Punctuation And Mechanics: Reading And Language Arts Terms Explained

Plain-language definitions of every punctuation and mechanics term your child meets in school, each with kid-friendly explanations, worked examples, and common mistakes to watch for.

Parentheses

Parentheses are curved punctuation marks ( ) used in writing to add extra information, clarify something, or show that words are less important than the main part of the sentence.

Period (punctuation)

A period (punctuation) is a small dot at the end of a sentence that tells the reader the sentence is finished.

Punctuation

Punctuation is the set of marks, such as periods, commas, and question marks, that help show pauses, endings, and meaning in written sentences.

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