop sign and the semicolon like a yield sign. Do you want to stop one sentence before beginning the next, or do you want to link the two together? It’s up to you to decide.
Now, you’re probably thinking – this example is still too choppy. That’s a fair assessment. Let’s add the word “however” to help the writing flow:
We discussed the business proposal; however, we didn’t give the group its funding.
Note that there is a semicolon before the word “however” and a comma after it.
Remember, if you can use a period, then you can use a semicolon.
Here are a few more samples for you:
I didn’t agree with my manager’s position; however, there was nothing I could change.
The recession hit us hard; therefore, we had to lay off some staff.
I’m not concerned; in my opinion, everyone is on track.
A Word of Caution: Although you can now use the semicolon with confidence, be careful with its overuse. Use the semicolon only when linking two short sentences that are closely related. If you link two longer sentences, it will decrease the overall readability.
When to Use the Exclamation Mark
The exclamation mark is intended to emphasize a point or to convey strong emotions. Usually, these are the emotions you would indicate by using an exclamation mark:
- Excitement
- Joy
- Surprise
- Anger
The exclamation mark is best used sparingly, particularly in business correspondence. Using an exclamation mark too often is annoying! It can lose effect even if the points you’re making are valid! And it certainly doesn’t look professional! (Don’t you agree?)
There are a few occasions when you might want to use an exclamation mark. If you’re sharing significantly happy or exciting news, an exclamation mark is a good choice.
Congratulations on your promotion, Jane! I’m so happy for you.
It might also be useful to use an exclamation mark when you want correspondence to someone to seem friendly, supportive, or encouraging.
This month, I need you to focus on reconciling the accounts, preparing the budget report, and finalizing payroll for this month. I know that’s a lot! I trust you will get it done.
If you sent that in an email without the exclamation mark, arguably the recipient could read it as demanding.
When writing fiction, an exclamation mark is useful to indicate anger.
“How dare you!” she howled with rage.
In business writing, however, it’s best to avoid using an exclamation mark if you’re unhappy with a situation or someone’s actions. It could seem condescending or, worse, as screaming. In either case, an exclamation mark would not be suitable if you want to maintain a professional tone.
Correctly Using Commas with Lists
The purpose of a comma is to indicate the separation of words, phrases, or ideas so that the reader isn’t confused. Commas represent a pause, which we use in spoken conversation for emphasis or to clarify what we’re saying.
There are two styles for using commas, serial (also called the Oxford comma) and non-serial. Both are correct. You need to choose one of the styles and then use it consistently when you write. Some workplace style guides will direct you to use one of the other.
Serial (Oxford) comma: I like apples, bananas, and pears.
Non-serial comma: I like apples, bananas and pears.
Do not use a comma if you’re only listing two items. Example:
Correct: I like cats and dogs.
Incorrect: I like cats, and dogs.
Those who advocate for using the serial comma point out that without it, the reader combines the last two items in a list. This can change the meaning of a sentence. One example is:
Non-serial comma: The famous chef enjoys cooking, her family and her dog.
(This could be read that she cooks her family and her dog.)
Serial comma: The famous chef enjoys cooking, her family, and her dog.
(This clearly states she enjoys these three things.)
It’s important to use one comma style consistently. However, this demonstrates that it’s also important to read your writing over to ensure that your message is clear. So, if you wanted to use the non-serial comma, then you could rewrite the sentence: In addition to cooking, the famous chef enjoys time with her family and her dog.
If you would like a handy reference guide for grammar, check out The Eclectic Writing Series. Solving the Grammar Dilemma addresses capitalization, numbers, punctuation, apostrophes, pronouns, agreement, and parallel structure.
