Pen is a device used for writing purposes on a variety of surfaces. The most commonly used medium for writing is paper. Reed pen was the first pen invented by man many centuries ago. After the reed pen was introduced the quill pen. It was made from the feathers of different birds. Followed by quill pen were the dip pens. These pens were used to write on paper by dipping it in the ink.

Over the years, these types of pens have been replaced by modern versions. Today, there is a variety of pens to choose from, depending on the specific needs.

The fountain pen was introduced in the 1880s which uses liquid ink. It has a built in reservoir for ink, known as the cartridge. The cartridge is refillable, which allows the pen to be used for a longer period of time. The flexible nib at the end is ideal for fancy writing, although it requires skill and care.

The most common type of pen is the ball point pen. This pen has a small ball at the end which delivers oil based ink to the surface. Ball point pens are easy to use, reliable and inexpensive. They also have a long ink life and require no maintenance. Erasable ball point pens are also now available in the market. They have replaced fountain pens as the most common type of pens in use today. However, the ink used in such pens can be sticky which limits expressive writing.

Roller pens are also available which have almost the same design and mechanism but the type of ink is a bit different. Unlike ball points, these pens use water based-ink. This ink makes the writing smooth and attractive. The ink inside the pen is short lived as it goes dry soon.

There is another common type of pen widely used, known as fibre tip pen. It was invented in 1960s. It consists of a fibrous nib. There are several different sizes of this pen available in the market, which are used for different purposes such as, small size is used for simple writing, medium size is used for colouring purposes, and large sizes are used for surfaces like cardboards and plastics. These pens are of great use to children as their ink can be washed. Moreover, there are varieties having non-washable ink as well.

On the other hand, gel pens are recently introduced in the year 1995. There are varieties having coloured ink with shimmering particles in it. The ink is, however, short-lived having a time duration of five weeks at the most. These pens work in a more effective manner as compared to the roller pens.

To decide what type of pen to use, one has to see his/her usage and requirements. For everyday use, a ball point pen is the best option. For students, a roller ball pen would be a better choice as it delivers a better writing experience. For drawing and colouring purposes, felt tip pens and gel pens should be used.

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