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When I first teach punctuation to ESL students, I’m often surprised by how many don’t know what to call the symbols on their keyboard—or worse, don’t understand why they matter. A comma isn’t just a mark you throw in because a rule says so; it completely changes how a sentence is read. An ampersand (&) is not just decoration; it’s shorthand for “and” with specific uses in business. Understanding punctuation marks and keyboard symbols isn’t about memorizing shapes—it’s about learning the grammar and tone behind each one.
You’ll covers the most important punctuation marks and keyboard symbols ESL learners encounter. You’ll learn what each symbol is called in English, how to pronounce it, where to use it, and why it matters.
Key Takeaways
- Punctuation marks control pacing and clarity — periods end ideas, commas pause, semicolons connect related ones.
- Each symbol has a name and a purpose — knowing what to call it helps you use it correctly (apostrophe ≠ quotation mark).
- Keyboard symbols (/, @, #, &) have specific uses in writing and digital contexts — learn when to use each.
- Pronunciation matters — you’ll need to say “backslash” or “at sign” correctly, especially in email addresses.
- Context determines usage — the @ symbol means “at” in email but “each” in pricing (“@ $5 each”).
Punctuation Marks: The Foundation of Written English
Punctuation marks are the traffic signals of writing. They tell readers when to pause, where ideas begin and end, and what tone or emotion a sentence carries. Without them, writing becomes a confusing wall of text. Consider these two sentences:
Without punctuation: “Let’s eat Grandma”
With punctuation: “Let’s eat, Grandma.” (calling Grandma to join you) or “Let’s eat Grandma.” (something darker)
One comma completely changes the meaning. That’s why punctuation matters.
The Essential Punctuation Marks
End-of-Sentence Marks
These marks tell readers that a sentence (or idea) has finished:
- . (Period / Full Stop) — Ends a declarative statement. Used most frequently. “The meeting is tomorrow.”
- ? (Question Mark) — Ends a question. Indicates a request for information. “Are you coming to the meeting?”
- ! (Exclamation Mark) — Ends an exclamatory statement. Shows strong emotion, excitement, or emphasis. “I can’t believe it!” (Use sparingly in formal writing.)
Example: “The meeting is tomorrow.” (period) vs. “Is the meeting tomorrow?” (question mark) vs. “The meeting is finally tomorrow!” (exclamation).
Pause / Separation Marks
These marks separate ideas within a sentence or show relationships between elements:
- , (Comma) — The most common pause mark. Separates items in lists, clauses, and ideas. “I like apples, oranges, and bananas.”
- ; (Semicolon) — Stronger pause than a comma. Connects two related independent sentences. “I love coffee; it wakes me up.”
- : (Colon) — Introduces a list, explanation, or quotation. “Here’s what you need: patience, determination, and practice.”
- — (Em Dash) — Shows a break, emphasis, or interruption. “The answer is simple—just ask for help.”
- – (En Dash) — Shows ranges or connection. “Read pages 10–15” or “New York–London flight.”
Example: “I love three things: reading, writing, and teaching.” (colon introduces the list)
Quotation and Grouping Marks
These marks group words or show that words belong to someone else:
- ” ” (Quotation Marks / Double Quotes) — Indicates direct speech or quoted text. “She said, ‘I’ll be back soon.'”
- ‘ ‘ (Single Quotes / Apostrophes in quotes) — Indicates a quote within a quote, or used in British English. ‘She said, “I’ll return soon.”‘ (British style)
- ( ) (Parentheses / Round Brackets) — Adds extra information or clarifies. “The conference (which was held in March) was successful.”
- [ ] (Square Brackets) — Shows added or omitted words in quotations. “She said ‘[the project] was completed.'”
- { } (Curly Brackets / Braces) — Used in technical writing, lists, or mathematical notation. {list of items}
Example: He asked, “When will you finish?” (quotation marks show the spoken words)
Special Punctuation Marks
- ‘ (Apostrophe) — Shows possession or contractions. “the dog’s bone” or “can’t” (for “cannot”)
- … (Ellipsis) — Shows omission, hesitation, or trailing off. “I’m not sure…maybe later.”
- * (Asterisk) — Marks a footnote or emphasis. *This is important.*
- / (Slash / Forward Slash) — Shows alternatives or separation. “and/or,” “2023/2024,” or “her/him”
- \ (Backslash) — Used in computer paths and technical writing. C:\Users\Documents
- ~ (Tilde) — Shows approximation or similarity in some contexts. “~200 people” (approximately)
Keyboard and Special Symbols
Beyond traditional punctuation, ESL learners need to know these keyboard symbols and how to use them in writing:
Common Keyboard Symbols and Their Uses
| Symbol | Name(s) | Pronunciation | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| @ | At sign / At symbol | “at” | Email addresses (john@example.com), social media handles (@username), pricing (@ $5 each) |
| # | Hash / Pound sign / Number sign | “hash” or “pound” | Hashtags (#EnglishLessons), numbers (#1, #2), keyboard shortcut notation |
| & | Ampersand / And sign | “and” or “ampersand” | Business names (Smith & Associates), formal writing when space is limited (A & B) |
| $ | Dollar sign | “dollar” | Currency representation ($50, $5.99) |
| € | Euro sign | “euro” | Currency in European Union countries (€50) |
| ¥ | Yen sign / Yuan sign | “yen” or “yuan” | Currency in Japan (¥1000) and China (¥50) |
| % | Percent / Percentage sign | “percent” | Percentages (50%, 25% off), proportions |
| ‰ | Permille / Per mille | “per mille” or “permille” | Parts per thousand (rare in everyday writing) |
| © | Copyright symbol | “copyright” | Copyright notice (© 2024 ESLBuzz) |
| ® | Registered trademark | “registered trademark” | Trademark notice (Microsoft®) |
| ™ | Trademark symbol | “trademark” | Trademark notice (TM after brand names) |
Technical and Web Symbols
For email and web addresses:
- . (Period / Full stop) — Domain separator. “example.com” (pronounced “dot”)
- / (Slash) — Web path separator. “https://example.com/blog/” (pronounced “slash”)
- : (Colon) — Protocol separator. “https:” (pronounced “colon”)
- – (Hyphen) — Word separator. “my-email-address” (pronounced “hyphen”)
- _ (Underscore) — Word connector. “my_email_address” (pronounced “underscore”)
Example (reading a URL aloud): “https://www.example.com/blog/2024/” is read as: “H-T-T-P-S colon slash slash W-W-W dot example dot com slash blog slash 2024 slash”
Tip: When spelling an email address aloud in English, pronounce each symbol: “john at example dot com” not “john-at-example-dot-com.” Each symbol gets its own word.
Before and After: Symbol Clarity Table
| Text | Pronunciation / Reading | Context |
|---|---|---|
| sarah@company.com | “sarah at company dot com” | Email address |
| #EnglishTips | “hash EnglishTips” | Social media hashtag |
| 50% off | “fifty percent off” | Sale or discount |
| Smith & Jones Law Firm | “Smith and Jones Law Firm” | Business name (& = and) |
| $19.99 | “nineteen dollars ninety-nine cents” | Price in US currency |
| 2023/2024 | “twenty twenty-three to twenty twenty-four” or “twenty twenty-three slash twenty twenty-four” | Academic or fiscal year range |
Pronunciation Guide for International Learners
ESL learners often struggle with how to pronounce symbols. Here’s a quick reference:
- . (period) — “dot” (web) or “period” / “full stop” (end of sentence)
- , (comma) — “comma”
- ; (semicolon) — “semicolon”
- : (colon) — “colon”
- ! (exclamation mark) — “exclamation mark” / “exclamation point”
- ? (question mark) — “question mark”
- ‘ (apostrophe) — “apostrophe”
- ” (quotation mark) — “quotation mark” / “quote”
- ( (opening parenthesis) — “open paren” / “left paren”
- ) (closing parenthesis) — “close paren” / “right paren”
- [ (opening bracket) — “open bracket” / “left bracket”
- ] (closing bracket) — “close bracket” / “right bracket”
- @ (at sign) — “at sign” / “at symbol”
- / (slash) — “slash” / “forward slash”
- \ (backslash) — “backslash”
- # (hash) — “hash” / “pound sign” / “number sign”
- & (ampersand) — “ampersand” / “and sign”
- $ (dollar sign) — “dollar sign”
- % (percent) — “percent” / “percentage”
Common Mistakes with Punctuation and Symbols
Mistake 1: Using Symbols Where Words Should Be
✗ Incorrect (text-speak): “u r 2 late 4 the meeting & u need 2 b on time”
✓ Correct (formal writing): “You are too late for the meeting, and you need to be on time.”
Why: Text-speak symbols may be fine in casual texts, but formal writing (emails, essays, business correspondence) requires full words and proper punctuation.
Mistake 2: Confusing Similar Symbols
✗ Incorrect: “john-at-example.com” (using hyphen instead of @)
✓ Correct: “john@example.com” (using @)
Why: Email requires @, not a hyphen. The computer won’t recognize it otherwise.
Mistake 3: Overusing Exclamation Marks
✗ Incorrect (too many): “I’m so excited!!! This is amazing!!! We won!!!”
✓ Correct (restrained): “I’m so excited. This is amazing, and we won.”
Why: Multiple exclamation marks look unprofessional. One is enough. In formal writing, use them sparingly.
Mistake 4: Forgetting Apostrophes in Contractions
✗ Incorrect: “Dont forget, cant go, wont work.”
✓ Correct: “Don’t forget, can’t go, won’t work.”
Why: Contractions always need apostrophes. Missing them makes writing look careless.
Warning: When copying text from certain sources (PDFs, old websites), special symbols might convert incorrectly (– becomes -, ” becomes “). Always double-check punctuation after copy-pasting.
Sample Dialogue: Learning Keyboard Symbols
Student: “How do I say this email address aloud in English?”
Teacher: “Tell me the address and I’ll show you.”
Student: “alex_smith@company.co.uk”
Teacher: “Say it like this: ‘Alex underscore Smith at company dot C O dot U K.’ Each symbol gets its own word.”
Student: “Why not just say ‘alex-smith at company-co-uk’?”
Teacher: “Because the underscore is part of the address, not a hyphen. The underscores tell the email system it’s one username: alex_smith. If you say hyphen, they might type a hyphen instead.”
Quick Quiz
- How do you pronounce this email address aloud? “maria.garcia@company.com”
- “Maria Garcia at company dot com”
- “Maria dot Garcia at company dot com”
- “Maria Garcia at company.com”
- Which is the correct use of &?
- “I like coffee & tea” (formal essay)
- “I like coffee and tea” (formal essay)
- Both are equally correct in formal writing
- What does the @ symbol mean in “tomatoes @ $3 each”?
- “at”
- “about”
- “each” (price per unit)
- True or False: You can use multiple exclamation marks for emphasis in professional emails: “Thank you!!!!”
- True — more marks = more emphasis
- False — use only one exclamation mark in professional writing
- In the phrase “2024/2025,” what does the / symbol mean?
- Division (math)
- To (alternative)
- School year range
Answers: 1. b (include “dot” when reading email addresses aloud) · 2. b (use “and” in formal writing; & is for business names) · 3. c (@ means “each” in pricing: each tomato at $3) · 4. b (one exclamation mark only) · 5. c (2024/2025 = academic or fiscal year range).
Symbol Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
- Period (.)
- Comma (,)
- Semicolon (;)
- Colon (:)
- Question Mark (?)
- Exclamation Mark (!)
- Apostrophe (‘)
- Quotation Mark (“)
- Parentheses ( )
- Square Brackets [ ]
- Em Dash (—)
- Hyphen (-)
- Slash (/)
- Backslash (\)
- At Sign (@)
- Hash / Pound (#)
- Ampersand (&)
- Asterisk (*)
- Dollar Sign ($)
- Percent (%)
- Ellipsis (…)
- Tilde (~)
Related Articles
- ↑ Master Pillar: English Grammar
- Apostrophe: Master Contractions and Possession
- Ellipsis (…): Master Three Dots for Suspense and Clarity
- Quotation Marks: Single, Double, and When to Use Each
- ↑ Back to pillar: English Punctuation (Pillar)
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a period, an exclamation mark, and a question mark?
A period (.) ends a statement. A question mark (?) ends a question. An exclamation mark (!) ends a statement with strong emotion or emphasis. Example: “It’s raining.” vs. “Is it raining?” vs. “It’s raining!”
How do I know when to use a comma versus a semicolon?
A comma (,) creates a short pause and separates items or clauses. A semicolon (;) creates a stronger pause and connects two independent sentences that are closely related. Example: “I like apples, oranges, and bananas.” vs. “I love coffee; it keeps me awake.”
What is the @ symbol called, and when do I use it?
The @ symbol is called the “at sign” or “at symbol.” Use it in email addresses (john@example.com), social media handles (@username), and pricing (@ $5 each). Never use it to mean “and” in formal writing—use the word “and” or the ampersand (&) instead.
Is # called “hash,” “pound,” or “number sign”?
“Hash” and “pound sign” are both correct, though “hash” is more common in British English and “pound sign” is more common in American English (though “pound sign” can also refer to £). In digital contexts (social media), it’s almost always called “hash” (as in “hashtag”). “Number sign” is also correct but less commonly used.
Why is the apostrophe important in contractions?
The apostrophe marks where letters have been omitted in a contraction. “cant” (without apostrophe) looks like a misspelling, but “can’t” (with apostrophe) is clearly short for “cannot.” Missing the apostrophe makes writing look careless and unprofessional.
How do I read a URL aloud in English?
Pronounce each symbol: periods as “dot,” slashes as “slash,” hyphens as “hyphen,” and underscores as “underscore.” Example: “www.example.com” is read “double-you double-you double-you dot example dot com.”
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