The Effects of Punctuation

Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson) was as iconic as her life was tragic. 

What punctuation is used here?

• A.

  comma

• B.

  dash

• C.

  brackets

• D.

  colon

Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson) was as iconic as her life was tragic. 

Why do you think brackets are used here?

• A.

  To introduce a list.

• B.

  To add extra information about the person.

• C.

  To emphasise the person's name.

• D.

  To separate two clauses.

Which punctuation is marked in red?

• A.

  dash

• B.

  colon

• C.

  hyphen

• D.

  semicolon

Why do you think dashes are used here?

• A.

  To introduce a list.

• B.

  To separate number and clause.

• C.

  To emphasise the things.

• D.

  To add extra information.

• Sasha owns three dogs: a beagle, a Dalmatian, and a husky.

Why do you think the colon is used here?

• A.

  To introduce a list.

• B.

  To emphasise the phrase.

• C.

  To separate clauses.

• D.

  To create a pause.

• I stopped to consider an important question: Did I turn the faucet off?

Why do you think the colon is used here?

• A.

  To introduce a list.

• B.

  To build tension.

• C.

  To indicate a pause.

• D.

  To clarify further on the subject.

You should never argue with Sharon—she can become quite aggressive.

Why do you think the dash is used here?

• A.

  To add emphasis.

• B.

  To give extra information.

• C.

  To separate clauses.

He is afraid of two things—spiders and senior prom.

Why is the dash used in this sentence?

• A.

  To separate clauses and add emphasis.

• B.

  To create a pause and build tension.

• C.

  To create a pause and add emphasis.