Punctuation is a set of specific marks or symbols that we used to express the meaning of our sentences clearly and to make the flow of the text smooth. It shows us where we need to pause, it separates ...

A few years back I set out to write a comprehensive punctuation book — one that laid out the rules for proper punctuation in every situation imaginable. How naïve I was. You don’t have to spend a lot ...

Recently in this space we talked about how, when two punctuation marks bump up against each other, one can sometimes preclude the other. For example, a phrase that would normally be followed by a ...

Punctuation marks are signals in writing that substitute for those we use in speech to make meaning clearer. But it isn’t easy to replace vocal variations such as volume, pitch and pace, and facial ...

While we all slip up from time to time, there are some basic punctuation mistakes you should never make in formal writing. For example, don't confuse "it's" and "its," don't use an apostrophe to ...

Which punctuation mark is the hardest to use correctly? The ellipsis sounds a little intimidating, and people frequently misuse apostrophes. Perhaps you’re thinking it’s one of those. It’s not. The ...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2024 – Statistical analysis of classic literature has shown that the way punctuation breaks up text obeys certain universal mathematical relationships. James Joyce’s tome ...

When reading a classic book, we tend to pay attention to the themes, the characters, and the story. We say the words aloud. We notice everything, in fact, except for one crucial thing: the punctuation ...