Basic Concepts
In a nutshell: Punctuation and capitalization help your writing make sense and look polished.
## The Power of Punctuation
Punctuation marks help organize your writing and make your meaning clear. Capitalization shows the importance of certain words.
### Common Punctuation Marks
- Period (.) ends a statement.
- Comma (,) separates items or clauses.
- Question mark (?) ends a question.
- Exclamation mark (!) shows excitement.
- Apostrophe (') shows possession or contractions.
### Capitalization Rules
- Capitalize the first word of a sentence.
- Capitalize names, places, and days of the week.
- Don’t capitalize common nouns unless they start a sentence.
## Why It Matters
Correct punctuation and capitalization make your writing professional and easy to read.
Examples
- Did you see Mr. Smith at the park?
- It's Sarah's favorite book!