( ) Parentheses in English! What is the symbol () called? Parentheses (US) or Brackets (UK) are used to set off a part of a sentence that adds information to or is less important than the main body of a sentence. Parentheses, Brackets ( ) What are parentheses? These punctuation marks are curved lines, generally … Read more
En Dash (–) What is the symbol (–) called? Learn how and when to use an en dash in English with useful rules and examples. The rules for using an en-dash are less fixed than for other kinds of punctuation, and some fonts are missing this character altogether. It is less commonly used than the … Read more
Em Dash (—) or ( — ) There are several horizontal marks that may be used in the middle of a sentence—the em dash (long dash), the en dash, and the hyphen. Each has a different function. Em dash (—) or ( — ) What is an em dash? The long dash is the widest … Read more
Learn how and when to use commas (,) with comma rules in English. This punctuation mark is used to separate parts of a sentence, and if the sentence is spoken, the comma generally indicates a short pause. Also, learn whether or not to use the Oxford comma with examples. The comma (,) When to use … Read more
Learn how and when to use a colon (:) with examples and useful colon punctuation rules. The mark (:) in the middle of a sentence indicates that the second half of the sentence explains or provides examples of what is described in the first half. Colon (:) What is a colon? The punctuation mark (:) … Read more