punctuation

IPA/ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃn/
KK[pˌʌŋktʃuˈeʃən]IPA/ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃn/

punctuation — noun

1. A set of written symbols — such as periods, commas, and question marks — that wr

1.nounB1
Definition

A set of written symbols — such as periods, commas, and question marks — that writers use to show where sentences and ideas begin and end, and to make the meaning of a text easier to follow.

Example

Min checked her essay for punctuation mistakes before handing it in.

collocation: punctuation mistakes

The teacher told the class that good punctuation makes writing much easier to read.

collocation: good punctuation

Common collocations
  • punctuation mark
  • punctuation error
  • punctuation rules
  • correct punctuation
  • add punctuation
  • use punctuation
  • missing punctuation
Synonyms
  • punctuation marks

    refers specifically to the individual symbols, not the system as a whole

  • interpunction

    rare, technical term for the insertion of punctuation marks; not used in everyday English

Grammar Patterns

punctuation + noun (punctuation rules)

adjective + punctuation (correct punctuation)

Usage Note

Punctuation is an uncountable noun and is never used with 'a' or in the plural form. To refer to an individual symbol such as a comma or period, use the phrase 'punctuation mark.'

Common Mistakes

I need to add more punctuations.
I need to add more punctuation.
punctuation does not have a plural form.
Please put a punctuation here.
Please put a punctuation mark here.
use 'punctuation mark' when referring to one specific symbol.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Punctuation, grammar, spelling, and syntax all relate to writing correctly, but each covers a different area. Punctuation deals specifically with written marks — periods, commas, question marks — that organize text and clarify meaning. Grammar is the broader system of how words are arranged and changed to form correct sentences, covering areas such as subject-verb agreement and verb tenses. Spelling concerns the correct sequence of letters within individual words. Syntax is a more technical term for the order of words inside a sentence; it is a subset of grammar but is rarely discussed in everyday language classes. For example, writing 'She go to school' is a grammar error. Writing 'She went to skool' is a spelling error. Forgetting a comma in 'I bought apples bananas and oranges' is a punctuation error.

punctuation ↗grammar ↗spelling ↗syntax ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • lack of punctuation
  • punctuation in writing

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word punctuation comes from Latin 'punctus,' meaning 'a point' or 'a prick.' In medieval Latin, 'punctuatio' referred to the practice of marking text with points to show pauses. The word entered English through French 'ponctuation' in the 1500s. The core idea has always been about 'pointing' a text — adding small marks to guide the reader.