Google is kind of a big deal, to say the least. The tech giant has blossomed over the course of the past decade, quickly becoming part of the global lexicon, and establishing itself as an official verb in the dictionary. Although the company wears many hats, its most valuable asset has always been its phenomenal search engine.

Unfortunately, Google isn’t one to automatically recognize punctuation and grammar within search queries. However, the symbols and punctuation listed below are exceptions to the rules, ones that allow you to better refine your search results when used in conjunction with your desired search terms. Just don’t add any spaces between the symbol and your search phrases. Otherwise, Google will ignore your commands.

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Punctuation and symbols really only get you so far with Google. Search operators, which are additionally available within the Google Advanced Search page, allow you to greatly narrow your search results based on a variety of individual factors when you pair them with your desired search terms.

Also, omit the spaces as you would with symbols.

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There are a handful of other useful Google search functions that don’t fall under either of the above categories. Google built the engine with several useful tools that allow you to look up information without have to navigate to other sites. For instance, you can instantly check the weather for a city, or look up the definition of “miasma,” among a bevy of other actions. You can even utilize the microphone on your desktop or mobile device to search Google using your own voice, or find the Bacon Number of your favorite celebrity (we’re betting it’s two).

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