在英文写作中，尤其是学术论文写作时，正确使用标点符号至关重要。规范的标点使用不仅能使文章表达更清晰专业，还能有效提升读者的理解流畅度。举例来说，如果用逗号错误地连接两个独立的句子，会造成语义混乱；而恰当使用分号则能让句子关系一目了然。
在大部分的写作中，逗号是最常被使用的标点符号。但因为逗号的使用场景和使用要求最多，因此许多人会对如何正确使用感到困惑，以下是逗号的几点重要功能，以及适当的使用时机。
I bought bread, cheese, and pickles at the grocery store.
Astronomers have known about the positions of stars for centuries, but they didn’t understand that the earth revolves around the sun.
In preparation for the next convention, the representatives studied up on the most important issues.
All doctors, if they care about their patients, are concerned with good office hygiene.
Incorrect: Thousands of protesters showed up on the streets, they were shouting and carrying large posters.
Correct: Thousands of protesters showed up on the streets; they were shouting and carrying large posters.
Incorrect: Some useful subjects are English, which is an international language, math, which is used in all domains of sciences and social sciences, and philosophy, which underpins many other areas of study.
Correct: Some useful subjects are English, which is an international language; math, which is used in all sciences and social sciences; and philosophy, which underpins many other areas of study.
冒号来条列下文，并告诉读者 “Here’s what I mean.”。通常在英文写作中，冒号不常被使用，除非您有许多内容需要列举，冒号的使用准则较为严谨，但也相对容易被记住。
Humans use five major senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
Martha realized that her worst fear was coming true: her son was being sent to war.
(*冒号后用独立的从句解释Martha’s fear)
To the Central Valley Committee Chairman:
错误范例: I have three desires: To eat, sleep, and work.
正确范例 : I have three desires: to eat, sleep, and work.
In Chapter 3, the author explains his theory: “Dogs have dreams, but they don’t dream as humans do. Their dreams reflect a primal desire for pleasure, whereas humans are preoccupied with the ego and self-image. This is equally true in wakefulness and sleep.”
There is one mantra that can sum up our position towards climate change: urgent action.
错误范例: Sarah and her friends loved spending time on the mountain : nature always held a special meaning for them.
正确范例: Sarah and her friends loved spending time on the mountain ; nature always held a special meaning for them.
冒号属于强调性质的标点符号，要避免过多使用。请将冒号想像为暂停标志，用来引起读者注意“Hey! Pay attention to this. This is important.” 如果路上有过多的暂停标志，则无法顺利并快速的前进，同样的道理，若文章中包含过多的冒号，读者也无法顺利阅读。
冒号主要用来吸引读者注意力并清楚的指出重要信息，因此，许多作者会使用冒号来导出他们的重要主张或是用来支撑证明。
分号使用在分隔两个独立的概念(两个独立的从句)，但这两个句子是有相关性的。当陈列复杂的概念或短语，并且句中包含逗号时，适合使用分号来分隔。分号拥有逗号的功能，但包含更多意思，亦有有冒号的功能，但更有弹性。
The universe has always called to human beings; there could be no more final frontier than space.
Sam thought David was inviting him to the picnic to enjoy a nice day out; as it turned out, David was planning a surprise birthday party.
Our family members came all the way from Denver, Colorado; Rochester, Minnesota; and even Paris, France.
My main research objective is to isolate the cause of the disease, as well as to contribute to the existing literature; for this will bring an end to starvation across the continent, create new study designs related to epidemiology, and change the very paradigm of my research field.
错误范例: The specimens were treated properly, however, they were not stored properly.
正确范例: The specimens were treated properly; however, they were not stored properly.
*副词“however”表示的是连接两个独立的从句； 不要用逗号去连接两个不包含并列连词(and, but, or, nor 等等)的独立从句。
错误范例: The sun is wonderful: it produces light, which plants need to survive, it gives us warmth, which is useful for most life, and it makes a sad day happier, which is obviously a positive trait!
正确范例: The sun is wonderful: it produces light, which plants need to survive; it gives us warmth, which is useful for most life; and it makes a sad day happier, which is obviously a positive trait!
*若只使用逗号，则无法清楚的表明陈列的项目是什么。因此，要善用冒号用来分开包含逗号的项目。
当写到插入语时，前后各使用一个破折号可以代替逗号，破折号更有强调之意，让读者能更加集中在破折号中提到的讯息。
And so, when the baby was born in June, nearly two months premature, the parents were happy but quite nervous, and they still had to buy all of the baby supplies .
And so, when the baby was born in June—nearly two months premature—the parents were happy but quite nervous, and they still had to buy all of the baby supplies .
(*破折号强调”baby was premature”的重点，表现出此内容在句中的重要性)
前后各使用一个破折号可代替括号，因为破折号较为非正式，因此在学术英文中较少出现。但是，使用破折号可较明显的将句子中断，因此也更能强调内容。
使用括号: After taking all of his final exams (including seven essays and three multiple choice tests), David just wanted to sleep.
使用破折号: After taking all of his final exams—including seven essays and three multiple choice tests—David just wanted to sleep.
*破折号较为显而易见，因此较能有效地中断句子并吸引读者注意。
使用括弧: That coffee shop offers a selection of exotic gourmet coffee (or at least that is how they describe it).
使用破折号: That coffee shop offers a selection of exotic gourmet coffee—or at least that is how they describe it.
*The dash seems to work especially well when placed at the end of a sentence—it extends the sentence like an addendum .
当在强调句子的结论时，使用破折号代替冒号可以带出不一样的意义：破折号可导出附加的内容，且使用方式更为弹性；破折号和冒号相比较为非正式。
冒号: The executives finally decided what they would do with the company: sell it at a loss.
单一破折号: The executives finally decided what they would do with the company—sell it at a loss.
冒号:Let’s go where we went last year: Disneyland!
单一破折号: Let’s go where we went last year—Disneyland!
在撰写文章并选用标点符号时，应考虑书写的内容为何、读者为谁。举例而言，研究者若想在期刊上发表论文，应该先了解该期刊大部分的作者如何使用标点符号。在撰写新闻、杂志等英文文章内容时，也是采取同样的原则。