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How to Use Periods

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By eHow Contributing Writer
(3 Ratings)

The period is an end mark. An end mark suggests a stop. There are 3 end marks: an exclamation point, a question mark and the period. The period is used when you are making a statement. However, that isn't the only time you can use a period. The other uses for periods are covered in the steps below.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Place a period after a declarative sentence. A declarative sentence is one that makes a statement or a point.

  2. Step 2

    Put a period at the end of an abridged sentence. An abridged sentence is one that is not a complete sentence, such as "After your homework."

  3. Step 3

    Add a period after an imperative sentence. An imperative sentence is giving a command, such as "Write a check."

  4. Step 4

    Use a period to express a decimal point. Periods can be used to express a decimal point in figures, percents or inches--for example $2.40.

  5. Step 5

    Insert periods after abbreviations such as academic degrees, geographic names, courtesy titles, compass points, single word headings and Latin word and phases that are abbreviated.

  6. Step 6

    Periods can be used to display lists, enumerate items, outlines, numerals and letters.

  7. Step 7

    Understand the spacing required for a period. At the end of a sentence, you would space twice after the period--unless you are specifically told not to. There is one space when you use it in abbreviations. There are no spaces when a period is used in decimals.

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