What do exclamation marks mean

Keep reading to learn more about when to use exclamation marks in your writing. Exclamation marks, also known as exclamation points, were originally called the "note of admiration. Exclamation marks can express the following emotions in writing:.

Any exclamatory sentence can be properly followed by an exclamation mark to add emphasis. After all, doesn't "I am excited! If you use exclamation points sparingly throughout your paragraphs, they can bring a touch of excitement or emotion to your writing. Here are some more example sentences that use exclamation marks. Notice that some sentences have exclamation marks after an interjection but a period after the next sentence.

This makes the interjection pop in your writing. When used in a quote, exclamation marks should be inside the quotation marks, just like all punctuation. In formal writing , you include one exclamation mark at the end of a sentence.

But in informal writing, such as emails or text messages , people often use more than one to emphasize their point. For example: "No!!!

I told you metal can't go in the microwave! Informally, exclamation points can also be used with question marks to express shock, protest or dismay. Compare them with statements: People can be such fools. Marshall bowled very well yesterday. You can also use an exclamation mark to show that a statement is very surprising: After months of careful work, the scientists finally opened the tomb. It was empty! It is also permissible to use an exclamation mark to draw attention to an interruption: On the rare!

Otherwise, you should generally avoid using exclamation marks in your formal writing. This sort of thing is all right in personal letters , but it is completely out of place in formal writing. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of exclamation point. Examples of exclamation point in a Sentence Recent Examples on the Web Indeed, the ceremony has been specifically scheduled to coincide with, and put an exclamation point on, the reopening of Broadway after the longest shutdown in its history.

First Known Use of exclamation point , in the meaning defined at sense 1. Buying Guide Our team at The Usage has selected the best keyboards of Learn More About exclamation point. Share exclamation point Post the Definition of exclamation point to Facebook Share the Definition of exclamation point on Twitter.

Time Traveler for exclamation point The first known use of exclamation point was in See more words from the same year. Style: MLA. English Language Learners Definition of exclamation point.