For some reason, I’m a fan of punctuation marks. And to my dismay, I find that they are misused many a times in business writing.
Misused punctuation marks
1. Semicolon
The semicolon is used to divide two sentences that are in some way related to each other. The key word is ‘sentence’. There has to be a sentence on both sides of a semicolon. Here are two examples:
I enjoy punctuation; the semicolon is my favourite mark. (correct usage)
I enjoy punctuation; the semicolon. (incorrect usage)
When you use a semicolon, think about whether it divides two sentences or not. What is a sentence? I hear you ask. A sentence is a group of words that:
a. has a subject and a verb;
b. makes complete sense on its own.
2. Exclamation marks!
Note that I used just one exclamation mark for the sub-heading. One exclamation mark is more than enough.
Do not write: !!!
Of course, in informal communication, you can use a series of exclamation marks. On WhatsApp, you can type: I passed the test!!! But, even here, the value of your exclamation marks starts to fall if you use too many of them.
Using too many exclamation marks dilutes the impact of your message. From now on, be mindful when using these marks.
Why do women use exclamation marks three times as much than men? Find out.
3. The use of the dash and colon
There are many uses of these punctuation marks, but I have one particular use in mind. When introducing a list, many people in India start with :–
That is redundant, and a bit heavy.
Either go with the colon (:), or go with the dash (–). Why go with both? That makes your writing unnecessarily heavy.
And that’s a wrap
When writing, be aware how you use these marks.
Read this post on how to use other punctuation marks.
Have you ever asked yourself: when should I use a semicolon?
When it comes to punctuation, keep it light.
Just like in design: less is more.
Image credit: Grok
amalfabian 