Are text messages interpreted differently when they end in a period? How can punctuation help us be better texters?
Imagine receiving a text from a friend that just says “Thanks.” Even though you know your friend probably didn’t mean it that way, the text feels oddly cold—almost dismissive. In digital communication, tiny details like punctuation can carry surprising weight. While texting with periods may seem harmless, the periods can shift the tone of the message and make it appear abrupt or unfriendly. As more of our interactions move to digital platforms, understanding these subtle cues becomes essential for maintaining clarity, kindness, and politeness in everyday conversations.
Two hundred undergraduate students at a university in Australia participated in the study. The researchers showed the students fictional texts. All participants were given identical control texts, but the experimental texts were manipulated among short, medium, and long sentences (around six to eight words in length). Half of the experimental texts—some with negative messages and others with positive—also had a period present while the other half didn’t. The use of periods also varied in different environments, like within initials and parenthetical citations or at the end of sentences. The students used a Likert scale, a survey for rating opinions or attitudes, to rate their perception of negativity from the fictitious sender.
The results indicated that negative messages in texts were perceived as negative, and positive messages as positive. Longer texts with periods within initials and parenthetical citations, but not at the end of the texts, were perceived as more positive than negative. Shorter texts with periods at the end seemed to be perceived more often as negative. These results indicate that periods do impact the perception of the positivity or negativity of text messages.
“Putting a period at the end of a casually written thought could mean that you’re raring for a fight.”
—Harrison-Caldwell, participant (2025)
These results reject the null hypothesis that texting with periods does not have an impact on perception in digital communication.
THE IMPLICATIONS
For a dot so small, periods carry a lot of weight when it comes to communication. One misplaced period can alter the tone of a digital message from friendly to fiery, whether the sender intends to or not. For short and simple text messages, it’s best to forgo formal grammar conventions and avoid periods entirely. However, in longer messages—typically six to eight words in length—periods at the end tend to be received more positively than negatively.
When texting with periods, remember that their placement influences how your message is received. Next time you pause to text a friend, take a moment to consider which punctuation mark to end your sentence with. With practice, we can all understand how to strike the proper balance between being kind and clear.
To learn more about how punctuation and message length influence perception in digital communication, read the full article:
Nenagh Kemp, Rebecca Kovacic, and Elisabeth Beyersmann. “Is the Period Really ‘Pissed’? The Effect of Punctuation and Message Length on Perceptions in Digital Communication.” Telematics and Informatics 97 (February 2025): 102241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2025.102241.
—Lainey Wuehler, Nick Chin, Jane Bradshaw, Trinity Richards, Netiquette
FEATURE IMAGE BY ANSSPVT TITAN (Unsplash)
Find more research
Check out Vasile Păiş and Dan Tufiş’ (2021) article on challenges with punctuation and correct word casing in short texts, online blogging, and programming algorithms: “Capitalization and punctuation restoration: a survey.” Artificial Intelligence Review 55, no. 3 (July 23, 2021): 1681–1722. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-021-10051-x.
Take a look at Kalle Glauch’s (2022) article how punctuation changes perception and understanding in digital communication: “Expressive Punctuation: How Punctuation Changes the Perceived Valence of Discourse Referents in Computer-Mediated Communication.” Frontiers in Communication 7 (September): 931682. https://doi.org/10.46771/9783967699470_2.
Texting with Periods: Punctuation Matters.
Are text messages interpreted differently when they end in a period? How can punctuation help us be better texters?
Imagine receiving a text from a friend that just says “Thanks.” Even though you know your friend probably didn’t mean it that way, the text feels oddly cold—almost dismissive. In digital communication, tiny details like punctuation can carry surprising weight. While texting with periods may seem harmless, the periods can shift the tone of the message and make it appear abrupt or unfriendly. As more of our interactions move to digital platforms, understanding these subtle cues becomes essential for maintaining clarity, kindness, and politeness in everyday conversations.
THE RESEARCH
The researchers Nenagh Kemp, Rebecca Kovacic, and Elisabeth Beyersmann conducted a study titled “Is the Period Really ‘Pissed’? The Effect of Punctuation and Message Length on Perceptions in Digital Communication” to observe the impact of punctuation in short, medium, and long messages. Specifically, they investigated whether messages with periods included were considered positive, neutral, or negative.
Two hundred undergraduate students at a university in Australia participated in the study. The researchers showed the students fictional texts. All participants were given identical control texts, but the experimental texts were manipulated among short, medium, and long sentences (around six to eight words in length). Half of the experimental texts—some with negative messages and others with positive—also had a period present while the other half didn’t. The use of periods also varied in different environments, like within initials and parenthetical citations or at the end of sentences. The students used a Likert scale, a survey for rating opinions or attitudes, to rate their perception of negativity from the fictitious sender.
The results indicated that negative messages in texts were perceived as negative, and positive messages as positive. Longer texts with periods within initials and parenthetical citations, but not at the end of the texts, were perceived as more positive than negative. Shorter texts with periods at the end seemed to be perceived more often as negative. These results indicate that periods do impact the perception of the positivity or negativity of text messages.
These results reject the null hypothesis that texting with periods does not have an impact on perception in digital communication.
THE IMPLICATIONS
For a dot so small, periods carry a lot of weight when it comes to communication. One misplaced period can alter the tone of a digital message from friendly to fiery, whether the sender intends to or not. For short and simple text messages, it’s best to forgo formal grammar conventions and avoid periods entirely. However, in longer messages—typically six to eight words in length—periods at the end tend to be received more positively than negatively.
When texting with periods, remember that their placement influences how your message is received. Next time you pause to text a friend, take a moment to consider which punctuation mark to end your sentence with. With practice, we can all understand how to strike the proper balance between being kind and clear.
To learn more about how punctuation and message length influence perception in digital communication, read the full article:
Nenagh Kemp, Rebecca Kovacic, and Elisabeth Beyersmann. “Is the Period Really ‘Pissed’? The Effect of Punctuation and Message Length on Perceptions in Digital Communication.” Telematics and Informatics 97 (February 2025): 102241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2025.102241.
—Lainey Wuehler, Nick Chin, Jane Bradshaw, Trinity Richards, Netiquette
FEATURE IMAGE BY ANSSPVT TITAN (Unsplash)
Find more research
Check out Vasile Păiş and Dan Tufiş’ (2021) article on challenges with punctuation and correct word casing in short texts, online blogging, and programming algorithms: “Capitalization and punctuation restoration: a survey.” Artificial Intelligence Review 55, no. 3 (July 23, 2021): 1681–1722. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-021-10051-x.
Read Sherri Jessmer’s (2001) article on the effects of punctuation and grammar on user perception in online communications like email: “The Effect of Politeness and Grammar on User Perceptions of Electronic Mail.” Social Science Computer Review 23, no. 1 (Spring): 12–23. https://byu.idm.oclc.org/login/?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/effect-politeness-grammar-on-user-perceptions/docview/89176765/se-2.
Take a look at Kalle Glauch’s (2022) article how punctuation changes perception and understanding in digital communication: “Expressive Punctuation: How Punctuation Changes the Perceived Valence of Discourse Referents in Computer-Mediated Communication.” Frontiers in Communication 7 (September): 931682. https://doi.org/10.46771/9783967699470_2.
Related Posts
How Avoiding TMI Online Can Strengthen Your Brand
Careful Where You Click: Rage-Bait Headlines and the Business of Anger
The Role of Positivity in Making a Good Podcast