Punctuation
When can you use a semicolon? Why are there three different kinds of dashes? Does the period go on the inside or outside of the quotation marks?
When it comes to punctuation, there's no shortage of head-scratchers, even for those of us who do this for a living.
While the following list isn't exhaustive, it does cover most of the FAQs we get about how to use those persnickety little dots, dashes, and slashes. Big ups to Mailchimp and Grammarist for giving us some great content to "borrow" from here!
Ampersands
The ampersand (&) is a symbol for the word "and." Unlike the percent symbol, we generally don't use the ampersand as a stand-in for the spelled-out version. (It's three characters—you can handle it.)
There are few possible exceptions: where the ampersand is included in a proper name (e.g. Barnes & Noble), in a CTA button where space is at a premium (e.g. Sign up & save), and for certain page headings and subheadings (e.g. Research & Strategy).
Oh, also, don't ever use the plus symbol (+).
Apostrophes
There are two main reasons to use an apostrophe: to form a possessive and to form a contraction.
Angela's < This is a possessive. It conveys ownership.
can't < This is a contraction. It combines two words using an apostrophe to replace the missing letter(s).
For possessives, if the word or name ends in an "s" in its singular form, you can add an additional "s" after the apostrophe. If the word ends in an "s" and is plural, just add an apostrophe.
The donut thief ate Marcus’s donut.
The donut thief ate the developers’ donuts.
Apostrophes can also be used to denote that you’ve dropped some letters from a word, usually for humour or emphasis.
get 'er done
This is fine, but do it sparingly (in writing and in life).
Colons
A colon is a full-stop punctuation mark (like a period) that connects two closely-related ideas. If a complete sentence follows the colon, capitalize the first word.
Emily was faced with a dilemma: She wanted to go to Tacofino, but she had brought leftovers.
If it isn't a complete sentence, don't capitalize the word following the colon:
Ben gave Emily some great advice: to go to Tacofino and save her leftovers for tomorrow.
Colons are also often used to offset a list.
Kim orders three kinds of Perrier for the office: lemon, orange, and grapefruit.
Commas
Commas are probably the most common of the punctuation types, and rightly so. They act as a sort of "half-period," allowing readers to briefly pause after a sentence or phrase before pushing on.
Don't be afraid to use them! Whether you want to introduce a quotation or separate adjectives that describe the same noun or prevent confusion in a long sentence, the comma is an excellent choice. (Here's a comprehensive list of when and how to use commas.)
One special comma we want to highlight is the Oxford comma. We embrace it! Please add a comma before the conjuction ("and") whenever listing three or more things in a sentence.
Jason admires his parents, Oprah, and Steve Jobs.
NOT Jason admires his parents, Oprah and Steve Jobs.
Dashes and hyphens
Technically, there are three types of dashes in English writing. There's the regular old hyphen, and then there's the em and en dashes (so called because they occupy the same amount of horizontal space as the letters "m" and "n").
Three's a crowd, though, so when writing for Pixel Union, you need only concern yourself with two: the humble hyphen and the efficacious em dash.
A hyphen looks like this: -. You can find it on your keyboard beside the number 0.
An em dash looks like this: —. You can create one by using the
Option + Shift + -command on your Mac or hitting the hyphen key twice (in most programs).
Use a hyphen (-) without spaces on either side to link words into a single phrase, or to indicate a span or range. (Check out our word list for some helpful tips on hyphenation.)
first-time user
Monday-Friday
Use an em dash (—) without spaces on either side to offset an aside (or, as IBM describes it, "a brief and relevant detour in thought").
Besides highlighting your brand’s value and unique selling points — things you’re no doubt already doing — there is one thing that’s practically guaranteed to boost your sales without compromising your margins or your integrity.
Effective site search is make-or-break in ecommerce these days—especially on mobile.
Whatever you do, don't use the double hyphen (--) in place of a true em dash. Some programs don't support the double hyphen shortcut, but Option + Shift + -won't let you down.
Ellipses
Ellipses have a couple of functions. One is to skip over words when quoting someone verbose:
"An ellipsis shouldn't change the meaning... it just helps get to the point."
Another is to show a pause in speech or a sentence that trails off.
"Where did all the donuts go?” Dee asked. Alex said, “I don't know...”
Use the latter technique sparingly, and don't use ellipses to add drama or emphasis to your writing. Say what needs to be said and get on with it.
Periods
Periods end sentences. They also signify abbreviations and contractions, as in e.g. and Mrs.
Periods belong inside quotation marks. They go outside parentheses when the parenthetical is part of a larger sentence, and inside parentheses when the parenthetical stands alone.
Aleya said, “I ate a donut.”
I ate a donut (and a bagel, too).
I ate a donut and a bagel. (The donut was Jesse's.)
Unless you learned to type in 1953, don't put two spaces after a period. A single space will do just fine—no matter what the latest research says.
If you have a sentence that ends in an abbreviation (like etc.) the period does double-duty, ending both the abbreviation and the sentence.
Question marks
Question marks are pretty straightforward. They indicate questions. That's pretty much it.
Like periods (and commas and exclamation points), they belong inside quotation marks if they're part of a quote. And like periods (and commas and exclamation points), they belong outside the parentheses when the parenthetical is part of a larger sentence, and inside when the parenthetical stands alone.
Calvin asked, "Are any conference rooms free?"
I think Discovery is available (and maybe Ruckle, too?).
Discovery is available. (Chris canceled his meeting.)
Exclamation points
Go easy on the exclamation points, and never use more than one at a time. They're like GIFs: A well-timed and thoughtfully-executed one is great, but too many can be grating.
Exclamation points go inside quotation marks. Like periods and question marks, they go outside parentheses when the parenthetical is part of a larger sentence, and inside parentheses when the parenthetical stands alone.
Quotation marks
As advertised, quotation marks are used to signify quotes. But that's not all! Quotation marks can also be used to:
Refer to a word or letter as a word or a letter.
I asked what he meant by “built.”
It's Amy with a "y."
To coin a new word or phrase.
The team has started referring to the update as "NewSO" and the old version as "USOld."
To identify the titles of articles, chapters, labels, and sections.
You can update your marketing preferences on the "Customers" page in the Shopify admin.
To imply that the quoted word or phrase is dubious.
You could listen to the “experts,” or you could just follow your instincts.
Periods and commas go within quotation marks. Question marks within quotes follow logic—if the question mark is part of the quotation, it goes within. If you’re asking a question that ends with a quote, it goes outside the quote.
The only reason to use single quotation marks is to identify quotes within quotes.
Who was it that said, “Done is better than perfect”?
Marcus said, “A wise man once told me, ‘Done is better than perfect.’”
Semicolons
You don't need semicolons. If you think you do, try replacing your semicolon with a comma or an em dash. Most of the time, that will take care of it. If not, rewrite the sentence.
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