8.1 INTRODUCTION

Punctuation is the system according to which the full stop (.), the comma (,), the question mark (?), semicolon (;), apostrophe ('), capital letter, exclamation (!), hyphen (-) and dash (--) etc. are used in a piece of writing.

Read the following sentences carefully :

1. Ravi says, "Ajay is an honest boy."
2. "Ravi," says Ajay, "is an honest boy."

In sentence No. 1 Ajay is an honest boy,  in sentence No. 2 Ravi is. The difference in meaning is due to shifting of commas and Inverted commas from one position to another. In fact. the meaning of a sentence depends on punctuation.

There are some thirty punctuation marks which are used in English language, but in this lesson you will study only a few of them, i.e. the fullstop (.). comma (,), apostrophe ('), capital letters, question mark (?) exclamation mark (!), and quotation marks (" ").

8.2 OBJECTIVE
After you have read this lesson and done the exercises, you will be able to —
Use different punctuation marks in your writings correctly.

8.3 WHERE TO USE THE FULL STOP, QUESTION MARK AND

EXCLAMATION MARK

A. The full stop or Period represents the longest pause.

It is used to mark the end of an assertive (statement)

        or imperative sentence (requests/command).

Example

1. We have a beautiful garden, (statement)

2. Pass me the salt, please. (request)

3. Don't touch that box. (command I order)

The full stop is used after abbreviations and initials.

Example

Dr. Madan, Mrs. Saxena, 9 a.m., 320 B.C., 5 p.m.

Dr. = Doctor

Mrs. = Mistress

a.m. = ante (before) meridiem (i.e. noon) i.e. before 12 noon.

B.C. = before the birth of Christ

p.m. = post meridiem (i.e. after 12 noon) or per month

Sometimes the full stop is not used after standard abbreviations.

Example

                        M L A, U N E S C O, C B S E, N O S

B. The question mark = ?

                                    This mark is used to mark direct questions.

Example

Are you studying well ?

Do you go to the market daily ?

When does the picture start ?

Have you visited Bombay ?

C. The exclamation mark = !

This mark is used at the end of sentences which express some strange

            or sudden feeling of joy, laughter, surprise, anger, disgust.

Example

What a beautiful flower it is !

How sad he lost his son !

May God bless you !

 

6.4 WHERE TO USE THE COMMA

Comma = (,)

Read carefully the sentences given below :

1. Sanju says, "Raju is an honest boy".

2. "Sanju", says Raju. "is an honest boy".

In sentence No. 1 Raju is an honest boy.

In sentence No. 2 Sanju is an honest boy.

From these two sentences it is clear that comma must be inserted at the correct place to enable the reader to get the correct meaning of the sentence.

                                A Comma is used to separate words in a series.

Example

(i) We export coffee, tea and sugar.

(ii) Kusum bought some oranges, apples, grapes and bananas from the market.

(iii) The Chinese traded in silk. salt, iron goods, pottery and jade.

(iv) I do not like grapes or bananas.

Note : No comma is used just before a joining word, e.g. tea and sugar.

A comma is used to mark off a direct quotation from the reporting verb just before the quotation mark.

Example

(i) She said, "You will surely get through the examination". (Here said is the reporting verb)

(ii) Ashok asked, "Where have you kept the key ?" (Here asked is the reporting verb)

(iii) "Please help me", begged the boy. (Here begged is the reporting verb and the comma comes before it).

 

8.5 WHERE TO USE THE APOSTROPHE MARK

Apostrophe = '

Look at these words carefully :

The girl's book.

The mark ' between girl and the letter s is known as an Apostrophe mark.

The apostrophe with s('s) is used to mark possession i.e., it shows that something belongs to someone.

Example

(a) The girl's book = a book belonging to the girl.

(b) The boy's bats = the bats belonging to the boy.

The apostrophe mark is used to show omission of letter or letters.

Examples

(a) You shouldn't speak so loudly, (shouldn't = should not)

(b) I'm sure Mona hasn't understood it. (I'm = I am) (Hasn't = Has not)

(c) I've a camera. (I've = I have)

 

8.6 WHERE TO USE INVERTED COMMAS IN A SENTENCE

Look at these marks " ". They are known as Inverted commas or quotation marks.

Inverted Commas are used to mark the exact words of the speaker, in the reported speech.

Example

(a) "Your book was of great help," said Mohan.

(b) The boy said, "I have understood the question."

The inverted commas are used to mark quotations or names of books.

Example : "Life-long education is a cherished goal of the educational process. This presupposes universal literacy", (quoted from the National Policy on Education, 1986)

I have read Tulsidas's "Ramayana" several times.

 

8.7  CAPITAL LETTERS

The capital letter is used to begin the first world of any sentence,

of  every line of a poem and of direct quotation.

Example

1. Character is more important than wealth.

2. He said, "That book is very interesting."

3.         Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are,

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

                                            All proper Nouns are Adjectives derived

                                            from them are written with capital letters.

Examples

English, Hindi, French (name of languages)

Mohan, Ramesh, Krishnan, Rahim (name of person)

April, May, June, July, August, (name of months)

History, Economics (subjects studied in school)

Sunday, Friday (names of days)

Holi, Dussehra, Diwali (names of festivals)

Hinduism, Islam, Christianity (names of religions)

The Arya Samaj Mandir (name of place)

The Taj (name of building)

The Ramayan, the Quran (names of Holy scriptures)

The war of Independence

                                                Capital letter is used to write abbreviation of

                                                    proper nouns, headings and degrees.

Example

        Rai Sahib, Padma Shri, M.A., M.Ed., B.Sc., M.P., U.N.O., M.L.A.

        The Pronoun "I" and the interjection "O" are written with capital letters.

Example

            We thank thee, O Lord, for all thy blessings.

               Name of Deity, words related to deity and sacred writings are capitalised.

Example

                God, Almighty, Father, His ways.

                Capital letters are used to denote the distinguished or royal figures.

His Majesty, His Highness, My lord, His Holiness, Sir.

 

8.8 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

  1. Punctuation marks in your writing are like signposts. They help your reader to understand what you mean.
  2. The fullstop is used to mark the end of a statement or a request.
  3. The comma is used to separate itmes in a sentence or to mark off a direct quotation from the reporting verb.
  4. The apostrophe mark is used to show ommission of letters, or to mark the possessive case in nouns.
  5. The capital letter is used to begin the first word of every sentence, direct quotation, or to begin proper nouns.
  6. The quotation mark is used when the exact words of the speaker are quoted or to mark off quotations or names of books.

8.9 TERMINAL EXERCISES

Supply all the necessary punctuation marks and capital letters in the following sentences.

  1. what a beautiful dress it is
  2. ramesh asked seema where do you live
  3. he said to manish i like your younger brother very much
  4. isnt premas new frock very pretty

8.10 SUGGESTES ANSWERS

8.1

    1. May I come in ?
    2. What a lovely garden you have !
    3. Ram and Rajeev shook hands.
    4. What shall we do with these books ?
    5. Has the postman not come to-day ?
    6. The dearest thing to a man is his home.
    7. What a wonderful piece of work is man !
    8. May you live long !
    9. Honesty is the best policy.
    10. How clever he is !

8.2

    1. You can have tea, coffee, lemonade or milk.
    2. Lata, Usha and Asha are sisters.
    3. "Try and try again", said the teacher.
    4. The shop sells bread, butter, pastries, buns and biscuits.

8.3

    1. This is Ram's slate.
    2. The boy's pens were lying on the table.
    3. Children's books were exhibited at the fair.
    4. (i) I'm

(ii) You'll

(iii) don't

8.4

    1. Tagore's "Gitanjali" is a collection of poems.
    2. He said, "Nobody will doubt you".
    3. "What an easy paper it is", said Gopal.
    4. Gandhiji's motto was , "Practise what you preach".
    5. "I'll see what I can do about it", remarked Mahesh.

8.5

    1. India celebrates the Independence Day on 15 August every year.
    2. My uncle gave me a hundred-rupee-note on Deepawali Day.
    3. A large crowd gathered outside the Red Fort to see our National Flag being hoisted.
    4. The Prime Minister of Afghanistan will be arriving in Delhi on Tuesday.
    5. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2nd October.

TERMINAL EXERCISES

    1. What a beautiful dress it is !
    2. Ramesh asked Seema, " Where do you live ?"
    3. He said to Manish, "I like your younger brother very much."
    4. "Isn't Prema's new frock very pretty ?"