The exclamation mark

Today, the exclamation mark has become so common in e-mail, texts, Facebook and 140-character Twitter communications that it’s almost being used as a word in its own right.

Fowler's Modern English Usage puts it like this: "Except in poetry the exclamation mark should be used sparingly. Excessive use of exclamation marks in expository prose is a sure sign of an unpractised writer or of one who wants to add a spurious dash of sensation to something unsensational."

Times have changed and with the arrival of email these days the liberal use of the screamer is commonplace. In fact some argue that exclamation marks are not just marks of excitability, but of friendliness. Thanks!!!!'", they contend, "is way friendlier than 'Thanks'."

Lynn Truss in her book ‘Eats, Shoots and Leaves’ says: "I do think people are generally trying to get expression into email - and exclamation marks are good for getting attention."

Well, here at Avvio we resist the temptation to puff-up our wordage with the liberal use of exclamation marks. If the copy requires an exclamation to give it emphasis, we’d say it’s simply not good enough in the first place.

And if you use it all the time your reader will soon realise you don't have anything to exclaim.