Kritika Handa

Common Punctuation Mistakes That People Make

Quotation marks should enclose direct speech or quotes. Incorrect placement can lead to misinterpretation or confusion about quoted material.

Misplacing Quotation Marks

Don’t use commas to join independent clauses without a conjunction. This creates comma splices and disrupts sentence clarity.

Using Commas in Compound Sentences Incorrectly

Omitting periods at the end of sentences makes text hard to read and understand. Always use periods to mark sentence ends.

Forgetting Periods

Semicolons link closely related ideas; colons introduce lists or explanations. Misusing them can disrupt the sentence’s flow.

Confusing Semicolons with Colons

Apostrophes are often misused for plurals instead of possession. Use them to indicate ownership, not to form plurals.

Overusing Apostrophes

Incorrect comma placement can alter sentence meaning or create confusion. Use commas to separate items in a list and clauses.

Misplacing Commas