Why we use full stop?
The full stop is the easiest and most used punctuation mark. One can say that the very first punctuation mark that a person learns is the full stop. In the previous write-up, we discussed the importance and types of punctuation marks. Today, we will discuss the very first punctuation: the full stop.
The simplest of all Punctuations Marks
The full stop is the simplest of all punctuation marks. It is used to end one complete sentence. Sometimes, full stop is avoided to make a sentence more efficient in order to communicate a particular message.
Functions of Full Stop
The full stop (.) is used to mark the ending of a sentence. It is also called the period. For example,
Ali is a good boy. Qamar lives in Islamabad.
There are some problems that are common with the full stop. Consider the following example.
Pakistan has applied for SCO membership, India is expected to do the same.
There is a problem with the above statement. The two complete sentences are punctuated with a comma, which is wrong. Whenever there is a complete sentence, we punctuate it with a full stop.
Pakistan has applied for SCO membership. India is expected to do the same.
Similarly, we can also connect the above two statements by punctuating them with a comma along with a suitable connecting word.
Pakistan has applied for SCO membership, and India is expected to do the same.
Summary of full stop:
A full stop is used to end a complete statement.
A comma cannot be used to connect two complete statements. However, a comma -if used with a suitable connecting word- can be used to connect two complete statements.
In the next write-up, we will move our discussion forward to question marks. Until then, stay tuned!
