Punctuation ENC1101

Select ALL the sentences which are correctly punctuated.

• Stephen King, who understands how to frighten his readers, has depicted evil clowns in his work.

• Stephen King  ̶ who understands how to frighten his readers  ̶ has depicted evil clowns in his work.

• Stephen King, who understands how to frighten his readers has depicted evil clowns in his work.

• Stephen King  ̶  who understands how to frighten his readers has depicted evil clowns in his work.

Answer explanation

PARENTHESES ( ) Set off extra information that is not essential to the

sentence

DASH — Sets off words for emphasis. Use two dashes, unless the emphasis comes right at the end of the sentence.

Select all the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• He waited until April 15, 2023, to file his 2022 tax return.

• He waited until April, 15, 2023, to file his 2022 tax return.

Answer explanation

15 April, 2023

April 15, 2023

Don't use a comma to divide the date and the month.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.2A

CCSS.L.2.2B

CCSS.L.3.2B

Select all the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• The house was moved from Cripple Creek, Colorado, to the lot on Forest Street.

• The house was moved from Cripple Creek Colorado to the lot on Forest Street.

• The house was moved from Cripple, Creek Colorado, to the lot on Forest, Street.

Answer explanation

We use commas to divide the elements of an address.

Logically, Cripple Creek is the name of the town, and Forest Street is the name of the street, so neither phrase should be split with a comma in the middle.

Tags

CCSS.L.6.2A

CCSS.L.4.2C

Select all the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• Road rage as most people know occurs when angry drivers overreact.

• Road rage - as most people know - occurs when angry drivers overreact.

• Road rage -as most people know occurs - when angry drivers overreact.

• Road rage occurs - as most people - know when angry drivers overreact.

Answer explanation

We can use dashes to separate additional information. If we take out the words between the dashes, the sentence should still make sense.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.2A

Select all the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• My sister asked “James, do you get a lot of telemarketing calls?”

• My sister asked, “James, do you get a lot of telemarketing calls?”

• My sister asked James if he got a lot of telemarketing calls.

• My sister: “james you get a lot of telemarketing calls”?

Answer explanation

If you write the direct speech, you should use a comma after the reporting verb (asked). If you use indirect speech, then don't use a comma. The final question mark or period always goes BEFORE the quotation marks.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

Select ALL the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• Sophie said that the exam was postponed.

• Sophie said, “The exam was postponed.”

• Sophie said the exam was postponed.

• “The exam was postponed,” said Sophie.

Answer explanation

They are all correct!

When you use a direct quotation of what a person said, the first letter of their sentence will have a capital letter.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

Select all the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• The eighty-year-old smoker was considered a high-risk patient.

• The eighty year old smoker was considered a high risk patient.

• The smoker of eighty years was considered a patient at high risk.

• The smoker was eighty years old and was considered a high-risk patient.

Answer explanation

It is common (and recommended) to for noun phrases like these in English. In many cases, we use HYPHENS to join the words together and make the single description. The alternative of adding the description after the noun is sometimes valid too, although it might not flow so well.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.2A

Select all the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• The resort offers many activities, such as: snorkeling, golf, and windsurfing.

• The resort offers many activities: snorkeling, golf, and windsurfing.

• The resort offers many activities, such as snorkeling, golf, and windsurfing.

• The resort offers many activities, snorkeling; golf; and windsurfing.

Answer explanation

It is correct to use a colon : before a list of items, but it goes at the end of a full sentence. SUCH AS and FOR EXAMPLE are phrases, so we don´t use a :

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.2B

Select ALL the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• Suzy has many talents. For example: writing, drawing, and painting.

• Suzy has many talents: writing, drawing, and painting.

• Suzy has many talents, writing, drawing, and painting.

• Suzy has many talents such as writing ,drawing ,and painting.

Answer explanation

The comma has to go immediately after the last letter of the previous word (no space) with one space before the next word. This is so common that it looks really bad if we get it wrong.

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.2B

Select ALL the sentences which are correctly punctuated (with no punctuation errors).

• My worst habit (and also the hardest to break) is interrupting.

• My worst habit — and also the hardest to break — is interrupting.

• My worst habit is interrupting and it is also the hardest to break.

Answer explanation

We can use parentheses or dashes to divide an "extra" phrase. It is a style decision, and we can usually do it to use less words to express the same information.