Practice
English punctuation rules: make sentences easier to read
Punctuation gives a reader signals. A full stop says that one idea has finished. A comma can separate items or create a short pause. Without those signals, even familiar words can be hard to follow.
Use common English punctuation marks to show where a sentence ends, which words belong together, and when a word is a question or possession.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Where did you put the spare key? /weə dɪd juː pʊt ðə speə kiː/
The short answer
Choose punctuation by the meaning and structure of the sentence. End a statement with a full stop and a direct question with a question mark. Use commas to separate items and to mark an opening phrase when it helps the reader see the main clause.
After lunch, we checked the timetable.
Why it works: The comma separates the opening time phrase from the main statement.
5 more examples
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The library closes at six.
A full stop shows that the statement is complete.
Not this:The library closes at
six?What changes: The question mark changes the line into a question or shows surprise. Use it only if you mean to ask about the closing time. -
Where did you put the spare key?
This is a direct question, so it ends with a question mark.
Not this:I asked where you put the spare
key.What changes: This sentence reports a question. It is a statement, so it ends with a full stop. -
We need paper, tape, and scissors.
Commas separate the three items in the list.
Not this:We need
paper tapeand scissors. What changes: Without the comma, paper tape may look like one item. The list becomes harder to understand. -
Before the meeting, Ana printed the agenda.
The comma helps the reader separate the opening phrase from the main action.
Not this:Ana printed the agenda
before the meeting. What changes: The time phrase comes after the main clause here, so a comma is usually unnecessary. -
The child's coat is on the chair.
The apostrophe plus s shows that the coat belongs to one child.
Not this:The
childrenput their coats on the chair. What changes: Children is a plural noun. It does not need an apostrophe when you are simply naming more than one child.
Read the full guide
Read the sentence for its main message before adding marks. Ask where the statement ends, whether it asks a direct question, and whether a comma separates parts that the reader needs to see. A mark should help the reader, not decorate the line.
End the sentence you have written
A full stop ends a complete statement. A question mark ends a direct question. Read the words as a whole before you choose the mark, because a sentence that contains a question word is not always a question.
The delivery arrived this morning.
This gives information, so it ends with a full stop.
Did the delivery arrive this morning?
This asks for information, so it ends with a question mark.
Choose the ending mark: I wonder when the delivery arrived
Use a full stop. The speaker is making a statement about wondering, not directly asking the reader.
Use commas in a list
Use commas to separate items that have the same job in a list. In many styles, writers also place a comma before the final and in a longer list. The main aim is a list that a reader can separate quickly.
For the trip, bring water, a map, and a light jacket.
Each comma divides one item from the next item.
For the trip, bring water a map and a light jacket.
The missing commas make water a map look like one unusual phrase.
Add commas to this list: The shop sells fruit vegetables bread and milk.
Write: The shop sells fruit, vegetables, bread, and milk.
Show an opening phrase
An opening phrase tells the reader when, where, how, or why something happens. A comma after a longer opening phrase often makes the main clause easier to find. A very short opening word may not need one.
At the end of the day, Omar sent the invoice.
The comma separates the time phrase from Omar's main action.
Omar sent the invoice at the end of the day.
The time phrase follows the main clause, so there is usually no comma.
Where would you place a comma in this sentence: After the class we compared our notes?
Place it after class: After the class, we compared our notes.
Use apostrophes for the right job
An apostrophe can show missing letters in a contraction or show possession. The apostrophe in you're means you are. The apostrophe in the teacher's notes shows that the notes belong to one teacher. A normal plural does not need an apostrophe.
You're early for the appointment.
You're is a contraction of you are.
Your appointment is at ten.
Your is a possessive word. It has no apostrophe.
Choose the correct form: The drivers or The driver's route is on the noticeboard, when one driver owns the route.
Use The driver's route. The apostrophe plus s shows one driver's possession.
Avoid a comma between two full sentences
A comma alone cannot usually join two complete statements. Use a full stop, a semicolon when the relationship is close, or a comma plus a joining word such as and or but. This helps readers see where one complete idea ends.
The bus was late, so we took the train.
The comma works with so because so joins the two complete statements.
The bus was late. We took the train.
Two short sentences are also clear when you want a firm break between the ideas.
Repair this sentence: The bus was late, we took the train.
Write The bus was late, so we took the train. You could also use a full stop after late.
Before you go
Remember this
Use punctuation to make the reader's job easier. End statements and direct questions with the right mark. Separate clear list items with commas, use commas where they show structure, and use apostrophes for contractions and possession rather than ordinary plurals.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English punctuation rules: make sentences easier to read"
What punctuation mark ends a statement?
A full stop ends a complete statement. For example, The library closes at six. gives information. A question mark would change the meaning into a question or an expression of surprise.
The library closes at six?
When should I use a question mark?
Use a question mark after a direct question, such as Where did you put the spare key? A reported question is still a statement: I asked where you put the spare key. ends with a full stop.
Where did you put the spare key?
When do I need commas in a list?
Use commas to separate separate items that have the same job in a list. We need paper, tape, and scissors. clearly names three items, while missing commas can make paper tape look like one item.
I asked where you put the spare key.
Do I need a comma after an opening phrase?
A comma after an opening phrase often helps the reader find the main clause. Before the meeting, Ana printed the agenda. uses one after the time phrase. A phrase at the end of a sentence usually does not need a comma.
We need paper tape and scissors.
What is the difference between apostrophes for possession and plurals?
Use an apostrophe for possession, as in The child's coat is on the chair. Use no apostrophe for an ordinary plural, as in The children put their coats on the chair.
Before the meeting, Ana printed the agenda.
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