It’s National Punctuation Day! Can you feel the excitement in the air?
But September 24th is the official day to celebrate our faithful friends, punctuation marks. Punctuation can make or break a message (sometimes spectacularly), so let’s celebrate the occasion with a little fun and a little learning.
First, punctuation fails. We’ve all seen them. We’ve all had a laugh. And then we’ve all realized, at some point or another, we’ve been responsible for them, too. But to underscore just how important punctuation is, here’s an entertaining and sometimes cringe-worthy compendium of punctuation gone wrong. Here’s hoping none of us ever end up on a similar list.
Some of these are somewhat NSFW (primarily for language), so if you’re on the clock, read at your own risk.
- 20 Images That Prove Grammar and Punctuation Are Important (NSFW)
- A light-hearted look at how punctuation can change meaning
- 25 Biggest Comma Fails (NSFW)
- 37 Times When One Tiny Grammar Or Spelling Fail Ruined EVERYTHING (NSFW)
Second, punctuation quizzes. These can test your mastery for bragging rights or help you discover if you’re a bit rusty.
- Commas Quiz
- Quiz on Punctuation
- Another Punctuation Quiz
- Comma, Colon, Semicolon, or Period?
- Punctuation Self-Test
- Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test
- Grammar and Punctuation Test
- Punctuation Diagnostic Quiz
And just for fun, HuffPo’s brand spanking new Which Punctuation Mark Are You? quiz.
Finally, punctuation lessons. For a refresher on punctuation in various styles:
- Punctuation in AP Style
- Punctuation in The Chicago Manual
- Punctuation in APA Style
- Punctuation in MLA Style
How are you celebrating National Punctuation Day?
