Stop shouting.
That is, after all, what you are doing whenever you use the exclamation mark when you are writing.
So, before you next liberally scatter them about your latest piece of narrative, whatever it is (and I have seen them on shopping lists), take a little time out to think about what they are and what their proper usage constitutes.
Firstly, the name itself.
Exclamation mark.
What, exactly, is an exclamation?
It’s a noun (ie) a word that names a person, thing, name or idea. In this case, the name applied to a grammatical sign that indicates a sudden, forceful expression of emotion, surprise, or command and which is derived from Latin exclamatio (shouting out); from exclamare (ex- ‘out’ + clamare ‘to shout’).
And as shown by a tiny, vertical line with a dot beneath it, standing proudly at the end of a sentence, demanding attention, enthusiasm, urgency—and, more often than not, completely unnecessary overuse.
Once upon a time, the exclamation mark was a rare beast, reserved for truly dramatic moments.
A fire!
A revelation!
A duel at dawn!
Now, it litters emails, texts, social media posts, and even professional correspondence like confetti at a particularly enthusiastic wedding.
‘Looking forward to our meeting later!’
‘Just sent the report over!’
‘Best regards!’
Or even, as I have seen, on shopping lists.
‘Carrots!’
‘Wholemeal pasta! Do not get the normal pasta!!!’
Shudder
Calm down. It’s just a meeting. Just a report. Just a polite sign-off.
Just a shopping list.
The world is not on fire (at least, not in this context).
Of course, the exclamation mark has its place. Used sparingly, it injects energy into a sentence. ‘Run!’ is far more effective than ‘Run’ in conveying imminent danger. And let’s face it, ‘Happy birthday!’ feels friendlier than the rather deadpan ‘Happy birthday.’
But where did it come from?
Some say the exclamation mark evolved from the Latin word io, an exclamation of joy, written with the “I” stacked on top of the “o” as time passed.
Others suggest it simply developed as a way to signal strong emotion in written text, a visual cue where voice and gesture were absent. Whatever its origins, it remained an occasional visitor to prose for centuries—until the internet arrived and threw open the floodgates.
The problem arises when restraint is abandoned. One exclamation mark is fine. Two can be excused in moments of genuine excitement.
Three or more?
Now you’re just shouting.
The worst offenders are those who stack them in a frenzy of misplaced enthusiasm:
‘Can’t wait for Friday!!!!!!!!’
(Let’s all hope Friday lives up to such feverish anticipation.)
Then there’s the dreaded email from a manager who wants to sound upbeat but ends up causing mild distress:
‘Can you send me the figures by noon? Thanks!’
Why the exclamation mark? Is it genuine gratitude? A subtle demand? A passive-aggressive warning?
Such ambiguity is unsettling.
The truth is, exclamation marks are like hot sauce—used correctly, they enhance communication; overused, they overpower everything.
So, let’s treat them with the respect they deserve.
One at a time.
And only when absolutely necessary.
Because, let’s be honest—most things in life don’t need to be exclaimed.
They just need to be said.
