Exclamation Points
Exclamation Points
Exclamation Points
Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.
Common Core Language Standard 2
The exclamation point is one of the most misused and overused punctuation marks. Too often students add them when they are unnecessary to try and add excitement or surprise to dull writing. You probably could avoid using exclamation points for the rest of your life, if you chose exciting and specific nouns with surprising and vivid verbs. Oh… and another misuse: Don’t use more than one exclamation point. Using three exclamation points does not make a sentence three times as exciting or surprising. Despite what the authors of comic books do, we don’t use more than one punctuation mark when just one will do nicely.
Now let’s read the mechanics lesson and study the examples.
Use one exclamation point to show surprise or strong emotion in an exclamatory sentence or following an interjection. An interjection is a short sentence fragment used to show extreme emotion and is often used within dialogue. Examples: That is amazing!
Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to mechanics lesson.
Practice: Wow! Oh my gosh! I can’t believe she said that! That whole scene was disturbing!
Let’s check the Practice Answers.
Mechanics Practice Answers: Wow! Oh my gosh! I can’t believe she said that! That whole scene was disturbing.
Now let’s apply what we have learned.
Writing Application: Write a sentence using an exclamation point.
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