8 funny examples of why punctuation matters

You’ve heard me say that proper punctuation is necessary to clearly get your message across. Sometimes the punctuation makes subtle differences (like using em dashes instead of parentheses); other times, even just basic punctuation makes a big difference:

Look at these 8 examples of messages that completely change based on punctuation:

1. Don’t wear black people.

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2. Has blade, named Sting.

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3. Stop clubbing, baby seals.

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4. Let’s eat Grandpa.

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5. I had eggs, toast and orange juice.

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6. Rachael Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog.

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7. I love her period.

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8. It’s raining, cats and dogs.

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Hope you enjoyed these.

Do you know of any others? Share them in the comments below.

By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.

2 comments

  1. I thoroughly enjoyed “Eats, Shoots and Leaves”. (Or was it “Eats Shoots and Leaves”?) So this article really resonates with me. All of these examples were very funny. I most enjoyed the nonchalant “clubbing, baby seals” and experienced unadulterated laughter followed by a twinge of guilt. (Sort of like whenever I catch an episode of “The Family Guy”.)

    1. Ha ha! That’s awesome. I love these, and there are so many more out there. Maybe it’s time to do a followup post. :)

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