Period and Full Stop Rules | How to Use Periods in English | Punctuation and Writing Essentials

Summary

In this video from Sparkle English, you'll learn how to correctly use periods (full stops) in English writing. The tutorial covers the basic and advanced rules for period placement in declarative sentences, imperative sentences, indirect questions, abbreviations, and with quotation marks and parentheses. Examples and common mistakes are provided to ensure clarity. Viewers are encouraged to practice and test their understanding with a quiz at the end. The video is part of the English Writing Essentials series, aimed at helping improve your writing skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is part of the 'English Writing Essential Series' aimed at teaching English writing skills.
• 📚 The main focus of the lesson is on the correct use of periods and full stops in English sentences.
• ✍️ A period, also known as a full stop in British English, is used to end declarative sentences, which are statements.
• 🤔 The difference between declarative and interrogative sentences is highlighted, with the latter ending in a question mark.
• 📝 Period placement is crucial; it should directly follow the last word of a sentence without a space in between.
• 🔄 The shift from using two spaces after a period in typewriters to one space in modern writing is mentioned.
• 📜 Periods are also used at the end of imperative sentences, which are instructions or commands.
• ❗️ Exclamation marks are used to express strong emotion, whereas periods are standard for commands.
• 🙅‍♂️ Indirect questions, which are not direct inquiries, end with a period instead of a question mark.
• 🚫 When a sentence ends with an abbreviation that already has a period, an additional period should not be used.
• 🔄 Placement of periods with quotation marks in American English is explained, emphasizing their position inside the closing quotation mark for direct quotes.
• 🔄 Periods with parentheses are discussed, noting that they should be outside if the content is part of a larger sentence, and inside if the content is a complete sentence.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is teaching viewers how to correctly use periods and full stops in English writing.

What is the difference between a period and a full stop according to the speaker's perspective?

The speaker, being from Canada, uses the term 'period', but mentions that in British English it is called a 'full stop'. The function is the same, but the terminology differs by region.

What is the first rule for using periods in English sentences as mentioned in the video?

The first rule is to use periods to end a declarative sentence, which is a complete sentence that is a statement.

How should a period be placed in relation to the last word of a sentence?

A period should be placed immediately after the last word of a sentence without leaving a space between the last letter and the period.

What is the standard practice for spacing after a period in modern writing?

In modern writing, the standard practice is to leave one space after a period before starting the next sentence, as opposed to the two spaces used with typewriters in the past.

What type of sentences are imperative sentences and how are they typically ended?

Imperative sentences are sentences that instruct or command. They are typically ended with a period.

When would an exclamation mark be used instead of a period in imperative sentences?

An exclamation mark would be used instead of a period in imperative sentences to express greater emotion, such as in a situation where the speaker is angry or warning someone.

What is the difference between a direct question and an indirect question in terms of punctuation?

A direct question begins with a question word and ends with a question mark, while an indirect question, which is not directly asking for information, ends with a period.

Why should you not use a period after an abbreviation that already ends with a period?

You should not use a period after an abbreviation that already ends with a period because doing so would result in an incorrect double period, which is not grammatically correct.

How should a period be placed in relation to quotation marks in American English?

In American English, if a sentence ends with a quote, the period is placed inside the closing quotation mark. If the quotation ends with a question mark or exclamation mark, the period is omitted.

What is the correct placement of a period when a sentence ends with a parenthetical statement that is part of a larger sentence?

When a parenthetical statement is part of a larger sentence, the period is placed outside the closing parenthesis.

How should you correct the sentence 'I can't go to the meeting tomorrow night. Can you reschedule?' according to the video?

The sentence should be corrected by placing the period right after 'night' with no space between 'night' and the period, and then a space before 'Can'.

What is the error in the sentence 'Jack asked, Do you want to go out tomorrow night?' as per the video?

The error in the sentence is the presence of a period at the end. Since it ends with a question mark, a period is not needed.

How should the sentence 'Clean up your room.' be corrected if it is meant to express strong emotion?

If the sentence is meant to express strong emotion, it should end with an exclamation mark instead of a period.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to English Punctuation

The video script introduces the educational channel 'Sparkle English' and the focus of the video on teaching the correct use of periods and full stops in English writing. It explains the basic function of periods to end declarative sentences and distinguishes them from interrogative sentences that end with question marks. The script also provides examples of simple statements ending in periods and emphasizes the correct placement of periods at the end of sentences without spaces between the last word and the period.

05:04

📌 Period Placement and Usage Rules

This paragraph delves into the specifics of where to place periods in sentences, including the modern standard of using a single space after a period. It also covers the use of periods in imperative sentences that instruct or command, and the use of exclamation marks to convey strong emotions. The paragraph further clarifies the difference between direct and indirect questions, noting that indirect questions, which are not direct inquiries, end with a period.

10:05

🚫 Avoiding Common Period Usage Mistakes

The script addresses common mistakes made with period usage, such as not using an additional period after an abbreviation that already ends with one, and the proper placement of periods with quotation marks in American English. It explains that periods should be placed inside closing quotation marks if the quote is a complete sentence, but omitted if the quote ends with a question mark or exclamation mark. The paragraph also discusses the correct use of periods with parentheses, placing them outside if the content within is part of a larger sentence, and inside if the parentheses contain a complete sentence.

15:07

📝 Practice and Application of Period Rules

The script presents a practice exercise for viewers to identify and correct errors in a series of sentences, applying the rules for period usage discussed in the video. It provides examples of sentences with incorrect period placement and guides viewers on how to correct them, reinforcing the importance of proper punctuation for clear and effective communication in English writing.

👋 Conclusion and Encouragement to Learn More

The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to like, share, and subscribe for more educational content on English writing essentials. The host encourages practice by writing sentences in the comments section and provides a link to additional resources on punctuation, including the use of commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, and semicolons, to enhance viewers' writing skills.

Keywords

💡Period

A period, also known as a full stop, is a punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence. In the context of the video, it is essential for proper English writing as it helps to separate statements and commands. The script provides examples such as 'my name is Jennifer.' where the period signifies the completion of a declarative sentence.

💡Full Stop

Full stop is a term used interchangeably with 'period' in British English to denote the punctuation mark that concludes a sentence. The video explains that while the term varies by region, its function remains the same in indicating sentence completion, as seen in the phrase 'I have a cat, period.'

💡Declarative Sentence

A declarative sentence is a type of sentence that makes a statement and ends with a period. The video script illustrates this with examples like 'I like dogs, period,' which clearly states a preference and concludes with a period to mark its end.

💡Interrogative Sentence

An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a question and typically ends with a question mark. The video script differentiates it from a declarative sentence by showing an example like 'What is your name?' which seeks information and thus ends with a question mark.

💡Imperative Sentence

Imperative sentences are used to give commands or instructions and are often ended with a period. The video script mentions examples such as 'take out your notebook' and 'lock the door when you leave the house,' which are commands that conclude with a period to indicate their directive nature.

💡Exclamation Mark

An exclamation mark is used to express strong emotion or emphasis in a sentence. The video script explains its use with examples like 'Sit down right now!' which conveys urgency or anger, thus requiring an exclamation mark for emphasis.

💡Indirect Question

An indirect question is a question that is not asked directly but is instead embedded within a statement. The video script clarifies this with examples like 'I wonder where my phone is?' which is not a direct inquiry but a statement of wondering, and therefore ends with a period.

💡Abbreviation

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases, often ending with a period to denote their abbreviated nature. The video script provides examples such as 'Mr.', 'Mrs.', and 'Dr.', and explains that if a sentence ends with an abbreviation that already has a period, no additional period should be added.

💡Parentheses

Parentheses are punctuation marks used to enclose additional information or an aside within a sentence. The video script explains that if the content within parentheses is part of a larger sentence, the period is placed outside the closing parenthesis, as in 'my favorite dessert (mom made apple pie for my birthday).'

💡Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech or a quote. The video script details their use in American English, stating that if a sentence ends with a quote, the period is placed inside the closing quotation mark, as seen in 'Ross said they were on a break.'

💡Punctuation

Punctuation refers to the use of symbols like periods, commas, and quotation marks to structure written language. The video script emphasizes the importance of punctuation in English writing, teaching viewers how to correctly use various punctuation marks to convey meaning and structure in their writing.

Highlights

Welcome to Sparkle English, a channel dedicated to improving English language skills.

Introduction to the English Writing Essential series focusing on the use of periods and full stops.

Explanation of the term 'period' and its equivalent 'full stop' in British English.

Basic rule: Using periods to end declarative sentences which are statements.

Differentiation between declarative and interrogative sentences.

Examples of simple declarative sentences ending with periods.

Rule on period placement: No space between the last word and the period.

Correction of common mistakes regarding period placement in digital writing.

Use of periods in imperative sentences or commands.

Explanation of when to use an exclamation mark for expressing strong emotion.

Clarification on the use of periods in indirect questions.

Examples illustrating the difference between direct and indirect questions.

Rule for not using a second period after an abbreviation that ends with a period.

Guidelines on the placement of periods with quotation marks in American English.

Instructions on using periods with parentheses for complete and partial sentences.

Interactive practice session to correct sentence errors related to period usage.

Correction of common period usage errors in provided examples.

Encouragement for viewers to practice writing sentences in the comments section.

Invitation to subscribe for more English writing essential videos.

Transcripts

Hello everybody, welcome back to my channel

Sparkle English, where I teach you ways to improve

your level of English. This video is a part of my English

writing essential series. And I will be teaching you how to

use and place periods and full stops in sentences.

We'll go over some more basic and more advanced uses of

periods and full stops in sentences. So let's get

started.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use periods or

full stops correctly when writing in English. So this

right here is a period, a simple dot. The end of a

sentence.

A period is called a full stop in British English. I'm

from Canada, and we call it a period and so do people in

the United States.

So rule number one is very basic. We use periods to end

a declarative sentence or a complete sentence that is a

statement. So we have declarative sentences, which

are statements, whereas interrogative sentences or

questions and with a question mark. So here are some

examples. What is your name? This is an interrogative

sentence. And it ends with a question mark. A declarative

sentence would answer an interrogative sentence. So my

name is Jennifer. That is a declarative sentence, it is a

complete statement. So it ends in a period. Let's look

at some more examples of sentences that end in

periods. I like dogs, period, he drinks coffee, Luke is my

best friend. These are all simple statements, complete

sentences that end in a period. In Rule number two,

we'll go over period placement where exactly you

place a period and where you do not place a period within

a sentence, we have to place a period at the end of a

sentence without leaving a space between the last word

of the sentence and the period, then you leave a

space after the period before starting your next sentence.

So look at this example here. I have a cat, this would be

incorrect. You can see a lot of people I see even in my

youtube channel when they're writing comments, they leave

a space after the last letter of the sentence and then put

a period that's incorrect. Correct would be I have a cat

period. So you do not leave a space between the T or

between the last letter and the period. So here would

this would also be incorrect. I have a cat space period

space. His name is whiskers. No, this is correct. Right

here, I have a cat period right after the T, then a

space. And then his name is whiskers. In the past, when

people used typewriters, they would put two spaces. But now

standard, it's standard just to put one space after a

period and then continuing your next sentence. Okay, we

also use periods at the end of sentences that are

intended to instruct or command. These are also known

as imperative sentences, you'll hear these sentences a

lot from your teacher or your mommy or dad telling you what

to do, or your boss, we usually use periods at the

end of imperative sentences or commands. Sometimes we use

an exclamation mark to express great emotion. And

this here is an exclamation mark.

So example, take out your notebook. We follow that with

a period it's a command. So we have a period, lock the

door when you leave the house. Again, that's an

instruction or command. So we end with a period, please sit

down. And that again with a period. Now what about an

exclamation mark? How would we use an exclamation mark?

That would be when you want to express greater emotion.

So if I said Please sit down. But what if I was, you know,

a teacher and I was really angry at my students, because

they would not sit down, I' say, "Sit down right now."

And that exclamation mark hows more emotion.

Another good example is be careful. You know, if say I

was my child was about to cross the road, and I didn't

want him or her to get hit by a car. Be careful, okay? Oth

rwise, a command would nor ally end with a period. Oka

, So rule number four sta ts to get a bit more com

licated, because a lot of peo le make this mistake both Eng

ish learners and also nat ve English speakers. An ind

rect question ends with a per od, not a question mark. So

hen a question is direct, you need to use a question mar

at the end. A direct que tion will often begin wit

one of these words who wha where when, why how can may

there's other words as wel that could

begin a question. But those are typical ones. When a

question is indirect, you need to use a period at the

end to indicate this. So let's look at the difference

between a direct question and an indirect question. So here

are some examples. A direct question. This one you can

see begins with the question word where, where is my

phone? This is a direct question. I'm wondering,

where is my phone? I want you to answer my direct question.

An indirect question would be, I wonder where my phone

is? This we end with a period? Because it's not

actually asking a question. It's just, it's really making

a statement. I wonder where my my phone is. But it's not

actually asking someone directly. Where is my phone?

Tell me, you know, do you know where my phone is? It's

not a direct question. Okay. Another example, can I come

to the party? This is a direct question. So it has to

end with a question mark. But an indirect question would

be, she asked if she could come to the party. Okay, so

when it's an indirect question, not a direct

question, we end with a period or a full stop. Okay.

So rule number five. If a sentence ends with an

abbreviation that ends in a period, do not follow it with

another period. We often use periods with abbreviations.

These are some examples of abbreviations Mr. Mrs. Dr.

St. a.m. p.m. when we re referring to time, etc.

nd incorporated, we're referr ng to a corporation. So we pu

a period at the end of th se abbreviations. Now, i

a sentence ends with an abbreviation that ends i

a period, we do not follow it with another period, t

at period at the end of he abbreviation works for

he sentence that completes he sentence we don't need,

nd we cannot use two periods. So this would be correct here

I have an appointment at 10 m. Finished, this abbreviat

on has a period. So we finish it like that. You do not sa

I have an appointment at 1 am and add an extra period

at the end. We don't do th t. Okay, that's incorre

t. Here's another example. J ck said, I just got a job

at Apple Inc., for exam le. So you can see here we h

ve the period. And then we h ve the quotation afte

wards, because this is a quot tion, it's what jack said

we would not write, jack said, I just got a job at A

ple Inc., and then have a eriod and then a quotation an

then a period No, this wou d be incorrect. We only need

to use the period insid the quotation marks. Now I

m going to skip to the next lide. And we're going to tal

about using periods with quotation marks. Now remember

this is American Eng ish, British English, the

have different rules with q otation marks than we do i

American English. So f you want to learn about

hat, then I will link you to he in the description

elow.

Okay, so how to place a period with quotation marks

in American English. If a sentence ends with a quote,

the period is placed inside the closing quotation mark.

Here's an example. Ross said they were on a break. So I'm

quoting Ross here. And we would put the period inside

the quotation mark. Now, if the quotation ends with a

question mark, or exclamation mark, the period is left out.

So Joey asked, how you doing? Here? we've ended it with a

question mark. And so this would be correct. But this

would be incorrect. We do not need a period, we just end it

with a question mark. And if this was a different, you

know, statement of Joey said, I want pizza, it would again

be a period, and then the quotation mark, just like we

see in this example here.

Okay, So rule number five is how we use periods with

parentheses. So these right here are parentheses. Okay,

and we're going to talk about how we use periods with

parentheses.

So when a sentence ends with a parent, that article that

is only part of a larger sentence, the period is

placed outside the closing parenthesis. So for example,

mom made apple pie for my birthday. And then we have

the parentheses my favorite dessert. Here we place the

period outside because

What we have inside the parentheses is not a complete

sentence. This is part of this full sentence here, mom

made apple pie for my birthday, my favorite

dessert. So we're going to put the period or the full

stop after the parentheses, okay? However, when a

complete sentence is entirely enclosed by parentheses, the

period goes inside the closing parenthesis. So mom

made apple pie for my birthday. Here, you can see

we have a period,

it is my favorite dessert period inside the closing

bracket. So it's actually quite simple. Just remember

that if it is a complete sentence inside the

parentheses, we end with a period inside right after the

complete sentence, okay, but if the parentheses is a part

of a larger sentence, then you have the period

afterwards, so that the parentheses is part of that

sentence. Okay, so you can see here we have two

different periods, mom made apple pie for my birthday

period, because that is a complete sentence. And then

it is my favorite dessert period, because that is also

a complete sentence inside the parentheses. Okay.

All right, so now we are ready to do some practice. So

which of these sentences are incorrect?

I have seven different sentences here. Some of them

are correct. And some of them have errors. And your job is

to correct them and see which ones and let me know which

ones have errors. So I want you to get out a piece of

paper or go to the comment section of this video. And

you can see how many you have right out of seven. So I'm

first going to read each of them to you, and then we will

correct them together. Alright, so let's start with

number one.

I can't go to the meeting tomorrow night. Can you

reschedule?

I got a promotion yesterday.

Jack asked, Do you want to go out tomorrow night?

Jean came to the concert with chat her boyfriend.

We have a conference next Monday at 2pm.

Lisa had an argument with Dina. They always argu

Clean up your room.

Okay, so take some time to think about these and write

down your corrections. And now I'm going to correct them

with you. So pause the video if you haven't finished. So

number one is incorrect. The placement of the period is

incorrect. This period should be touching right after the T

and then a space with C. So it should go

night.

The period right beside night and then a space and then the

next word and we should have a space right here between

the period and can.

Okay, number two is correct. That's a statement. I got a

promotion yesterday. It's a declarative sentence. So we

put a period at the end and the placement is correct. Now

the next one, jack asked, Do you want to go out tomorrow

night? This is incorrect. This one we do not need a

period because it ends with a question mark. So we don't

need a period.

Number four, Jean came to the concert with Chad, her

boyfriend. This one is correct.

Because her boyfriend is not a complete sentence. It is a

part of this larger sentence. Jean came to the concert with

Chad. So we put the period at the end.

Because her boyfriend is not a complete sentence. It is a

part of this entire sentence here. Okay, number five. We

have a conference next Monday at 2pm. This is incorrect. We

have too many periods here. It's an abbreviation that has

ended the sentence and it already has a period so we do

not need to add an extra period. Okay, number six,

Lisa had an argument with Dina. They always argue - th

s is also incorrect. Th y always argue is a comple

e sentence. So this peri d should be inside the bracke

. We have this period here th t has finished this statemen

. Lisa had an argument wi h Deena and then we have t

e parentheses they always arg e it's a complete sentence.

o we would end it with a peri d inside the parentheses. A

d the last one clean up yo r roo

This one is incorrect. You can either end this one with

a period or with an exclamation mark but you

can't use both. So let's say this one let's say it was a

mom who was really angry.

Clean up your room, she said it with a lot of emotion,

we'd use an exclamation mark. If she said it not with a lot

of emotion, clean up your room, then you could put a

period at the end but you cannot use both.

Okay

so thank you very much for watching this video. I really

hope that this has helped you understand how to use periods

and full stops. If you like this video, please click like

make sure to share with your friends and family or whoever

else would like to improve their level of English and

prove their writing skills. I encourage you to practice

writing some sentences in the comments using periods. And

let me know how you did on the test how many you got out

of seven? Make sure to subscribe for more videos

just like this one. I will be continuing more videos in my

English writing essential series and also link you in

the description below to my videos on how to use commas

how to use apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, semi

colons, all sorts of really important stuff that you need

to become an excellent writer in English. Thanks again for

watching and I will see you in my next video.