How to Use Periods

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

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

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

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.

Resources

• End punctuation
• The period
• Using periods - examples given

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