Exclamation Mark Creates Tone

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"The way this symbol '!' turns 'I can't believe it' into 'I can't believe it!' is the sort of dizzying convention" (Truss 153).


The exclamation point is another punctuation mark where the placement can change the sentence.  Although it doesn't change the meaning, it changes the tone.  When someone says "I can't believe it", the tone seems to be sad, more subdued, or calm.  However, when someone says "I can't believe it!", the tone takes on a more energetic, excited, or loud quality.  The tone changes with the use of exclamation marks, and although it does not change what the sentence means, it changes how we, as the readers, interpret it.

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