Writing & StyleStyle guide
List Item Punctuation
List-item punctuation depends on the grammatical form of the items and the governing house style. Microsoft omits terminal punctuation from many fragments and short labels, but uses periods for complete sentences and some sentence-completing items.
Match punctuation to the list item’s grammar and your house style; complete sentences normally take periods, while short fragments often do not.
Key details
Core Issuewhen list items need periods or other terminal punctuation
Phrase Rolelist formatting and information structure
Registerprofessional and technical writing
Important caveats
Fragment Boundary
Short fragments, labels, headings, and similar items often appear without terminal punctuation in Microsoft style.
Sentence Boundary
Complete-sentence list items normally take sentence-ending punctuation.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Lists (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Style Guide · Bulleted lists for unordered related items and numbered lists for sequences or priorities