Punctuation provides vital clues that aid reader comprehension. It’s governed by well documented rules. For example, every English sentence requires end punctuation (unless it’s a title or a heading). Within those rules are stylistic choices, which we’ll cover here.

The more punctuation you add, the more complex a sentence becomes. If a sentence contains more than a comma or two and ending punctuation, consider rewriting it to make it clearer and more succinct.

Punctuation guidelines

Refer to the following sections for specific guidance:

• Formatting punctuation in UI interactions
• Colons
• Commas
• Dashes and hyphens
• Parenthetical elements
• Periods
• Slashes

Additional punctuation guidelines

• Apostrophes in possessives and contractions.
• Ellipses in syntax and for omissions.
• Exclamation points are to be used sparingly.
• Question marks are to be used sparingly.
• Quotation marks are to be used for quotations only.
  • Use italics if you need to refer to or set apart words or parts of sentences.

Examples:

Incorrect: “Info” isn’t an acceptable abbreviation for “information” in professional communications.

Correct: Info isn’t an acceptable abbreviation for information in professional communications.

• Semicolons between independent clauses, contrasting statements, and items in a list.