Bullet Point Punctuation: Can You Punctuate a List?

Bullet point punctuation and punctuating lists can be confusing. Can you find four mistakes in the punctuation of the following list? (We follow the EU Style Guide for bullet points and lists. The EU guidance is similar to Chicago.)

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At the end of every shift, all employees must,

a) ensure their workstations are tidy

b) unplug computers at the socket;

c) Clock out correctly using the key pass system

Scroll down for the answer.

Answers to the bullet point punctuation quiz

At the end of every shift, all employees must:

a) ensure their workstations are tidy;

b) unplug computers at the socket;

c) clock out correctly using the key pass system.

According to the EU Style Guide, a list of this type should be introduced by a colon. Because the different items in the list are a continuation of the introductory sentence, they aren’t capitalised. Each item is set off using a semi-colon and the list ends with a full stop. The Chicago Manual of Style shares these recommendations. Different style guides take different stances on punctuating bullet points and lists and so it’s important to choose which one you want to follow and stick to it. We like the EU Style Guide in this case because the instructions on list punctuation are clear and comprehensive.

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