Exclamation points follow interjections and other expressions of strong feeling. They may also be used to lend force to a command.
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What a mess!
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The lights! The music! The dazzling costumes! My eyes and ears couldn't get enough of the spectacle.
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Sit down and shut your mouth! Now!
An exclamation point is particularly useful if you're writing dialogue because it shows the feeling behind a statement.
Exclamation points with quotation marks
If the material being quoted is an exclamation, put the exclamation mark within the quotation marks.
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“ I hate you!” she screamed.
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“ What rubbish!” he said, leaving the room.
If an exclamation includes a quotation that is not an exclamation, put the mark outside the quotation marks.
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For the last time, stop calling me your “darling little boy”!
Exclamation points with commas and periods
After an exclamation point, omit a comma or a period.
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“You adorable thing !” he gushed.
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not “You adorable thing !,” he gushed.
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What a terrible way to end our trip !
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not What a terrible way to end our trip !.












Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences
Periods, Question Marks, Exclamation Points

