For most of you, punctuation is that boring "stuff" of worksheets and impossible quizzes. It's what your English teacher most often marks on your essays because you got it wrong, and you'd just as soon be rid of it entirely.

    But punctuation is far more than an annoyance; it's absolutely necessary. It helps us breathe as we read. It tells us what's important, where to stop, and how to proceed. Think of it as the traffic signs of writing. After all, imagine how difficult and nearly impenetrable these two paragraphs would have been without ANY punctuation.

    So, without further ado, let's get into the rules. I promise you, they're not difficult. And once you learn them and start to apply them regularly, you'll find that you'll be MUCH more comfortable and confident as a writer.

APOSTROPHE

BRACKETS

COLON

COMMA

DASH

ELLIPSES

EXCLAMATION POINT

HYPHEN

PARENTHESES

PERIOD

QUESTION MARK

QUOTATION MARKS

SEMICOLON