punctuation
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the marks, such as commas, periods, and question marks, used in writing to separate sentences and clarify meaning.
the conventional system of symbols used in written text to indicate pauses, stops, and grammatical relationships between clauses.
Simple“Correct punctuation makes it much easier for people to understand your writing.”
In context“The author's minimalist approach to punctuation often forces the reader to interpret the rhythm of the prose without the aid of commas.”
PitfallHe forgot to use punctuations in his essay. He forgot to use punctuation in his essay.When referring to the system of marks as a whole, 'punctuation' is usually uncountable and does not take an 's'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
the act of adding marks to a piece of writing.
the action or process of inserting marks into a text to define its structure.
Simple“The punctuation of the document took longer than the actual writing.”
In context“The meticulous punctuation of the legal contract ensured that no ambiguity could be exploited by the opposing counsel.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
the small marks used in Hebrew writing to show which vowel sounds to use.
a system of diacritical marks used in Hebrew script to represent vowels or distinguish between alternative pronunciations.
Simple“Modern Hebrew newspapers often leave out the punctuation to save space.”
In context“Scholars debated whether the addition of punctuation to the ancient scrolls altered the traditional liturgical reading of the text.”
Synonymsnikuddiacritics
Borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuātiō (“a marking with points, a writing, agreement”), from punctuō (“to mark with points, settle”). Morphologically, punctuate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.