Exclamation marks are somewhat controversial in the English language. On the one hand, we have to use them sometimes, and many writers love them. On the other hand, you should avoid using them in some types of writing, and some authors consider them unnecessary at all. Learn more about exclamation marks with College-Writers.com.
You should always avoid using exclamation marks in academic writing because they will make your papers look unprofessional. An exclamation point shows a certain emotion, while emotions are unnecessary in academic writing, which should be clear and specific.
Generally, creative writing allows you to use exclamation marks. However, when writing a creative piece, make sure to check the necessary guidelines. We also recommend that you only use exclamation marks when the sentence or information is very important. For example, you might use them to indicate a change in the meaning or to highlight striking facts.
Academic Writing
Exclamation marks are not used in academic writing. Many experts in academic writing think that if a writer needs additional marks to illustrate the significance of a certain fact, it means that he or she has poor writing skills.
When writing academic papers, results of your research and your arguments shouldn’t require you to put an additional emphasis, especially if you’re writing about mathematics or science. Nevertheless, you might be allowed to use exclamation marks when writing about humanities or social sciences. Anyway, we recommend that you check out the necessary guidelines and your professor’s preferences before you decide to use exclamation marks when writing papers about these disciplines.
You can and you should use exclamation marks in academic writing if they are a part of a quote. This is probably the only case where exclamation marks are required in academic writing.
Creative Writing
Unlike academic writing, creative writing allows you to use exclamation marks because creative writing is less formal and can be more emotional. Exclamation marks can be used to indicate a surprise or strong emotion. They also often accompany such interjections as “wow,” “ouch,” or “oh.”
Although creative writing allows you to use exclamation points, it doesn’t mean that you should use them whenever you want. Don’t overuse them because, otherwise, your writing will look like a play where actors constantly shout their lines. Use them when you realize that your writing will miss something important without them.
Besides, avoid using a few exclamation marks in a row. You won’t add more emphasis if you put two or three exclamation points. Such things will only make your writing look unprofessional and damage the overall clarity. Don’t rely on punctuation when you can improve your writing by saying something meaningful.
Digital Communication
Exclamation points are often used in informal writing and digital communication, in particular. Not only do they allow you to add more emotions and to emphasize something, but they also show a degree of emphasis. For example, there is a difference between receiving text messages that say “Cool!” and “Cool!!!!!”
However, we recommend that you still think of whether using an exclamation mark is appropriate in a particular situation. For example, you may use as many exclamation marks as you want when texting your friend, while they will look too informal if you send a message to your boss.
There are not many rules that regulate the use of exclamation marks. An exclamation mark is one of the terminal punctuation marks used in English, along with a full stop and question mark. Thus, you should use it at the end of a sentence, and the first word of the next sentence should be capitalized.
Thus, you shouldn’t use exclamation marks in the middle of a sentence. To understand, whether or not you need an exclamation mark, think about the type of your paper and the guidelines you’ve been given. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to contact College-Writers.com and ask for help. Our expert editors will help you in any situation and suggest the right solution.