TRW - Punctuation

Punctuation

Technical Report Writing

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answer:

• I have been to San Francisco, California, Reno, Nevada, and Seattle, Washington.

• I have been to San Francisco California; Reno Nevada; and Seattle Washington.

• I have been to San Francisco California, Reno Nevada, and Seattle Washington.

• I have been to San Francisco, California; Reno, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington.

Multiple Select

Choose the correct answer:

• The American flag has three colors; red, white, and blue.

• The American flag has: three colors. Red, white, and blue.

• The American flag has three colors: red, white, and blue.

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​A panda enters a café, eats a sandwich, and starts shooting at the people in the café. When an amazed waiter blurts out a “Why?” in the ensuing confusion, the panda throws a copy of a wildlife manual at him.

And sure enough, he finds the following description against the word “Panda” in the manual: “Panda: Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answer:

• I need a few items at the store, clothespins, a bottle opener, and napkins.

• I need a few items at the store; clothespins, a bottle opener, and napkins.

• I need a few items at the store: clothespins, a bottle opener, and napkins.

Multiple Choice

Check where the periods are placed, and choose the correct answer.

• Dr. Murray, Michael Jackson’s doctor, was texting at 1:08 p.m. during the hours that the pop singer passed away in his L.A. home.

• Dr. Murray, Michael Jackson’s doctor, was texting at 1:08 pm during the hours that the pop singer passed away in his LA home.

• Dr Murray, Michael Jackson’s doctor, was texting at 1:08 p.m. during the hours that the pop singer passed away in his L.A. home

Brackets []

Brackets are, in a way, similar to parentheses. However, they are mostly used in academic writing and when presenting quotes. For instance, the writer can add extra information or fix mistakes in brackets, without changing the original quotation.

For example:

- The witness said, “I could hear him [the policeman] but I couldn’t see him”.

Ellipsis (…)

An ellipsis creates an intriguing and mysterious atmosphere in the text. In addition, it can be used to show that some letters or even words are omitted.

For example:

- So… what happened next? She was smart, funny and pretty but… something still felt wrong.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a hyphen?

• -

• –

• —

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an en dash?

• -

• –

• —

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an em dash?

• -

• –

• —

Multiple Choice

Which punctuation mark do we need?

Harry’s world___famous fried chicken.

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• –

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Multiple Choice

Which punctuation mark do we need?

Please read pages 97___102.

• -

• –

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Multiple Choice

Which punctuation mark do we need?

A smoke___free compound.

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Multiple Choice

Which punctuation mark do we need?

So I was in Chaguaramas the other day___whoa, did you see that?!

• -

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Multiple Choice

Which punctuation mark do we need?

People from Trinidad___you’re a Trini, right?___always know where the best lime is.

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• –

• —

Multiple Choice

I could not wait to visit my grandparents I had missed them so much.

Which of the following is the corrected sentence?

• I could not wait to visit my grandparents - I had missed them so much.. (en dash)

• I could not wait to visit my grandparents — I had missed them so much. (em dash)