A Proofreader’s Guide to Exclamation Point Use

Exclamation points, also known as exclamation marks, are used to express excitement, enthusiasm, and other strong emotions. As a proofreader, though, you may need to help clients avoid overusing them or using exclamations in the wrong situation.

So, when should exclamation points be used? And when should a proofreader step in to curb a client’s enthusiasm for punctuation?

In this post, we’ll look at what exclamation points are, how to use them, and what a proofreader should do if a client misuses them.

What Is an Exclamation Point?

First used in printing in the fifteenth century and originally known as a note of admiration, exclamation points are a form of terminal punctuation. Like periods (or full stops), this means they’re used to mark the end of a sentence. However, exclamation points have the extra function of adding emphasis or showing the strength of feeling behind a statement.

For instance, the implications of the following sentence differ depending on whether we end it with a period or an exclamation point:

The team won the game in the final minute.

The team won the game in the final minute!

Ending this sentence with a period presents it as a simple statement of fact. But replacing the period with an exclamation point makes it more emphatic, suggesting surprise or joy (something that the context in which the sentence is used would hopefully make clearer).

When Should Exclamation Points Be Used?

Exclamation points can be used with any phrase or sentence to add emphasis. Ultimately, then, whether an exclamation point is appropriate will depend on whether it’s needed to express emphasis or enthusiasm.

However, there are situations when exclamation points are more obviously relevant than others. These include:

• Exclamatory interjections, such as “Wow!” or “Ouch!”
• Forceful commands or warnings (i.e., emphatic imperatives), such as “Go to bed!” or “Look out for that falling piano!”
• Dialogue that involves a character shouting or speaking at volume (e.g., “I can’t hear you over the engine noise!” she yelled).
• Marketing copy that aims to inspire excitement or a similar emotion, such as fear of missing out (e.g., Don’t miss out on our winter sale!).

There is an element of subjectivity to this, of course, so you should only suggest adding an exclamation point to a phrase or sentence if you feel that its emphatic tone would be lost without one.

When Should Exclamation Points Be Avoided?

Exclamation points are generally avoided in formal writing. This is because the enthusiasm expressed in an exclamation is typically at odds with the detached, impersonal style associated with formal writing (especially academic writing, where objectivity is usually a guiding factor).

If you see exclamation points used in a formal document, such as a research paper or business report, you may thus need to advise your client not to use them (or even directly replace them with periods). One key exception is when an exclamation point appears in a quotation, in which case it should be reproduced along with the rest of the quoted text.

Otherwise, there are no hard rules about avoiding or minimizing use of exclamation points. But there are a couple of rules of thumb to follow:

• Generally, exclamation points have more impact when used sparingly. If a client uses them to end too many sentences (in succession or across a document), you may need to look for places where they can be replaced with full stops (or advise your client to do so).
• Using multiple exclamation points can make a document read as if everything is being shouted (similar to WRITING IN ALL CAPS), which is rarely appropriate. In this case, you can usually remove the additional exclamation points (or replace them with a single period if appropriate).

Keep in mind, though, that these are just guidelines! For instance, if you are proofreading a story and the dialogue for one notably enthusiastic character always ends in an exclamation point, it is likely that the author is deliberately overusing exclamation points to tell us about the character’s personality. It is important, therefore, to consider the context when judging whether exclamation point usage is appropriate in a document.

Exclamation Points and Other Punctuation

Proofreaders may also have to help clients with exclamation point placement in some cases. This is most notable when someone uses an exclamation point alongside quotation marks or parentheses.

In quotations or dialogue, the position of the exclamation point depends on whether it applies to the text inside the quotation marks or the sentence. Compare the following two examples:

Approaching his drink from the wrong angle, Alan cried, “Ouch, my nose!“

I laughed when Alan said, “I dipped my nose in hot coffee”!

Here, we include the exclamation point inside the closing quotation mark in the first sentence because it shows that Alan’s cry is an exclamation (not the sentence reporting what he said). But by placing it outside the closing quotation mark in the second sentence, we’re presenting the whole sentence as an exclamation, not just the text within quotation marks.

A similar rule applies to parentheses. The exclamation point goes inside the closing parenthesis if it applies to the parenthetical text; but it goes outside if it applies to the whole sentence:

The moral of this story is to never dip your nose in coffee (ouch!).

Please send thoughts and prayers for Alan’s nose (and his bruised ego)!

Note, too, that when an exclamation point occurs before a closing parenthesis at the end of a sentence, a final period is still necessary.

Becoming a Proofreader

If you think you can navigate the tricky world of exclamation points, proofreading could be the perfect career for you! And there’s no better way to begin your proofreading journey than with Becoming A Proofreader. Our course will tell you everything you need to know to enter the world of professional freelance proofreading. Claim your free trial today to see how Knowadays could help you kickstart your career.

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