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Linguistics - Punctuation

Here you will learn some English words related to punctuation such as "apostrophe", "colon", and "ellipsis".

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Words Related to Linguistics
ampersand
ampersand
[noun]

the symbol & used in writing to signify the word 'and'

Ex: When writing formal documents , it 's best to avoid using the ampersand in favor of spelling out the word " and . "
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apostrophe

the symbol ' used in writing to show possession or omission of letters or numbers

Ex: His essay had multiple errors in the use of apostrophes.
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asterisk
asterisk
[noun]

the symbol * used in writing or printing to show that there is more information about something in the footnote or as an indication of importance or omission

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backslash
backslash
[noun]

the symbol (\), used in some computer commands

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brace
brace
[noun]

either of the two symbols { } used especially in mathematics or computing to show that the items within are connected together

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bracket
bracket
[noun]

each of the two symbols [ ] used to indicate that the enclosed numbers or words should be considered separately

Ex: In sports tournaments , brackets [ ] are used to display match-ups and progressions of teams or players throughout the competition .
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bullet point

a symbol (•) or short statement used to list or highlight individual items in text

Ex: The report included bullet points to highlight main findings .
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colon
colon
[noun]

the punctuation mark : used to introduce a quotation, explanation, or list of items

Ex: When writing a formal letter , use a colon after the salutation : ' Dear Hiring Manager : I am writing to apply for the position . '
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comma
comma
[noun]

the mark , used to separate items in a list or indicate a pause in a sentence

Ex: Using a comma correctly can significantly enhance the flow of your writing .
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dash
dash
[noun]

the punctuation mark - used in writing to separate parts of a sentence, instead of a colon or brackets

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ditto
ditto
[noun]

the symbol〃used under a word in a list to show that it is repeated and to avoid writing it down again

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dot
dot
[noun]

a small, round mark or spot

Ex: There was a dot of ink on his shirt from the pen .
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hyphen
hyphen
[noun]

a small line used to connect words or parts of words

Ex: She carefully placed a hyphen between the syllables of the word ' co-operate ' to show that it is pronounced as two separate units .
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mark
mark
[noun]

a symbol in writing or print used to signify something

Ex: Exclamation marks convey strong emotion.
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period
period
[noun]

the symbol (.) used to end a declarative sentence or mark an abbreviation

Ex: She underlined the period to show the mistake .
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parenthesis

either of the symbols ( ) used in writing to enclose extra information that is given or to group a symbolic unit in logic or mathematics

Ex: The sentence was interrupted by a thought in parenthesis ( a common occurrence in informal writing ) .
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point
point
[noun]

the punctuation mark . used to indicate that a sentence or an abbreviation is ended

Ex: The book was filled with points to clearly mark the ends of sentences .
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pound sign

the symbol £ used in writing or printing to represent the British unit of currency

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punctuation mark

any mark such as a period, comma, brackets, etc., used in writing to divide phrases and sentences and to make them clearly understood

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question mark

the mark ? used at the end of a sentence to show that it is a question

Ex: The editor noticed a missing question mark in the document and made the correction .
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quotation mark

either of the symbols " " or ' ' used before and after a word or words to indicate the beginning and the end of a title or quoted remark, or to mark a jargon

Ex: The book 's dialogue was set off by quotation marks for clarity .
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quote
quote
[noun]

(plural) another way of saying quotation marks

Ex: The novelist included quotes from historical figures to add authenticity to the narrative .
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semicolon
semicolon
[noun]

the punctuation mark ; used to separate the items in a list or to indicate a pause between two main clauses in a compound sentence

Ex: The semicolon is a versatile punctuation mark : it can link independent clauses and organize detailed lists .
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slash
slash
[noun]

the symbol / used in print or writing to indicate alternatives or fractions, etc.

Ex: The phrase " his / her " uses a slash to indicate either a male or female gender pronoun .
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hyphenation

the use of hyphens to connect syllables or words together for clarity or to form compound words

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double dagger

a punctuation symbol used to indicate additional information or a footnote reference in written text

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bullet operator

a typographical symbol (∙) used primarily in mathematics and technical notation to represent a binary operation such as multiplication

Ex: The textbook explained that the bullet operator is not commonly used in everyday writing but is important in formal mathematical expressions .
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section sign

a typographical symbol used to indicate a specific section or division within a document, often used in legal or academic contexts to reference a particular part or topic

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guillemet
guillemet
[noun]

a single typographical symbol, either the opening or closing angle quotation mark (« or ») used in various languages to indicate quotations or enclose text with a special meaning

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ampersat
ampersat
[noun]

the symbol @, that is used in email addresses and other forms of electronic communication

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caret symbol

a small, V-shaped symbol often used in mathematics and computer programming to indicate exponentiation, bitwise XOR operations, or to mark insertions or corrections in text

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interpunct

a punctuation mark that consists of a small dot used to separate or clarify elements within a sentence, such as in decimal numbers, abbreviations, or to indicate word boundaries in some languages

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ellipsis
ellipsis
[noun]

a punctuation mark consisting of three dots that indicates the omission of words or a pause in speech, often used to create suspense, indicate trailing off, or show incomplete thoughts in writing

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emoticon
emoticon
[noun]

a sign formed by keyboard characters to show the tone of a message or its sender's facial expression, used on social media or in text messages

Ex: The use of emoticons in text messaging has become a popular way to enhance communication and convey tone .
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interrobang

a punctuation mark that combines the question mark and exclamation mark, used to express a mixture of surprise and inquiry, or to convey a rhetorical question with emphasis

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en dash
en dash
[noun]

a punctuation mark that is slightly longer than a hyphen (-) and is used to indicate a range or connection between two elements, such as dates, times, or numbers, it is also used to show contrast or connection between words or phrases

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em dash
em dash
[noun]

a punctuation mark that is longer than both a hyphen (-) and an en dash (–)

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parenthetical comma

a punctuation mark used to set off nonessential or supplementary information within a sentence, indicating a slight pause or separation of the parenthetical element from the rest of the sentence

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serial comma

a comma used before the conjunction, usually "and" or "or", in a list of three or more items, providing clarity and avoiding ambiguity

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double quotation mark

a punctuation mark consisting of two parallel horizontal lines used to enclose quoted or cited material

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single quotation mark

a punctuation mark consisting of a curved or slanted line used to enclose quoted or cited material within a larger quotation or to indicate a word or phrase as being ironic, unconventional, or used in a specialized sense

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dagger
dagger
[noun]

a typographical symbol (†) used to indicate a footnote, annotation, or cross-reference in printed text

Ex: The scholar inserted daggers to clarify obscure references .
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exclamation point

the mark ! used after a sentence to indicate excitement, surprise, etc.

Ex: He was advised to remove the exclamation point from his report for a more professional tone .
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pilcrow
pilcrow
[noun]

a typographical symbol that resembles a backward-facing "P" (¶)

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