1. English Language Punctuation - A Functional Concept of Punctuation Punctuation is placed in text to make meaning clear and to make reading easier. The various punctuation marks perform four functions they: a) separate (a period separates sentences) b) group or enclose (parentheses enclose extraneous information) c) connect (a hyphen connects a unit modifier) d) impart meaning (a question mark may make an otherwise declarative sentence interrogative). The function of a punctuation mark is the basis for the rules governing its use and should be the basis for determining whether or not it is needed. The modern tendency is to punctuate to prevent misreading (open style) rather than to use all punctuation that the grammatical structure will allow (close style). Although the open style results in a more inviting product, it does allow subjectivity, perhaps arbitrariness, in the use of some marks, for example, the comma and hyphen. Consistency in the author's or editor's subjective decisions is vital to a well-punctuated report. This chapter addresses the marks of punctuation, in alphabetical order, presenting their functions, situations when the marks are required or incorrect, and situations when the marks are appropriate but optional. Because the exclamation point is so rare in technical writing, it is not covered herein. Guidelines for its use parallel those for the question mark.
