11 End Punctuation

image

11

End Punctuation

The end of a sentence can be marked with a period (.), a question mark (?), or an exclamation point (!).

11a Use a period to mark the end of a sentence that makes a statement, gives an instruction, or includes an indirect question; use periods with most abbreviations

Writers seldom omit the period at the end of a sentence that makes a statement or gives directions.

STATEMENT

Amnesty International investigates human-rights violations.

INSTRUCTION

Use as little water as possible during the drought.

Writers sometimes mistake an indirect question for a direct one, however.

image

This sentence states what question was asked; it does not ask the question directly.

Many abbreviations use periods (Mass., Co., St.,). If you are not sure whether an abbreviation should include periods, check a dictionary.

When an abbreviation that uses periods ends a sentence, an additional period is not needed.

image

Note, however, that the Modern Language Association (MLA) recommends omitting periods in abbreviations that consist of capital letters (IBM, USA, BC) but including periods in abbreviations that consist of lowercase letters (a.m.).

11b Use a question mark to end a sentence that asks a direct question

DIRECT QUESTION

Why was the flight delayed?

When a question is also a quotation, the question mark is placed within the quotation marks (see also 15d).

image

11c Use an exclamation point to end a sentence that expresses a strong emotion or a forceful command

image

Use exclamation points sparingly; they lose their impact when used too frequently.

image