You have two options to end a sentence. A period and a question mark. The lesson below shows you how to use both.
Periods
Periods have many uses:
- Complete Thoughts
- Abbreviations
- Ellipsis
- Decimal Points
COMPLETE THOUGHTS
Periods are used to signal the end of a complete thought.
- The photocopier is broken.
- I have never visited the museum.
A complete thought can include the following:
Declarative Sentences
- I like hockey.
- She lives in France.
Indirect Questions
- My co-worker asked me if I had the file.
- She asked him about his project.
Imperative Sentences (Instructions)
- Please bring the documents to the meeting.
- Do not arrive late.
ABBREVIATIONS
Periods are used to show a shortened version of a word.
Titles
| Mr. | Mrs. | Ms. | Dr. |
Initials
| William M. Johnson | J.R. Rider |
Places
| U.S.A. | P.E.I. |
| St. | Ave. |
Dates
| Mon. | Tue. | Wed. | Thu. | Fri. | Sat. | Sun. |
| Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. |
| May | Jun. | Jul. | Aug. |
| Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
Time
- a.m.
- p.m.
Etcetera
- etc.
If a sentence ends in an abbreviation, it is not necessary to add another period.
- I have never visited P.E.I.
Common abbreviations with all capital letters do not normally take periods. For example,
- WHO (World Health Organization)
- IMF (International Monetary Fund)
ELLIPSIS
3 periods together are called an ellipsis. This is used with quotations to show missing words.
- “The current world economy will improve next year…jobs will be created at a faster pace.”
DECIMAL POINTS
Use periods as decimal points to separate numbers.
- 3.4
- 2.57
- $19.99, $17.34
Question Marks
Question marks are used after direct questions.
- How old are you?
- Do you have the book?
This includes the following types of questions:
Direct Questions
- Where is the book?
- Do you like hockey?
Tag Questions
- We have enough money, don’t we?
- She doesn’t have a brother, does she?
Polite Requests
- Would you like a drink?
- Could you send me the phone number for our Internet provider?
- May I have another glass of water?
QUESTION MARK MISTAKES
Do not use a question mark after sentences that look like questions. These examples are all correct. They do not need question marks.
- I asked him about the movie.
- I wonder if she has a pet cat.
- I don’t know where the party is.
