Someone recently pointed out that I use punctuation in my text messages. Apparently, that can convey an unintended tone. As an article in The Washington Post pointed out, including a period at the end of a text can come across as everything from unnecessarily formal to outright angry.
I know texting is a casual and quick form of communication, but trust me, my commas and periods don’t have subtext. They’re just deeply ingrained grammar habits. Still, I get it. And while I’m not here to take a stand about everyone should adding punctuation to their next text, I would like to make the case that a casual attitude toward punctuation shouldn’t extend into other written communications, including emails, work presentations, or marketing content.
Exhibit A: Commas have consequences.
It’s simple. A missing comma can completely change your message – and not in a good way. On the flip side, commas often get thrown in where they shouldn’t be, which can be just as confusing.
Here are a few examples of comma comedy.
- The old favorite: “Let’s eat kids.” vs. “Let’s eat, kids.”
- The one that inspired a best-selling book title: “The panda eats, shoots and leaves.” *
- An actual magazine headline: “Rachael Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog.” (Oh my.)
Exhibit B: Random apostrophes are exasperating.
I’ll admit misplaced apostrophes are one of my top grammar pet peeves – especially when people turn basic plural nouns into possessives. The rule is SO simple. Making a word plural never requires an apostrophe. Yet, take a look around. They’re everywhere.
- The sign at the grocery store: “Apple’s 3 for $1”
- The note on the gas pump: “Pump’s are not taking debit card’s.”
- The sign in a deli window: “Best Rib’s in Town.”
Contractions are problematic, too. Using “your” instead of “you’re” can be downright dangerous.
- My favorite: “You’re dinner.” (Yikes. Again, punctuation saves lives!)
- The credibility killer: An email that says, “Congrats. Your our go-to person on the project.”
And “its” when it should be “it’s” absolutely makes me cringe. It’s stands for “it is” or “it has.” Its is comparable to his or her. When in doubt, sub in “it is.” For example, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” doesn’t work as “Don’t judge a book by it is cover” so “its” is the right choice.
Exhibit C: Hyphens are necessary.
Hyphens, correctly placed, make a big difference. Simply put, we need hyphens because “working twenty four-hour shifts” is quite different from “working twenty-four hour shifts.”
Exhibit D: Periods, period.
I’ll live on the edge and give up periods at the end of text message sentences. However, as my closing “punctuation saves lives” argument, please be purposeful about using them everywhere else you write. And be vigilant. An errant period can totally derail a message!
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