A GUIDE TO PUNCTUATION - PERIODS/FULL STOPS

Periods - Using Them Properly

Let’s start off with the basics: periods (also called full stops in British English).

Periods (.) are used to terminate either a sentence or a sentence fragment.

A sentence, by definition, is an independent clause that contains both a subject and a verb. Basically, when something (the subject/a noun) is performing an action (a verb), and the whole thing is neatly wrapped up with a period at the end—assuming another punctuation mark, like a question or exclamation mark, is not called for.

Periods convey a definitive pause. In spoken English, a speaker will briefly stop talking in between sentences—the period represents that momentary break in written English. The pause indicated by a period is a significant one, more pronounced than the pause from other punctuation marks like a comma or semicolon.

A sentence fragment, on the other hand, does not have one of those two key components. But since writers are artists, and all artists enjoy breaking the rules, sentence fragments can be used in moderation. These fragments can be incredibly short. For. Dramatic. Effect. Or longer, if you want.

The vast majority of sentences in your writing will end with a period.

Example:

‍No wonder he had kept his feelings hidden from her for so long.

Those hospital corridors are long and the patients are relentless.

I hope this helped you understand the concept of periods/full stops better, stay tuned for a guide to question marks!