如何正确地使用标点符号是学习英语必须具备的基本条件。标点符号能帮助作者清楚地传达他的思想，使读者对每一句话的结构与意义一目了然。一段没有标点符号的文章是很难看懂的。
1. 没有标点符号难以了解的例句：
(a) After eating the child left the table 乍看起来，好像是：「吃完那小孩以后…」。有了标点符号之后的句子是：After eating, the child left the table. 「吃完之后，那小孩离开了餐桌」。
(b) Inside the dog was growling乍看起来，好像是：「那只狗的肚子里在咆哮」。有了标点符号之后的句子是：Inside, the dog was growling. 「门里面，那只狗在咆哮」。
(c) What do you think I mend for nothing and give you two dollars乍看起来，好像是：「我免费给你补(鞋)之外，还要送你两块钱，你以为如何？」。有了标点符号之后的句子是：
What! do you think I mend for nothing and give you two dollars?
什么！你以为我免费给你补(鞋)之外，还给你两块钱吗？」
2. 增减标点符号的例句：
(a)Happily he died.
他含笑而终。本句中happily修饰died.
Happily, he died.
真高兴，他死了。本句中happily修饰 he died.
(b) No tax will be imposed on foreign fruit trees.
外国进口之果树将不征税。
No tax will be imposed on foreign fruit, trees.
外国进口之水果，树将不征税。
(c) Dr. Johnson, our family doctor cannot come today.
詹生医师，我们的家庭医师今天不能来。
本句是向詹生医师传达一项讯息。
(d) Dr. Johnson, our family doctor, cannot come today.
我们的家庭医师詹生今天不能来。
本句中our family doctor 是Dr. Johnson 的同位语。
常用的英语标点符号有十二种，它们是：
l.Apostrophe 上标点(')
2.Comma 逗号(,)
3.Colon 冒号(:)
4.Dash 破折号(--)
5.Exclamation Point 惊叹号(!)
6.Hyphen 连字符(-)
7.Parentheses 括号( )
8. Period 句号(．)
9. Question Mark 问号C?)
lO.Quotation Marks 引号("…")
11.Semicolon 分号(;)
l2.Triple Dots 删节号(…)
现将各种标点符号的用法分别说明如后:
l. 上标点(')
(l)表示字母的省略。Can't you read those road signs?
(2)表示数字的省略。Today is Thursday, June 1, '89.
(3)表示字母的复数。There are five s’s in “sleeplessness.”
(4)表示单字的复数。Our teacher told us not to use so many so’s.
(5)表示数字的复数。Her 7’s and 9’s look alike.
(6)表示所有格。It’s Vice Burn’s umbrella.
2. 逗号(，)
(1) 用在以and ,but ,for, nor ,or ,so ,yet等连接词连接的两个主要子句之间。
My father is fond of fishing, but my mother prefers hiking.
(2) 在复合句中，如果附属子句在前，主要子句在后，用在附属子句之后。
While I was making a telephone call, someone knocked at my door．
注意：如果主要子句在前，则不用逗号。
(3) 用以分开非限制形容词子句与主要子句。
Her father, who is a famous scholar, teaches English.
(4) 用以分开非限制同位语。
Kent Howard, my English teacher, is from America.
(5) 用在yes, no ,well等字之后。
(a) Yes, he is a hard-working student.
(b) No, it is impossible.
(c) Well, you may go if you insist.
(6) 向人说话时，用在对方名字或称谓之后，之前或前后。
(a) John, come here.
(b) Open the door, John.
(c) It is, Sir, not my fault.
(7) 用以分开引用句
(a) “You are beautiful,” he said.
(b) Our teacher said, “Freedom is not license.”
(c) “No,” she said, “I was just testing your patience.”
(8) 用以分开星期，月日，年份。
On Sunday, May 28, 1989, her first child was born.
(9) 用以分开地名、省名、国名、街道名、巷弄名等。
Candy lives at 4 Alley 10, Lane 76, Ching Hua Street, Section 4, Taipei, Taiwan.
(10)用以分开一系列的单字，词组或子句。
(a) Her mother sells tomatoes, potatoes, and peaches.
(b) She ran up the stairs, across the porch, and into the house.
(c) We all agreed that she was beautiful, that she was intelligent, and that she was ambitious.
(11)用以表示字的省略。
The lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb, of meekness. (the lamb is the symbol of meekness).
(12)用在such as及especially的前面。
(a) They enjoy outdoor sports, such as hiking and riding.
(b)He likes all extracurricular activities, especially basketball playing.
(13)用以分开「乃此非彼」的结构。
He wanted to see Cliff, not Steve.
(14)用在追问句之前。
It is warm today, isn’t it?