Punctuation is a wonderful thing. Used properly, punctuation marks allow us to communicate exactly what we want to say when we write. And there are many different marks which, when used correctly together, make sure our reader perfectly understands our meaning.

Every single punctuation mark fulfils a function of its own.  Some marks may seem to be similar or perform the same job, but in fact they are all distinctly different and should be used in their correct context only.

Many writers have their favourite punctuation marks (which they can overuse!) or marks they try to avoid using. Language is also an ever-evolving thing, and the legitimacy of some marks, like the Oxford comma, are still a source of contention today.

It’s also worth noting that English punctuation can vary greatly from US punctuation or Australian punctuation, so you can’t assume that what you’ve learned in one language is going to work in a style guide from another language.

Below we have collated a selection of our favourite blogs on how to use English punctuation properly so that you can make your writing as clear and precise as possible.

** What are the seven most important punctuation marks?

** How to use colons and semi colons

** How to use the en dash, the em dash and hyphen

** What is the Oxford comma, and when do I use it? 

** What is the comma splice, and how do I avoid it? 

Image by Cookie the Pom on Unsplash