Punctuation can make a world of difference to how things are interpreted. See if you can imagine another way to punctuate the sentences below, then hover over each sentence to see an alternative version.
Let's eat, Grandma.
There's a man eating chicken.
I find inspiration in cooking, my family, and my dog.
Punctuation is like oxygen. We tend not to notice it until it is missing!
The previous examples illustrate how lack of punctuation or poor punctuation can lead to misunderstanding (and humour!) However, punctuation can be a serious thing. How would you punctuate the following: I say unto you today you shall be in paradise with me. This is a line from the Bible. It is what Jesus said to one of the thieves beside him when he was on the cross. The placement of a simple comma in this statement would have saved centuries of debate in the Christian church about what happens to the soul after death. Did Jesus say:- I say unto you, 'Today you shall be in paradise with me.' (i.e. today). OR
- 'I say unto you today, you shall be in paradise with me.' (i.e. sometime).
In other words, does the soul go directly to paradise (implied by the first version) or is there a place called purgatory (allowed by the second version).
This is not the only missing comma that has caused a difference of views on beliefs throughout Christianity and other religions.
Why Punctuation Matters
This section of English Toolkit will show that punctuation is the servant of grammar. This is because punctuation helps to reveal grammatical units and grammatical phrasing. In speech, we have pauses and intonation (the rise and fall of a voice) to act as signposts. In written text, we have to use punctuation. Examine this sentence:
After the politicians had finished debating the bill was put to the vote.
Maybe you read the sentence as intended but a lot of people would have read through to 'bill', thinking that the phrase ended there. Of course, a reader would realise straight away that s/he had misread the phrase. However, a simple signpost after 'debating' would have saved having to do a u-turn and come back: 'After the politicians had finished debating, the bill was put to the vote'.
In the end, punctuation is a courtesy to the reader.
