How much seconds for punctuation when we read a loud text?

Question

I have one question that when we read text for **comma, semi-colon** we use approximately **1 second of pause** and for **period and colon** there is **2 second of pause** but I also want to know about following: 1. Quotation mark 2. Hyphen 3. Dash 4. Question mark (not at end of sentence) 5. Exclamation mark (not at end of sentence)

Answer 1

This is an intriguing question! in general, your pauses for ending punctuation should be the same. For example, if you feel that a two second pause is appropriate for a period, then a two second pause is appropriate for a question mark. When reading a hyphen, don't pause. When reading a dash use a one second pause.

Of course, normally, the length of pauses are not always the same in different sentences. You should increase or decrease the length of your pause depending on what you are reading for. For example, if you have a time limit, decrease the time of your pauses. If you are nervous while reading, increase the time of your pauses. If you say something funny, you might want to increase your ending punctuation pause to allow people to laugh. It all depends on the purpose of your reading!.

Answer 2

A good rule of thumb when reading aloud, particularly for commas separating words in a series, is to take very short/shallow breaths at each point that the comma appears. For semicolons, consider the context of the sentence. Semicolons set up an independent clause that may or may not need a shift in tone, emphasis, volume, etc. Colons are meant to direct attention, so a definite pause is appropriate to allow the listener to focus. Skilled public speakers reading from notes use such techniques to heighten interest in their audiences...(hence the term, "dramatic reading").