If you’re a senior writing all your final papers, or in elementary school just learning what punctuation is, these videos are for you.  Do I use a colon or a semicolon?  Where  does the period go when using quotation marks? Does this need a hyphen?  All the answers can be found in these videos.  Teachers, these videos would be great to have accessible for your students to refer to while working on their assignments. 

Period

Learn about how to use periods (full stops in British English) when writing in English. How do you place periods and when to use them? You'll learn how to use them in declarative and imperative sentences, indirect questions, with abbreviations, quotation marks, and parentheses. 

Rule 1: Use a period to end a declarative sentence or statement.  Rule 2: Place a period at the end of a sentence.  Rule 3: Use periods at the end of sentences that are intended to instruct or command.  Rule 4: An indirect question ends with a period, not a question mark.  Rule 5: If a sentence ends with an abbreviation that ends in a period, do not follow it with another period.  Rule 6: How to Place a Period with Quotation Marks.  Rule 7: How to Use Periods with Parentheses.

Question Mark

There are 6 basic rules when it comes to question marks. Rule 1: Use a question mark after a direct question.  Rule 2: Use a question mark at the end of a sentence. Rule 3: The question mark replaces a comma if a quoted question ends in mid sentence.  Rule 4: How to use question marks with quotation marks.  Rule 5: An indirect question ends with a period, not a question mark.  Rule 6: We generally use a question mark at the end of a tag question.

Exclamation Mark

Use exclamation marks or exclamation points to show emotion, emphasis, or surprise.  They are used at the end of the sentence in English, while in other languages, like Spanish, they are used at the beginning and end in a specific way. Some imperative sentences get an exclamation mark at the end.  This video also covers exclamation marks in quotation marks and when it is appropriate to use an exclamation mark in formal and informal writing.

Colon

When do you use a colon?  This video gives an in-depth guide on how and why.  A colon introduces an item or list, provides further clarification, shows emphasis, separates independent clauses, and is used before a quote in some situations. 

Semicolon

Semicolons are often confused with colons.  They serve similar but different functions.  Semicolons connect closely related independent clauses.  They also are used between items in a series containing internal punctuation.  Don’t be afraid of semicolons!  This video will answer all your questions with examples. 

Quotation Marks

This video is all about quotation marks.  Where to put them?  How to use them?  How other punctuation works with quotation marks.  Reference this video any time you’re writing dialogue or inserting a direct quote. 

Apostrophe

Learn how to use apostrophes in contractions, apostrophes in possessive nouns, compound nouns, joint ownership, and more! This video is also great for reviewing apostrophe use.  You can also use it as a quide when you have questions.  

Hyphen

How do we use hyphens when writing in English? Learn 5 basic hyphen rules and improve your English punctuation, grammar, and writing skills. This detailed lesson will show you how to use hyphens with compound modifiers or compound adjectives. Also learn when NOT to use hyphens, how to use hyphens with compound numbers, before prefixes, and more! Finish the lesson with a practice session where you will have to place hyphens in the sentences and see how much you have learned! 

BONUS: 13 Basic Punctuation Rules

As a final review or wrap up about punctuation, watch this video going over the most important punctuation rules. 

For videos specifically about commas, check out this article.