Punctuation guides the reader through the sentence, and register tells the reader how you regard them. Both are easy to correct once you know what to look for.
This lesson is part of language accuracy and expression in SPM Bahasa Cina.
Which punctuation errors change meaning?
Some marks only look tidy, while others change what a sentence says. These are the ones worth checking first.
| Mark | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 顿号 (、) | Separates list items | 我买了苹果、橙子和香蕉。 |
| 逗号 (，) | Separates clauses | 天气很热，我们去游泳。 |
| 冒号 (：) | Introduces speech or a list | 他说：“明天考试。” |
| 引号 (“ ”) | Marks speech or a quoted term | 老师说：“请坐。” |
| 书名号 (《 》) | Marks titles of works | 我读了《小王子》。 |
| 省略号 (……) | Shows omission or a trailing voice | 我想……算了。 |
In Chinese, the full stop of a quoted sentence goes inside the closing quotation mark, as in 他说：“我会来。”
Worked example: edit the punctuation
Read this original sentence.
他买了, 铅笔. 橡皮. 尺子和 “练习簿”。
Check each mark.
- The list of items needs 顿号, not 逗号 or a full stop: 铅笔、橡皮、尺子和练习簿.
- English-style marks should be Chinese full-width marks.
- 练习簿 is an ordinary object, not a quoted term, so it needs no quotation marks.
Corrected: 他买了铅笔、橡皮、尺子和练习簿。
The mistake that keeps happening
The most common slip is to use 逗号 for every pause. In a list like 红色，蓝色，绿色, a reader cannot tell whether the items are equal or whether the clause continues.
The correct habit is to ask, “Is this a list of equal items?” If so, use 顿号.
What is register?
Register is the level of formality. It depends on who reads and why.
Here are two messages about the same event.
Casual: 校长，明天那个活动还办不办啦？
Formal: 校长您好，请问明天的活动是否如期举行？谢谢您。
The casual one uses 啦, a spoken particle, and a vague 那个. The formal one uses 您, a polite question form and a thanks. For a principal, the second fits.
A register checklist
Check these before you submit formal writing.
- Use 您 for a respected reader and avoid spoken particles like 啦, 嘛 and 呢.
- Replace vague words such as 那个 and 东西 with the actual noun.
- Keep sentences complete.
- Match the closing to the format, as in choosing appropriate format and register.
Check yourself
Edit the sentence for punctuation and register. It is part of a message to a teacher.
老师，我想问一下，作业是交红色蓝色绿色的那个本子吗啦。
Answer
The sentence lists colours and uses a spoken particle. One good edit is: 老师您好，请问作业需要交红色、蓝色和绿色的练习簿吗？
The edits: 顿号 separates the colours, 那个本子 becomes the named object 练习簿, the spoken particle 啦 is removed, and a polite greeting is added. The original ends with 吗 plus the spoken particle 啦 and a full stop, so the fix keeps only the question and ends with a question mark.
What to study next
Test the cluster with the language accuracy practice set. The glossary explains 语体 and related terms.
If you want a teacher to go through your own formal writing, see online one-to-one Chinese tuition.