ACT Punctuation

Apostrophes

Use apostrophes to show possession.

Use an 's for singular possessives, and use an s' for plural possessives.

• The boy's shoes or The boys' shoes

Multiple Choice

What is the correct way to write the following sentence?

A peacocks feathers are used to attract its mate.

• Correct as it is.

• A peacock's fathers are used to attract its mate.

• A peacock's feathers are used to attract it's mate.

• A peacocks feathers are used to attract it's mate.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the correct way to write the following sentence?

The movies producer and director both won Oscars for their work.

• Correct as is

• The movie's producer and director both won Oscars for thier work.

• The movie's producer and director both won Oscars' for their work.

• The movies producer and director both won Oscars' for their work.

Colons

Use a colon to introduce a list or an effect or consequence of the first part of the sentence. COLONS COME AT THE END OF A COMPLETE SENTENCE.

The kit contained everything they needed: tweezers, three bandaids, and some hand sanitizer.

I was mad for a legitimate reason: the dog stole my lunch.

Multiple Choice

In addition to capturing many public personages on film, Withers also photographed: waitresses, church congregations, and Little League baseball games.

• NO CHANGE

• photographed waitresses,

• photographed:

• photographed waitresses

Open Ended

In addition to capturing many public personages on film, Withers also photographed: waitresses, church congregations, and Little League baseball games.

How could this sentence be written correctly with a colon?

Dashes

Dashes can be used similarly to colons-at the end of an independent clause.

They can also be used-and often are used-like commas to set off an interrupting phrase within an independent clause.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences correctly uses a dash?

• I only had one thing on my mind-this Halloween candy corn.

• I only had one thing on my mind this Halloween-candy corn.

• I only had one-thing on my mind this Halloween candy corn.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses dashes correctly?

• My little brother-who annoys everyone will not be there- tonight.

• My little brother-who annoys everyone-will not be there tonight.

• My little-brother who annoys-everyone will not be there tonight.

Semicolons

The semicolon is the most commonly tested punctuation mark on the ACT. The most important thing to remember is that a semicolon is used between two independent clauses.

The castaways on the island killed the jaguar; they built a trap.

Multiple Choice

Coffee plants were first discovered growing naturally, in Africa; hundreds of years ago. The plants grew under a wide canopy of forests, which protected the coffee plants’ tender leaves from the burning sun. A

• naturally in Africa

• naturally; in Africa

• naturally: in Africa

• No change

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences uses a semicolon correctly?

• English has borrowed widely from French many terms in ballet and cooking; for example, are French.

• English has borrowed widely from French; many terms in ballet and cooking, for example, are French.

• English has borrowed widely; from French many terms in ballet and cooking, for example, are French.l