Punctuation Marks Copy and Paste
Full stop
Unicode U+002E · HTML . · Alt code Alt+46
Tap any symbol to copy it. Each tap also adds it to the box above, so you can copy several together.
Codes for every symbol on this page (Unicode, HTML, Alt, Mac, Word)
| Symbol | Name | Unicode | HTML | Windows Alt code | Mac | MS Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| . | Full stop | U+002E | . | Alt+46 | - | 002E then Alt+X |
| , | Comma | U+002C | , | Alt+44 | - | 002C then Alt+X |
| : | Colon | U+003A | : | Alt+58 | - | 003A then Alt+X |
| ; | Semicolon | U+003B | ; | Alt+59 | - | 003B then Alt+X |
| ? | Question mark | U+003F | ? | Alt+63 | - | 003F then Alt+X |
| ! | Exclamation mark | U+0021 | ! | Alt+33 | - | 0021 then Alt+X |
| ' | Apostrophe | U+0027 | ' | Alt+39 | - | 0027 then Alt+X |
| " | Straight double quote | U+0022 | " | Alt+34 | - | 0022 then Alt+X |
| - | Hyphen | U+002D | - | Alt+45 | - | 002D then Alt+X |
| – | En dash | U+2013 | – | Alt+0150 | Option+Hyphen | 2013 then Alt+X |
| — | Em dash | U+2014 | — | Alt+0151 | Option+Shift+Hyphen | 2014 then Alt+X |
| … | Ellipsis | U+2026 | … | Alt+0133 | Option+; | 2026 then Alt+X |
| ( | Open bracket | U+0028 | ( | Alt+40 | - | 0028 then Alt+X |
| ) | Close bracket | U+0029 | ) | Alt+41 | - | 0029 then Alt+X |
| [ | Open square bracket | U+005B | [ | Alt+91 | - | 005B then Alt+X |
| ] | Close square bracket | U+005D | ] | Alt+93 | - | 005D then Alt+X |
| { | Open curly brace | U+007B | { | Alt+123 | - | 007B then Alt+X |
| } | Close curly brace | U+007D | } | Alt+125 | - | 007D then Alt+X |
| / | Slash | U+002F | / | Alt+47 | - | 002F then Alt+X |
| • | Bullet | U+2022 | • | Alt+7, Alt+0149 | Option+8 | 2022 then Alt+X |
| ‘ | Left single quote | U+2018 | ‘ | Alt+0145 | - | 2018 then Alt+X |
| ’ | Right single quote | U+2019 | ’ | Alt+0146 | - | 2019 then Alt+X |
| “ | Left double quote | U+201C | “ | Alt+0147 | - | 201C then Alt+X |
| ” | Right double quote | U+201D | ” | Alt+0148 | - | 201D then Alt+X |
| « | Left guillemet | U+00AB | « | Alt+174, Alt+0171 | - | 00AB then Alt+X |
| » | Right guillemet | U+00BB | » | Alt+175, Alt+0187 | - | 00BB then Alt+X |
| ¿ | Inverted question mark | U+00BF | ¿ | Alt+168, Alt+0191 | Option+Shift+/ | 00BF then Alt+X |
| ¡ | Inverted exclamation mark | U+00A1 | ¡ | Alt+173, Alt+0161 | Option+1 | 00A1 then Alt+X |
Punctuation marks are the small signs like . , ? ! : ; and " " that show where a sentence stops, pauses or changes direction. Without them, "Let's eat, Didi" and "Let's eat Didi" mean very different things.
This page lists every common punctuation symbol with its name, its job and a short example sentence. Tap any mark in the grid above to copy it, or open its own page for full typing steps. Each punctuation mark symbol below has its name, Unicode code and keyboard method in the info tables. If you only need the name of a sign, our symbol names list covers the whole keyboard.
Punctuation Marks That End a Sentence
Every sentence needs one of these three marks at the end. Choose by what the sentence is doing.
| Mark | Name | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| . | Full stop (period) | Ends a statement; also used in short forms | The train leaves at six. Dr. Rao is here. |
| ? | Question mark | Ends a direct question | Have you paid the fees? |
| ! | Exclamation mark | Shows strong feeling or a sharp order | Stop! The floor is wet. |
Use only one end mark. "Really??" and "Wow!!!" are fine in a chat, but not in an exam answer or an office email.
Pause and Link Marks: Comma, Colon, Semicolon
These marks sit inside a sentence. They tell the reader to pause, and each pause has a different meaning.
| Mark | Name | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| , | Comma | Short pause; separates list items and clauses | Buy rice, dal, oil and salt. |
| : | Colon | Introduces a list, an explanation, or a time | Bring three things: a pen, a photo and your ID. |
| ; | Semicolon | Joins two closely related full sentences | It rained all night; the match was cancelled. |
| … | Ellipsis | Shows words left out, or a trailing thought | I was going to call, but… |
A quick test for the colon: the part before it should be a complete sentence. For the semicolon: both sides should be complete sentences.
Hyphen vs En Dash vs Em Dash
These three lines look alike but do different jobs. Only the hyphen has its own key on most keyboards.
| Mark | Length | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyphen (-) | Shortest | Joins words into one idea | a well-known actor, twenty-one |
| En dash (–) | Medium, about the width of the letter n | Ranges and connections | pages 10–25, the Delhi–Jaipur highway |
| Em dash | Longest, about the width of the letter m | A strong break inside a sentence | Used for a sudden aside, much like brackets |
On Windows, the en dash is Alt+0150 and the em dash is Alt+0151 (numeric keypad, Num Lock on). On a Mac, use Option+Hyphen and Option+Shift+Hyphen. The dash symbol page explains the rules with more examples.
Quotation Marks Symbol: Straight vs Curly Quotes
The quotation marks symbol wraps the exact words someone said, or a title. There are two styles.
- Straight quotes (" and '): these are what the keyboard key types. They are used in code, spreadsheets and plain text.
- Curly quotes (“ ” and ‘ ’), also called smart quotes: these lean towards the quoted words. Books, newspapers and printed documents use them.
| Quote symbol | Name | Windows Alt code |
|---|---|---|
| " | Straight double quote | Alt+34 |
| “ and ” | Left and right double quotation marks | Alt+0147, Alt+0148 |
| ‘ and ’ | Left and right single quotation marks | Alt+0145, Alt+0146 |
| « and » | Guillemets (angle quotes), used in French and other languages | Alt+0171, Alt+0187 |
Example: Gandhiji wrote, “Be the change.” Indian schools usually teach double quotation marks for speech and single quotes for a quote inside a quote. Word and Google Docs turn straight quotes into curly ones as you type. The right single quote ’ is also the curly apostrophe, as in Ravi’s bag.
Brackets, Slash and Other Punctuation Symbols
| Mark | Name | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ( ) | Round brackets (parentheses) | Extra information | Rohit (my cousin) will join us. |
| [ ] | Square brackets | Your own note inside a quote | "He [the coach] was late." |
| { } | Curly brackets (braces) | Sets in maths, blocks in code | A = {1, 2, 3} |
| / | Slash | Choices, dates, fractions | Yes/No, 15/08/1947 |
| ' | Apostrophe | Possession and short forms | Priya's phone, don't |
| • | Bullet | Marks list items | • Aadhaar copy • PAN copy |
| ¿ ¡ | Inverted question and exclamation marks | Start questions and exclamations in Spanish | ¿Qué hora es? |
Some keyboard signs are not true punctuation but live in the same family: the at the rate symbol @, the hashtag #, the ampersand &, the asterisk * and the underscore _.
Dagger Symbol and Double Dagger Symbol
The dagger symbol † and the double dagger symbol ‡ are reference marks. Writers put them after a word to point to a footnote, usually after the asterisk * has already been used. In some books and family records, † next to a name means the person has passed away.
- Dagger †: Alt+0134 on Windows, Option+T on Mac.
- Double dagger ‡: Alt+0135 on Windows, Option+Shift+7 on Mac.
In Word you can also type 2020 then Alt+X for the dagger, or 2021 then Alt+X for the double dagger.
How to Type Punctuation Marks on Phone and Computer
- Windows and Mac: full stop, comma, colon, semicolon, quotes, slash and brackets all have keys. Hold Shift for the upper sign on a key, for example Shift+; gives a colon.
- Marks without a key: use the Alt codes shown in the info tables above (numeric keypad with Num Lock on), or in Word type the code and press Alt+X.
- Google Docs: open Insert > Special characters and search by name, such as "em dash" or "guillemet".
- Android: on most Android keyboards, tap ?123, then =\< for extra marks. Long-press the full stop or hyphen key to see more choices.
- iPhone: tap 123, then #+=. Long-press the quote key for curly quotes and the hyphen key for dashes.
For codes of many more signs, see the Alt codes list.
All keyboard and punctuation symbol pages
Frequently asked questions
How many punctuation marks are there in English?
Most school grammar books teach about 14 main punctuation marks: full stop, question mark, exclamation mark, comma, colon, semicolon, hyphen, dash, brackets, square brackets, braces, apostrophe, quotation marks and ellipsis. Some lists also count the slash and bullet. The exact number changes from book to book.
What is the double quotes symbol called?
The double quotes symbol (also searched as double quotation symbol) " is called a double quote or inverted commas. The curly pair “ ” is called left and right double quotation marks. Both mark spoken words or titles.
What is the difference between a punctuation symbol and a special character?
A punctuation symbol helps the reader understand a sentence, like a comma or full stop. Signs such as @, #, & and % are usually called special characters or symbols, because they stand for words or ideas instead of pauses.
Should I use single or double quotes?
In Indian and American usage, double quotes are normal for speech, with single quotes for a quote inside a quote. British publishers often do the opposite. Pick one style and keep it the same through your whole document.
What does the dagger symbol † mean?
The dagger is a footnote mark, used after the asterisk. The double dagger ‡ is the next mark in the series. Next to a person's name, † can also show that the person has died.