Punctuation Mark (विराम चिह्न)
There are 14 Punctuation Marks in English:
Out of 14, there are only three punctuation marks, which are used to end a sentence. They are (14 में से केवल 3 ही विराम चिन्ह ऐसे हैं जो वाक्य को समाप्त करने के लिए प्रयोग किये जाते हैं। वे हैं:):
1. Full Stop or Period (.)
Declarative and Imperative sentences end with a full stop.
कथात्मक एवं आदेशात्मक वाक्यों के अन्त में पूर्ण विराम लगता है।
2. Question Mark (?)
Interrogative sentences end with a question mark.
प्रश्नवाचक वाक्यों के अन्त में प्रश्नवाचक चिन्ह लगता है।
3. Exclamation Mark or Exclamation Point (!)
Exclamatory and Optative Sentences end with an exclamation mark.
विस्मयादिबोधक और इच्छासूचक वाक्य के अन्त में एक विस्मयादिबोधक चिह्न लगता है।
Full Stop or Period (.)– (पूर्ण) विराम
Rule 1. a) at the end of Declarative & Imperative Sentences (कथात्मक एवं आदेशात्मक वाक्यों के अन्त में) b) after an Abbreviation (किसी भी Abbreviation के बाद)
Example: I know him well. Go there.
Don’t meet him ever again. Dr. Kumar checks the patent’s report.
B.A. / BA – Bachelor of Arts B.Sc. / BSc – Bachelor of Science
Rule 2. If the last item in the sentence is an abbreviation that ends in a period, do not follow it with another period.
Incorrect: This is Alice Smith, M.D.. Correct: This is Alice Smith, M.D.
Correct: Please shop, cook, etc. We will do the laundry.
Rule 3. Question marks and exclamation points replace and eliminate periods at the end of a sentence.
Question Mark (?) – प्रश्नवाचक चिन्ह
A Question Mark (?) used to ask a question. (प्रश्नवाचक चिन्ह किसी भी प्रश्न के अन्त में प्रयोग किया जाता है।) Did you call Ritu yesterday?
Do you understand the value of time?
Could you please pass the phone on to Rajendra?
May I come in?
Exclamation Mark (!) – विस्मयादिबोधक चिन्ह
Rule 1: An Exclamation Mark (!) is used to express sudden joy, grief, surprise, shock, wish etc. All such sentences are known as Exclamatory Sentences. (विस्मयादिबोधक चिन्ह मन में अचानक उत्पन्न हुई भावनाओं को व्यक्त के लिए प्रयोग किया जाता है।)
So sweet! Get out of here! Thank you so much!
Wow! Amazing There is a tiger!
He is crazy about the guitar!
Rule 2. An exclamation point replaces a period at the end of a sentence.
Incorrect: I’m truly shocked by your behavior!.
Comma (,) – अल्पविराम
Commas and periods are the most frequently used punctuation marks. Commas customarily indicate a brief pause; they’re not as final as periods. (अल्पविराम और विराम चिह्न सबसे अधिक उपयोग किए जाने वाले विराम चिह्न हैं। अल्पविराम प्रथागत रूप से एक संक्षिप्त विराम इंगित करें; वे पीरियड्स की तरह अंतिम नहीं हैं।)
A Comma (,) is used: a) to give a short pause (ज़रा सा विराम देने के लिए) b) always after Introductory Adverbs or Adverb Phrases (वाक्य के शुरूआत में विशेषण के तुरन्त बाद) c) to introduce a quotation (किसी भी Quotation को शुरू करने के लिए)
Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items.
(तीन या अधिक शब्दों और शब्द समूहों को अलग करने के लिए अल्पविराम का उपयोग करें।)
Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew.
Note: When the last comma in a series comes before and or or (after daughter-in-law in the
above example), it is known as the Oxford comma.
Rule 2. Always after Introductory Adverbs or Adverb Phrases (वाक्य के शुरूआत में विशेषण के तुरन्त बाद)
Finally, he passed the exam.
Nervously, she faced the interviewer.
All of a sudden, he decided to change the whole team.
At last, I must congratulate you on this success once again.
Within a minute, he solved the question.
Just after a while, she asked me to buy her a pen.
With a little hesitation, he started peeping through the hole.
In the end, I honestly won against evil.
Rule 3a. Use commas to set off the name, nickname, term of endearment, or title of a person directly addressed.
Examples: Will you, Aisha, do that assignment for me?
Yes, old friend, I will.
Rule 3b. Use a comma after certain words that introduce a sentence, such as well, yes, why, hello,
hey, etc.
Examples: Why, I can’t believe this!
No, you can’t have a dollar.
Rule 3c. Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt the sentence flow (nevertheless, after
all, by the way, on the other hand, however, etc.).
Example: I am, by the way, very nervous about this.
Rule 4. Use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year.
Example: It happened in June 5, 2003.
No comma is necessary for just the month and year.
Example: It was in a June 2003 article.
Rule 5. Use a comma to separate a city from its state, and remember to put one after the
state, also.
Example: I’m from Batiyagarg, Damoh, M.P.
I’m from Damoh, M.P., India.
Rule 6. If something or someone is sufficiently identified, the description that follows is considered
nonessential and should be surrounded by commas.
Example: My brother Bill is here.
Now, see how adding two commas changes that sentence’s meaning:
Example: My brother, Bill, is here.
Careful writers and readers understand that the first sentence means I have more than one brother. The commas in the second sentence mean that Bill is my only brother. Why? In the first sentence, Bill is essential information: it identifies which of my two (or more) brothers I’m speaking of. This is why no commas enclose Bill. In the second sentence, Bill is nonessential information—whom else but Bill could I mean? —hence the commas.
Rule 7. Use a comma to separate a statement from a question.
Example: I can go, can’t I?
Rule 8. Use a comma to separate contrasting parts of a sentence.
Example: That is my money, not yours.
wrote more than two dozen of them.
Rule 9. Use commas to introduce or interrupt direct quotations.
Examples: He said, “I don’t care.”
“Why,” I asked, “don’t you care?”
Quotation Marks ( “ ” ) – उद्धरण चिन्ह
Quotation Marks are also known as Speech Marks or Inverted Commas.
इन्हें Speech Marks और Inverted Commas भी कहा जाता है।
(“ ” ) – Double inverted commas
( ‘ ’ )– Single inverted commas
Point no. 1: (Good to know information)
Surprisingly, we can use the Full Stop (.) either inside or outside the quote. Both are acceptable. It’s surprising, isn’t it?? [कमाल की बात है कि Full Stop (.) को अन्दर और बाहर दोनों तरफ प्रयोग कर सकते हैं।]
He said,” I am your best friend.” – (UK English – Full stop is inside.)
He said,” I am your best friend”. – (US English – Full stop is outside.)
Rule 1. Use double quotation marks to set off a direct (word-for-word) quotation.
Correct: “When will you be here?” he asked.
Incorrect: He asked “when I would be there.”
Rule 2. Use single quotation marks for quotations within quotations.
Example: He said, “Dan cried, ‘Do not treat me that way.’”
Rule 3. Either quotation marks or italics are customary for titles: magazines, books, plays, films,
songs, poems, article titles, chapter titles, etc.
Examples: “Daffodils” “The Bengle Sellers” “Letter to God”
Colon (:) – अपूर्ण विराम
A Colon (:) is used:
Rule 1. To
introduce a quotation (किसी भी Quotation को शुरू करने के लिए)
He said, “I am your best friend.” (Correct)
He said: “I am your best friend.” (Correct)
Rule 2a. To enumerate a list or to introduce a series of items (किसी भी चीज की लिस्ट बताने के लिए).
Do not capitalize the first item after the colon (unless it’s a proper noun).
[कोलन के बाद पहले आइटम को कैपिटलाइज़ न करें (जब तक कि यह व्यक्तिवाचक संज्ञा न हो]
Examples: You may be required to bring many things: sleeping bags, pans, utensils, and warm clothing.
I want the following items: butter, sugar, and flour.
I need an assistant who can do the following: input data, write reports, and complete tax forms.
Ø I have many things: books, pens, one mobile etc.
Ø I met many people: Anjali, Kuldeep, Dimple and Seema.
Ø He has many friends: Sumit, Ranjay, Kabir, Arjun, Mayank, Tanya, Anushka, Rehman etc.
Ø There are three types of tenses: 1) Present Tense, 2) Past Tense, and 3) Future Tense
Rule 2b. Avoid using a colon before a list when it directly follows a verb or preposition.
Incorrect: I want: butter, sugar, and flour.
Correct: I want the following: butter, sugar, and flour.
OR
I want butter, sugar, and flour.
Rule 3. To mention the Time & Ratio (समय या अनुपात बताते वक्त)
2:15 AM, 6:00 o’clock, etc.
5:3, 10:25, etc.
Apostrophe ( ` ) – अक्षर लोप चिन्ह
An Apostrophe (‘) is
used in three cases:
Rule 1. To express possession (अधिकार या कब्जा बताने हेतु)
Example:
This is Kumar’s pen.
My father’s friend’s brother is coming home today.
This is a boys’ hostel.
Rule 2. To contract two or more
words (दो या दो से अधिक शब्दों को जोडकर छोटा करने हेतु)
I have = I’ve, I
am = I’m, You are = You’re
Rule 3. Other Special Cases (अन्य खास मामले)
the 90’s,
Dash (—) – डैश चिन्ह
There are two types of dashes that vary in size and use.
En dash: Typically shorter in length, the en dash is used to denote a range, such as between numbers or dates. For example:
- The company was operational from 1990-2000.
- He took the Chicago-New York train last night.
Em dash: Words and phrases between dashes are not generally part of the subject.
Example: Joe—and his trusty dog—was always welcome.
You are the friend, the only friend, who offered to help me.
or
You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me.
Hyphen (-)
Not to be confused with a dash, a hyphen is used in compound words when two or more words are connected. Here are some examples of hyphenated words:
Examples: Step-by-step
Mother-in-law
Ex-boyfriend
Multiple-Choice Questions:
1. Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly?
a) The boy's shoes are on the porch.
b) The boys shoes' are on the porch.
c) The boys shoes are on the porch.
d) The boys' shoe's are on the porch.
Answer: a) The boy's shoes are on the porch.
2. Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:
a) She asked, "What time is it".
b) She asked "What time is it?"
c) She asked, "What time is it?"
d) She asked "What time is it".
Answer: c) She asked, "What time is it?"
3. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
a) The cat slept on the mat, it was very tired.
b) The cat slept on the mat; it was very tired.
c) The cat slept on the mat it was very tired.
d) The cat, slept on the mat it was very tired.
Answer: b) The cat slept on the mat; it was very tired.
4. Which sentence uses the exclamation mark appropriately?
a) Congratulations, you won the prize.
b) Congratulations! You won the prize!
c) Congratulations! You won the prize.
d) Congratulations, you won the prize!
Answer: c) Congratulations! You won the prize.
5. Choose the sentence with proper exclamation mark usage:
a) Help, I need somebody!
b) Help! I need somebody.
c) Help! I need somebody!
d) Help; I need somebody.
Answer: b) Help! I need somebody.
6. Which sentence correctly uses an exclamatory mark?
a) What a beautiful day it is.
b) What a beautiful day it is!
c) What a beautiful day it is?
d) What a beautiful day it is,
Answer: b) What a beautiful day it is!
References:
Kaufman, Lester. The Blue Book. Jossey-Bass, 2021.
www.spokenenglish.guru.
0 Comments