In olden times quill pens made from bird feathers

* Ballpoint pen - Usually has tungsten carbide, steel or brass finishing. A ballpoint pen ordinarily measures between 0.7 to 1.2 millimeters and works by meting out thick oil based ink by navigating a minute hard orb. Ballpoint pens are very popular because the ink instantaneously dries upon contact with paper, plus, they are inexpensive and have a long life span. This type of pen is used in schools, colleges, universities and offices.

* Rollerball pen - In the beginning, the rollerball pen was crafted to merge the expediency of a ballpoint pen with the silky 'wet ink' outcome associated with the fountain pen. A rollerball pen's ink is usually water-based which is then distributed through a ball tip akin to a ballpoint pen. Because the ink is less thick and has a higher absorbance quality, this writing apparatus glides smoothly across paper or other writing materials.

* Fountain pen - The writing instrument choice of the distinguished and elite, it also has a water-based ink fluid which is then transported to a nib. From then on, the ink floods from a basin or tank, thanks to the ingenuity of combined gravity and capillary action. It is interesting to note that fountain pens do not possess any mobile components. Instead, ink is disseminated via a slim opening to the intended writing area. There are 2 types of fountain pen basins - refillable or disposable. The latter is known as an ink cartridge. Refillable fountain pens contain devices such as pistons to get ink from a container through the nib, or in some cases, the ink can be refilled using an eyedropper.

* Felt-tip pen - This instrument, also widely called a marker, has a permeable tip made from a rubbery substance. Felt-tip pens come in various sizes, with the smallest mainly used to write on paper. The larger version is what we normally use to mark cartons, chalkboards and whiteboards. The medium sized markers are popular with the much younger set, used for art purposes.

There are 3 kinds of pens used in times of yore and not universally employed, although in some parts of the world, they may be used sparingly.

* Dip pen - Also known as the nib pen, it is quite similar to the fountain pen, and has a metal nib with vessels. A dip pen is normally situated on a lever or receptacle made from wood. The drawback of the nib pen is that it must be frequently dipped into an ink container for repeated use. Nowadays, the nib pen is used mainly for art and design purposes, such as comics and calligraphy.

* Reed pen - This pen has almost departed the writing world, except for minor use for school children in remote parts of Pakistan, said to develop handwriting skills. Reed pens are made out of bamboos and reed, with an opening in a tapered tip.

* Quill pen - Made from feathers of birds like geese and eagles. A quill pen was one of the first writing instruments used, after the reed pen. The mechanism consisted of a shaft which operated as an ink basin, and the ink is distributed right to the tip via a passageway.