Punctuation Cheat Sheet

Period (.)

Used at the end of declarative sentences (statements). Also used in some abbreviations.

Example: The cat sat on the mat. Dr. Smith is a veterinarian.

Question Mark (?)

Used at the end of interrogative sentences (questions).

Example: What time is it?

Exclamation Point (!)

Used at the end of exclamatory sentences (expressing strong emotion). Use sparingly.

Example: That was amazing!

Commas in a Series

Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.

Example: I need to buy milk, bread, and eggs.

Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) when it joins two independent clauses.

Example: I wanted to go to the park, but it started to rain.

Commas with Introductory Elements

Use a comma after an introductory word, phrase, or clause.

Example: However, I disagree with your assessment. After the movie, we went for ice cream.

Commas with Nonessential Information

Use commas to set off nonessential (extra) information.

Example: My dog, a golden retriever, loves to play fetch.

Apostrophe (')

Used to show possession or to indicate a contraction.

Example: That is Mary's book. It's a beautiful day.

Quotation Marks (")

Used to enclose direct quotations or titles of short works.

Example: She said, "Hello." I read the poem "The Road Not Taken."

Colon (:)

Used to introduce a list, explanation, or example.

Example: I need the following items: a pen, paper, and a ruler.

Semicolon (;)

Used to join two closely related independent clauses.

Example: The sun was shining; it was a beautiful day.