A semicolon (;) is a punctuation mark that is used to connect two closely related independent clauses (i.e., full sentences).
Semicolons are used instead of a comma and coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and,” “but,” or “so”).
Luca loves coffee; his sister, however, prefers tea.
This project is running behind schedule; moreover, it is $5,000 over budget.
Continue reading: Semicolon (;) | Use, Meaning & Examples
A question mark (?) is used at the end of an interrogative sentence. It can also be used at the end of other sentences or phrases to indicate that they should be read with a questioning (i.e., rising) intonation.
What does “presumptuous” mean?
The minister asked, “Does anyone have any objections?”
Coffee, anyone?
Continue reading: Question Mark | When to Use & Examples
Quotation marks are a type of punctuation and have many purposes in English. They are used primarily to:
My favorite poem is “From Blossoms” by Li-Young Lee.
This “free” cruise we won will cost an arm and a leg once we pay all the taxes and fees.
Many people roll their eyes at business jargon like “bandwidth” and “deliverable.”
Quotation marks always come in pairs. If there is an opening quotation mark, there must be a closing one. Quotation marks can be either curved/curly (sometimes called “smart”) or straight. If they are curved, opening and closing quotation marks curve in different directions.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using quotation marks correctly.
Continue reading: When to Use Quotation Marks | Rules & Examples
An en dash (–) is used to indicate number ranges (e.g., 2022–2024), to show a connection or relationship (e.g., “the Boston–New York train”), and to connect certain compound adjectives (e.g., “a World War II–era building”).
The en dash is longer than a hyphen (-) but shorter than an em dash (—). It is so named because, historically, it was about the same length as a typeset N.
The Wildcats beat the Huskies 32–17 to win the championship.
The urban–rural political divide has grown in recent years.
Continue reading: En Dash (–) | When to Use and Examples
The em dash (—) is a long dash that is used in a sentence to separate extra information, expand on a clause, or indicate a break.
Its name comes from the fact that, historically, it was approximately the same length as a typeset M.
The movie—predictable as it was—was a hit with audiences.
It’s like my grandpa always said—fortune favors the bold!
Continue reading: Em Dash (—) | How to Use and Examples
English has many rules for capitalization. In general, the first word of a sentence, the pronoun “I,” and all proper nouns (e.g., “Lake Tahoe,” “Texas State University”) are capitalized.
Beyond that, there are more detailed rules that will be covered in the sections below and are summarized in the following table.
| Capitalize | Don’t capitalize | |
|---|---|---|
| People |
|
|
| Places |
|
|
| Times |
|
|
Continue reading: Capitalization Rules | Ultimate Guide & Examples
A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that is used to connect words (or parts of words) that function together in a sentence or phrase (e.g., “old-fashioned,” “10-year-old,” “break-in”).
Hyphens are often used in compound adjectives, compound nouns, number phrases, and words with prefixes. There are many rules that govern their use, and it’s not always easy to know which words require a hyphen. QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using hyphens correctly.
Most seven-year-olds are in second grade.
Call my office on Monday to schedule a follow-up.
She has been teaching since the mid-1990s.
Continue reading: What Is a Hyphen (-)? | Meaning & When to Use