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Full Stops
- Aug 28, 2021
- 2 min read
It's Skilful Saturday! Let's talk...full stops and how to use them well.
What are full stops?
A full stop (also known as a period) is a punctuation mark that is used at the end of a sentence or an abbreviation. It is used to suggest there is nothing more to say on a topic, both when used as the punctation mark ( . ) and when exclaimed: "I don't want to know full stop." It is a complete cessation.
How to use them
The rules on how to use them are blessedly simply and in most cases they end declarative sentences (interrogative sentences/questions end with (?) a question mark).
> Examples:
- I like cats.
- I have two cats.
Full stops and quotation marks:
In British English, full stops (and commas) go outside the quotation marks - unless the quotation is a complete sentencem or the punctuation is part of the quotation.
> Examples:
- British people write it "this way".
- "British people write it this way," he said. OR He said, "British people write it this way."
the second example contains dialogue that is a part of the sentence, therefore the full stop and comma are
a part of the quotation.
Full stops and parentheses:
When a complete, independent sentence is entirely encolsed by parentheses (or brackets), the full stop goes inside the closing parenthesis.
> Examples:
- Charlie ate every Cheeto that fell onto the floor. (I wasn't fast enough to stop him.) At least we won't need to
sweep the floor.
this applies to all punctuation: ! ? etc.
If the parenthetical material is nested inside another sentence, the period should go on the outside.
> Examples:
- Charlie grinned when he caught the scent of fresh bacon (his favourite).
Full stops and sentence breaks:
Do not break sentences in two - i.e. do not use full stops as commas.
> Examples:
- I met them on a Cunard liner many years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York. X
- She was an interesting talker. A woman who had travelled all over the world and lived in many countries. X
both examples: the first period should be replaced by a comma.
Exception: to make an emphatic word or expression serve the purpose of a sentence and to punctuate accordingly: Again and again he called out. No reply.
- the writer must be certain that the emphasis is warranted.
- or in dialogue when a character happens to speak in a clipped or fragmentary way.
Learn the rules and uses of full stops and practice these as often as you can so they become a natural instinct in your writing/editing. Let us know how your learning is going - find us on Instagram @lets_talk.uk and like, comment, and subscribe. Don't forget to submit your recommendations for Watch Wednesdays in the comments or through the form. Keep using those keen eyes and stay tuned for next week's Skilful Saturday. Let's talk then!
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