Pesky Punctuation: Terminal Marks

As mentioned in the introduction to this series, punctuation imposes coherence and structure to a written work. It is what we rely upon to get our meaning across! In this post, I cover the first and most straightforward use of punctuation: to mark the end of a sentence.

Terminal punctuation refers to either a period, an exclamation mark, or a question mark. Almost every sentence will end with one of these three terminal marks. (The exception is the use of dashes and ellipses in dialogue.) Each helps to convey a specific tone or meaning, which can be vital in how a reader experiences the work. Let’s take a closer look.

>> Don’t miss the other posts in the series: The Basics, Joining Independent Clauses, Joining Dependent & Independent Clauses, and Phrases & Omissions <<

PERIODS.

Periods are the most common form of terminal punctuation. They end sentences that are imperative (a request or demand) or declarative (a statement).

Imperative. “Please get the dog’s bow tie.”
Declarative. “The dog wore their special holiday bow tie.”

The trouble comes when the period is misplaced and it separates an independent and dependent clause. Following the above example, take “The dog looked so cute. Because they were wearing their special holiday bow tie.” The clauses are separated, and the dependent clause is now a sentence fragment. In this case, the sentence is easily fixed by removing the period and rejoining the clauses: “The dog looked so cute because they were wearing their special holiday bow tie.”

By definition, fragments are also caused when a sentence lacks either a subject or a verb. Although the occasional fragment can be used for emphasis, do so sparingly and keep it in tone with the character and story. For example, “The dog wore their special holiday bow tie and it was so cute!” may not sound as natural as “The dog wore their special holiday bow tie. So cute!” (So cute! is a fragment because there is no subject.)

QUESTION MARKS?

As you may have guessed, question marks indicate when a question is being asked. Yet depending on how they are phrased, not all questions take a question mark. In fact, there are four different types of questions.

Direct Questions. A direct question always takes a question mark as the speaker has a specific query. For example: “Where is the dog’s holiday bow tie?”
Indirect Questions. We often use this type of question when trying to be polite. Like if you ask a stranger, “Could you tell me where the dog park is” or “Do you know when the bus will arrive.” We are asking in a roundabout, indirect way so a period is used. When used in a narrative, indirect questions can help pique the reader’s interest. For example: “How the dog had been freed of its bow tie was the question on everyone’s mind.”
One-Word Interrogatives. At some point, you’ve likely responded with a simple “what” when asked a question. Although the person who you’re talking to knows you’re asking for clarification, when an interrogative is used alone it takes a period. For example: “Why. Why must you dress up the dog?” Even though the first “why” is also a question, the question is only one word and acts as more of a statement.
Requests as Questions. It may seem passive-aggressive to some, but we often phrase our requests as questions: “Will you please get the dog’s new bow tie by Friday.” It is natural to want to conclude with a question mark as the use of “will you…” makes it feel as though a question is being asked. However, when the speaker is not leaving any room for debate and is rather telling the other party what to do, the sentence takes a period.

The trouble comes when you mix up what type of question it is—which can be easy to do! Be sure to consider the intent behind the question, as well as the situation. What tone do you want to convey?

EXCLAMATION MARKS!

Many, myself included, are guilty of sometimes (often?) overusing the exclamation mark. Although it may be fun to convey extreme excitement with multiple exclamation marks (yay!!!!!)—or you are trying to do so to appear friendly!—in anything other than informal communication it is best to use them sparingly as they easily clutter a page.

Exclamation points are used to indicate an outcry, or to mark a comment as emphatic (which stresses the point) or ironic (which coveys the opposite meaning). They can also turn direct questions into rhetorical questions.

Outcries. This one is pretty self-explanatory, and is when using an exclamation point feels most natural. For example: “Hey!” “Help!” “Watch out!”
Emphatic Comments. Show how excited or earnest the speaker (or narrator) is by adding an exclamation point. For example: “I really love the dog’s bow tie!”
Ironic Comments. It may help to think of an ironic statement as one showing shock or surprise: “How can you think that!” These comments can also come across as rather sarcastic since when we use sarcasm we are typically saying the opposite of what we mean: “I’m so happy it’s snowing again!”
Direct to Rhetorical Questions. A rhetorical question is when the speaker asks a direct question, but doesn’t want, or expect, an answer. For example, you may ask your partner, “Can you please shut the door?” This is a direct question. But if you’re tired, and maybe frustrated by your partner’s inability to ever close doors behind them, adding an exclamation point makes it rhetorical: “Can you please shut the door!”

As with punctuating questions, avoid misusing exclamation marks by really considering the tone you want to convey.

Now that you know how to end sentences, learn how to combine them by joining clauses. (Fair warning, this post talks a lot about everyone’s nemesis—the comma!)

Until then, keep creating!