What are seven marks of punctuation that indicate you should pause when speaking?

Here are seven marks of punctuation that signal a pause when speaking, along with the type of pause they indicate:

1. Comma (,): A brief pause, often used to separate items in a list, clauses, or introductory phrases.

2. Semicolon (;): A longer pause than a comma, often used to join closely related independent clauses.

3. Colon (:): A pause indicating that what follows is an explanation, a list, or a quotation.

4. Period (.): A full stop, indicating the end of a sentence.

5. Question Mark (?): A pause indicating a question. The length of the pause depends on the context of the question.

6. Exclamation Point (!): A pause indicating strong emotion or surprise.

7. Dash (-): A pause used to indicate an abrupt change in thought, an interruption, or to set off a parenthetical phrase.

These punctuation marks act as road signs for your speech, guiding you to pause and adjust your rhythm for a smoother, more natural delivery.