Common English Punctuation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Punctuation plays an important part in giving a meaning to a particular sentence alongside guiding a reader with a proper flow and structure. Even when its importance is mentioned frequently, a lot of times many people make punctuation errors while writing in English. Due to this, the intended meaning gets disrupted and it makes your writing look less polished. 

Today, English language is a highly spoken common mode of communication and it is spoken by many people in many ways across the globe. Therefore, if you are someone who is planning to study, work, or even live in an English-speaking country, know that, you must write, read, speak and listen in English. For writing, punctuations are a must! 

So in this article, we will be answering you the most commonly asked question about common English punctuation mistakes and how to avoid them. Keep reading! 

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5 Common English Punctuations 

1. Comma

A comma (,) is used when two of the independent clauses (complete sentences) are to be joined together and at times with adding coordinating conjunctions as well. 

For example:

• Incorrect: He loves to read, He has a wider collection of books.

• Correct: He loves to read, and he has a wider collection of books.

How to Avoid Errors? 

• Using a coordinating conjunction (and, so, for, nor, but, or, yet) right after the comma is a good idea. 

• In other places, try using a semicolon in order to separate two independent clauses.

• In other cases, split the sentence into two and add a period. 

2. Apostrophe

Misusing apostrophes can easily cause confusion in two main areas. They are:

• Possessives 

• Contractions

Possessives: A possessive shows ownership. It is usually written by adding an apostrophe or sometimes a "s" to a noun.

For Example: Reeta’s cycle (The cycle belongs to Reeta).

Contractions: A contraction is when two words are combined into one. Here, usage of an apostrophe is to replace omitted letters.

For Example: Won’t (short form for "Would not").

Sentence Example: 

• Incorrect: The puppy wagged it's tail.

• Correct: The puppy wagged its tail.

Note: Only “it’s” expands to, “it is.” And not, “its.”

How to Avoid Errors? 

• Make sure to use ‘its’ for possession (without an apostrophe) and it’s as a contraction for “it is” and/or “it has.”

• Try avoiding apostrophes for plural words. (unless it is to show possession). For example: Dog’s tail.

3. Exclamation Marks

Exclamation marks convey a strong emotion or excitement but when you overuse them, it can make your writing feel entirely dramatic or at times, unprofessional. 

For example:

• Incorrect: I can't believe my eyes! This is great! You did an amazing job!!

• Correct: I can't believe my eyes. This is great. You did an amazing job!

How to Avoid Errors? 

• Use exclamation marks to express true surprise or excitement.

• Do not use more than one exclamation mark in one sentence. This may distract the reader.

4. Quotation Marks

Quotations are often misused when quoting a text or citing a speech. One common mistake that people make while using quotation marks is when they want to emphasize something. This is totally incorrect. Note that, Quotation marks are to be only used for direct speech or quotations. 

For Example:

• Incorrect: Renson was so “happy” to see his father, said Andrew

• Correct: “Renson was so happy to see his father,” said Andrew.

How to Avoid Errors? 

• Use quotation marks for actual quotes and for emphasizing a word, you can use italicization or bolding it. 

5. Colons and Semicolons

Colons and Semicolons are often not understood well by people and are mostly used in incorrect places of a sentence. 

A colon is used after a complete sentence in order to introduce a list, quote, of an explanation.

A Semicolon is used to connect two of the closely related independent clauses or to separate the items in a list whenever they contain commas.

Sentence Examples:

Colon

The required ingredients are: butter, eggs, and sugar. 

Semicolon

I like blackcurrent, and I also enjoy vanilla.

How to Avoid Errors? 

• For colons, ensure that the sentence in front of the colon is a complete one. Adding on, avoid using a colon for just one item of a list or in the place of a semicolon.

• For semicolons, try to link two independent clauses but do it without adding a conjunction.

Making punctuation errors is a common thing as a part of your English language learning journey, but with proper attention and consistent practice, this can be easily avoided. By answering the predominantly sought-after question about common English punctuation mistakes and how to avoid them, we hope that we have added a great tip in your language learning process! Remember, English punctuations are not just about following certain rules; but also about enhancing your communication. Hence, keep refining your punctuation skills, and in no time, your writing skills will also shine!

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