The Exclamation Mark (!!!!!)

Yes, in today's world of technological communication, an exclamation mark (!) can do an excellent job of accurately expressing how excited!!!! or angry!!!!! or surprised!!!!! you are to "ur bf." No, that does not mean that more is better.

Do you remember learning about the magic of exclamation marks? Probably not. Truss says that this is one form of punctuation that most of us started using almost as soon as we learned how to write. However, just because kindergartners employ this lovely tool does not mean that it isn't sophisticated enough to receive its own chapter from the grammar gods.

But, you ask, "will my boyfriend really dump me for overuse of exclamation marks in my text messages?" It's likely. So listen up!

The exclamation mark is a "feeling" form of punctuation; it is used by writers to express emotions like "delight, indigation, joy, rage, and other feelings" (Truss 133). Traditionally, it is used in situations such as:

• Involuntary ejaculations (Grrrrr! Exclamation marks get me excited!)
• Salutation or invocation (O exclamation mark mine!)
• Exclamation or admiration (How many excessive exclamation marks she employed!)
• Dramatization (That's not a question mark, that's an exclamation mark!)
• Emphasis (I could really do with a few more exclamation marks!)
• Potential misunderstanding (I didn't mean to use so many!)

Basically, if you're going to use an exclamation mark in formal writing, think long and hard about whether you really need it -- some people are offended by it because it can feel like you're yelling at them in your paper. Should you use it in the text message to your boyfriend? Maybe only if you want him to think that you're a drama queen.