Exclamation Marks Show Big Feelings

An exclamation mark is a straight line with a dot under it. It shows a big feeling, like surprise, joy, fear, or excitement. When you see one, read with more energy. Compare 'It is snowing. ' with 'It is snowing! ' The first one just tells.

The second one sounds excited, maybe because you can go sledding. Think about what feeling fits the story. 'Look out! ' might sound scared. 'We won! ' sounds happy. You do not need to scream. Just let the feeling show in your voice.

• 1An exclamation mark shows a strong feeling.
• 2Read with more energy, not screaming.
• 3Match your voice to the feeling in the story.