Hilarious Use of Punctuation that will Drive You Crazy

National Punctuation Day, founded by Jeff Rubin in 2004, is celebrated on September 24. Rubin encourages sharing or submission of pictures containing grammatical errors that crop up in our day-to-day lives.

When we talk, we convey a point through body language, intonation, and actions through hands to explain our point clearly. However, when we read something, we can't rely on the aforementioned factors; as a substitute, we have to depend on punctuation to help us understand what is being said.

Hence, punctuation plays an essential role in conveying the intent of the writer. People may not offer so much significance to punctuation; however, we ought to tell you that do not ignore these established marks as a tiny mislaid comma or question mark for that matter, can mess up everything.

The following sentence was written on the board, and students were asked to punctuate it correctly:
Woman without her man is nothing.

50% of the class punctuated the sentence in the following way:
◆ Woman: without her, man is nothing.

The other 50% answered with the following:
◆ Woman, without her man, is nothing.

It's obvious from this instance that punctuation is vital without a doubt!

The example elucidated here is a very frequently used story about a man who received a striking letter from his loved one. In the letter, his girlfriend wrote, in no indecisive terms, how much she loved John, and it was apparent to anyone reading her words that she couldn't live without him. Or was she lying?

Dear Ned:
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let me be yours?
Nancy

Now let's see what happens to this endearing love letter if it was punctuated in an entirely different fashion or rather incorrectly.

Dear Ned,
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?
Yours,
Nancy

Which letter do you think would John wish to be given? Your guess is as good as ours.

Here's a simple sentence that proves the power of punctuation.
◆ Let's eat grandpa!

Wouldn't it have saved poor grandpa's life if there would have been a comma as shown under?
◆ Let's eat, grandpa!

Truly, commas can save lives!!

Here's how a magazine printed a caption:
◆ "Rachael Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dogs."

Probably the caption should have been -
◆ "Rachael Ray finds inspiration in cooking, her family, and her dogs."

◆ "Watch out - man eating apes!"

Without the right use of punctuation, it seems as if man is eating apes. Whoa! This is how probably it should be written as:
◆ "Watch out! Man-eating apes!"

◆ "You will be required to work twenty four-hour shifts."

Jeez, twenty shifts for four hours? Is that what it means or should it have been this way?
◆ "You will be required to work twenty-four hour shifts."

Ah, now we get the point! A hyphen gone wrong!

◆ "Slow children crossing"

This signboard instead of alerting motorists to drive cautiously as kids would be crossing the road made for a humorous read that meant, slow children are crossing the road. A warning (eyes wide open), is it? Haha! Here's what it should have been:
◆ "Slow! Children crossing."

Here's a salad description found in a vegetarian restaurant menu:
◆ "Goats cheese salad ingredients: lettuce, tomato, goats, cheese"

Eew! Goats in the salad?! Sounds so un-vegetarianish! The unintended addition of an extra comma killed our appetite!

◆ "Goats cheese salad ingredients: lettuce, tomato, goats cheese"

Now doesn't that sound much better? Beginning to get hungry again ...

Here's what a patient listed as reasons for visit to his doctor.
"Fever
Listlessness
Unable to eat diarrhea
Wheezing
Right arm pain
Forgetfulness headache
Watery eyes

Commas, guys, commas! Please just use them, at least in this case! "Unable to eat diarrhea" (yuck!) and "Forgetfulness headache" - what does that even mean!?

Doesn't this read much better?
"Fever
Listlessness
Unable to eat, diarrhea
Wheezing
Right arm pain
Forgetfulness, headache
Watery eyes"

Phew!

◆ My hobbies include: cooking cats, shopping, reading dogs, watching movies, travel

Mm-hmm, some "interesting" hobbies we spot here. Cooking cats and reading dogs? You must be a gifted person!
It may read hilarious, but might cost you your job.
◆ My hobbies include: cooking, cats, reading, dogs, shopping, watching movies, travel

Purrffecctt commas!

These were funny reminders of just how disastrous it can get if you choose to ignore precise usage of punctuation. Be clear, be unambiguous, and watch out for those tiny little marks that can make a laughingstock out of you (chuckle)! Also, here are some common grammatical mistakes you could stay away from!