PSA: Exclamation Abuse The hardest thing ab

PSA:

Exclamation Abuse

The hardest thing about using an exclamation point is probably knowing when not to use one. In writing, it’s often hard to convey the emotion and intent behind a simple statement. If you spoke the words “I can’t believe you threw me a surprise party” aloud, it would be clear from the tone of your voice and body language whether you meant this as an expression of gratitude or reproach. An exclamation point can help make it clear by conveying your excitement: “I can’t believe you threw me a surprise party!”

But using too many exclamation marks makes them less effective. F. Scott Fitzgerald said that using exclamation marks is like laughing at your own jokes. After a while, your readers will simply ignore them, or worse, become annoyed by them. On top of that, they’re considered to be relatively casual, so using them in business or formal academic writing is a no-no. Instead of relying on exclamation points to convey your urgency or excitement, use more vivid vocabulary. Instead of “Make sure you finish this by tomorrow morning!” try “It’s crucial that you finish this before tomorrow morning’s deadline.”