By Butch Freedman
This sentence does not need an exclamation point!
It definitely does not need two!!
And why would you ever use three?!!!
Okay, I admit it. I am a punctuation nerd and a grammar nerd. One of my pet peeves (I’ve got a bunch of them) is the flagrant misuse of exclamation points. A definition: exclamation— a sudden cry or remark, especially expressing surprise, anger, or pain: an exclamation of amazement. Relatively few expressions, either in conversation or writing, qualify for such punctuation. Whenever I log into my checking account, I get the message—”Success!” Really? Are you, A.I. banker, truly amazed at my daily entrance? Perhaps the biggest offender of all rules and norms grammatical and otherwise is our ignoramus president. If you dare to read his “truths” they are filled with the punctuation and grammatical errors of a 5th grade boy who will likely never make it to sixth. One of his favorites: “Fake News!!!” Fake president, I say.
I can hear a bevy of my present and former writing students now chuckling. They’ve heard this tirade of mine before. And largely ignore it. (Maybe just to tease me.) For some reason, writers feel drawn to the flashy exclamation point. I tell them, let your words do the talking. Over use of exclamation points is asking the reader to do the work. I think I’ve made my point!
On a related topic, I’ve been feeling frustrated by the use of certain words related to the mid-term elections and to other situations. Just as punctuation matters, hyperbole matters even more. I’m referring to the use of words that are overstated or inflated. My least favorite example is the word “awesome.” It has become so over-used, that it has essentially lost all meaning. I would now be hesitant to use it even when I truly found something to be awesome—i.e. awe inspiring, not a response to somebody informing you that you have a dentist appointment. Many of these wildly exaggerated words were thrown around in the wake of last week’s mid-term elections. “Amazing” led the list. The results were definitely a welcome event and, to some degree unexpected, but not truly amazing. No one pulled a squirming rabbit out of a hat. Most every poll predicted our welcome “blue wave.” The outcome was also not “unbelievable.” I was very happy that these elections turned out the way that they did, but I found it to be thoroughly believable. No lies were being told. Throw in “incredible.” Then look it up.
Words matter. We need to be prudent in our use of them. It is not “unimaginable” when another school shooting takes place, though that is the first descriptor observers and reporters will use. But in 2025 there were over 200 incidents of school shootings and 52 this year through mid-October— hardly then “unbelievable” when another occurs.
What’s unbelievable is the fact that our governing bodies do little to change the situation and instead offer “thoughts and prayers” and wait for the next incident to occur or suggest that teachers come to school armed to the teeth.
But I stray from my thesis. Or do I? How we talk about and write about the events of our lives, both personal and collective, need to be thoughtful and precise. Sure, there are times when the only response is an unfettered one, but we need to think of that as a first draft, one that will need further refinement and a clear-eyed examination. You don’t need that exclamation point. And you don’t need exaggeration. Tell the truth in a straight forward and clear manner. Then proofread. Ranting and raving is best left to the infirm and defensive. There’s never been a clearer example of the misuse of the English language than the postings of our current disabled and demented president. His greatest sin: the man is not ever careful or caring. Don’t be like him.
