Making Sense with Punctuation and Capital Letters

Punctuation marks and capital letters are like traffic signs for language—they help readers know when to stop, pause, get excited, or pay attention.

Key Punctuation Marks

• Periods (.) end statements.
• Commas (,) separate ideas or items in a list.
• Question marks (?) show you’re asking something.
• Exclamation points (!) convey excitement or surprise.
• Quotation marks ("") show what someone said.
• Apostrophes (') indicate possession or contractions.

The Power of Capitalization

• Begin sentences with a capital letter.
• Capitalize names of people, places, and specific things.
• Titles of books, movies, and songs get capitalized too!

Real-World Importance

Correct punctuation and capitalization make your writing easier to read and more professional—important skills for school, emails, and social media.