A special character is any symbol that is not a letter (alphabet) or a number (digit). These characters include punctuation marks (like commas, periods, question marks), symbols (such as @, #, $, %, &), and other non-alphanumeric characters found on a keyboard or used in writing and computing
. Special characters serve various purposes:
- They add emphasis, clarity, or visual appeal to text.
- They help structure sentences and convey tone in writing.
- They play important roles in programming, coding, and web addresses.
- Some control or formatting characters affect how text is displayed or processed (e.g., the Enter key or space bar)
Many special characters are located near the number keys on a keyboard, but some can be entered using special key sequences (like holding the Alt key and typing a number code)
. Examples of special characters include punctuation marks (!, ?, .), currency symbols ($, €, ¥), mathematical symbols (*, =), brackets ([, ]), and others like the ampersand (&) and at sign (@)
. In summary, special characters are all the symbols on your keyboard and in text that are neither letters nor numbers, and they play versatile roles in communication, writing, and computing contexts.
