punctuating
Inserting written pauses
Punctuating is adding punctuation marks to writing—commas, periods, question marks, and the rest.
The word extends to any interruption that marks off segments: Gunshots kept punctuating the silence.
A good story is punctuated by pauses; a bad meeting is punctuated by interruptions.
To punctuate something is also to emphasize it: She punctuated her point by slamming the table.
Punctuation marking pauses
- periodPunctuation ending sentences
- semicolonPunctuation joining related clauses
- colonLarge intestine section
- apostropheMark showing ownership
quotation · hyphen · dash · parentheses · brackets · ellipsis · exclamation · question
Rhythmic pulse or pattern
- tempoRate of musical performance
- beatRhythmic pulse or strike
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- pacingRate of movement
meter · syncopation · timing · staccato · legato · rest · caesura · phrasing
Forceful sudden utterance
- italicsSloped typeface for emphasis
- boldCourageous and daring
- underlineLine beneath text
- highlightMost notable part
underscore · stress · accentuate · dramatize · intensify · amplify · flourish · pause
Word form alteration
- enunciateSpeak with clarity
- articulateExpress clearly, or well-spoken
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- intonationPitch variation in speech
delivery · gesture · timing · emphasis · breath · phrasing · modulation · expression
Accuracy of measurement
- coherenceLogical internal consistency
- readabilityEase of understanding text
- legibilityClearness of text
- comprehensibilityClarity of meaning
structure · organization · segmentation · separation · demarcation · delineation · parsing
Checking text for mistakes
- copyeditingCorrecting written material
- correctionsAdjustments to fix errors
- markupAdded percentage for profit
- redlineEditorial revision marking
formatting · typesetting · manuscript · publishing · revision · insertion · deletion · annotation
comma
Punctuation marking pauses
- periodPunctuation ending sentences
- semicolonPunctuation joining related clauses
- colonLarge intestine section
apostrophe · quotation · hyphen · dash · parentheses · brackets · ellipsis · exclamation · question · hyphens
cadence
Rhythmic pulse or pattern
pacing · meter · syncopation · timing · staccato · legato · rest · caesura · phrasing · breath
exclamation
Forceful sudden utterance
highlight · underscore · stress · accentuate · dramatize · intensify · amplify · flourish · pause · silence
inflection
Word form alteration
- enunciateSpeak with clarity
- articulateExpress clearly, or well-spoken
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
intonation · delivery · gesture · timing · emphasis · breath · phrasing · modulation · expression · oratory
precision
Accuracy of measurement
- coherenceLogical internal consistency
- readabilityEase of understanding text
- legibilityClearness of text
comprehensibility · structure · organization · segmentation · separation · demarcation · delineation · parsing
proofreading
Checking text for mistakes
- copyeditingCorrecting written material
- correctionsAdjustments to fix errors
- markupAdded percentage for profit
redline · formatting · typesetting · manuscript · publishing · revision · insertion · deletion · annotation
- highlightingemphasizing, stressing, underscoring, accenting, accentuating
punctuatingunpunctuated
Lacking grammatical marks
bare · unformatted · raw
punctuatingflowing
Moving continuously onward
running on · streaming · blending · smoothing · eliding
- punctuation markWritten symbol guiding reading
- punctuation errorMisplaced or missing marks
- punctuation rulesGuidelines for textual marks