Exclamation points, or exclamation marks as they're also called, are punctuation marks designed to show excitement, emergency, emphasis, surprise, or strong emotion. However, they have evolved, at least for some people, into coming across as rude, sloppy, and unprofessional.

Why are exclamation points bad?

The exclamation mark is often the lazy writer's way of conveying emotion. By using it, you're telling the reader how to interpret the line. ... Of course, exclamation marks aren't—and shouldn't—be obsolete. Writers can use them to create a specific impact.

What does it mean when people use exclamation points?

The exclamation mark, !, also sometimes referred to as the exclamation point, especially in American English, is a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings, or to show emphasis.