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Using Sentence End Marks

This lesson teaches you how to choose and use the correct end mark, period, question mark, or exclamation point, when you write statements, questions, and exclamations, with examples and practice for building strong sentence-writing habits.

Introduction

Every sentence you write needs an end mark. An end mark is a small symbol that tells the reader your sentence is finished. You already know three end marks: the period, the question mark, and the exclamation point. Now you will practice choosing the right one every time you write.

Three End Marks, Three Jobs

Each end mark has its own job. A period ends a sentence that tells something. A question mark ends a sentence that asks something. An exclamation point ends a sentence that shows strong feeling, like excitement or surprise.

Look at these three sentences about the same dog.

The dog is running. (This tells something, so it uses a period.)
Is the dog running? (This asks something, so it uses a question mark.)
The dog is running so fast! (This shows excitement, so it uses an exclamation point.)

The words are almost the same, but the end mark changes based on what the sentence is doing.

How to Pick the Right End Mark

Before you put an end mark on a sentence, ask yourself three questions. This picture shows the steps you can follow.

Ask yourself what the sentence is doing, then pick the matching end mark.

Key Terms & Definitions

Statement: A sentence that tells something and ends with a period.

Question: A sentence that asks something and ends with a question mark.

Exclamation: A sentence that shows strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point.

End mark: The punctuation mark placed at the very end of a sentence to show it is finished.

Watch for Clue Words

Some words give you a hint about which end mark to use. Questions often start with words like who, what, where, when, why, how, is, or do. For example, "Where is my hat?" and "Can you help me?" are both questions.

Exclamations often use words like wow, ouch, hooray, or so, and they usually share big feelings. For example, "Wow, that is a huge pumpkin!" is an exclamation because of the strong feeling, not just the word "wow."

If a sentence does not ask a question and does not show strong feeling, it is a statement, and it needs a period. Most of the sentences you write will be statements.

Fixing Sentences with the Wrong End Mark

Sometimes a sentence has the wrong end mark, and that can confuse the reader. Look at this sentence: "Where is my hat." This sentence asks something, but it ends with a period instead of a question mark. The correct way to write it is "Where is my hat?"

Here is another example: "I won the race." This sentence could also be written as "I won the race!" if the writer feels very excited. Both are correct sentences, but they show different feelings, so they use different end marks.

Practice Activities

Read a sentence and decide if it tells, asks, or shows strong feeling. Then add the matching end mark: period, question mark, or exclamation point.

Try sorting a mixed list of sentences into three groups: statements, questions, and exclamations. Then write one new sentence for each group on your own.

Related lessons

End Punctuation Marks