Punctuation Mastery

Emily, Darren, and Delaney are preparing a menu for their cooking class. When should they use a comma?

• To separate the list of dishes from the rest of the sentence.

• To separate the individual dishes in the list.

• To connect the dishes in the list without any separation.

• To use a semicolon instead of a comma in the list.

Answer explanation

A comma should be used to separate the individual books in the list.

Kristin, Darren, and Logan were discussing about their pet cat's behavior. Kristin said, 'The cat's tail swished happily when I gave it a treat.' Darren said, 'The cats tail swished happily when I gave it a treat.' Logan said, 'The cats' tail swished happily when I gave it a treat.' Which of the following sentences used an apostrophe correctly?

• Kristin's statement

• Logan's statement

• Darren's statement

• None of the above

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is Avery's statement. It correctly uses an apostrophe to indicate possession.

Emily borrowed a novel from Kaden. She left it on Ethan's desk. In the sentence, 'Kaden's novel is on the desk,' where should the apostrophe be placed?

• Kaden's

• Kadens

• Kaden's'

• Kadens'

Answer explanation

The apostrophe should be placed in 'Sara's' to show possession.

Logan, Emily, and Koda are planning a beach party and they need to buy some snacks. Choose the sentence with the correct use of commas: A) Logan needs to buy chips, soda and ice cream for the party. B) Emily needs to buy chips soda, and ice cream for the party. C) Koda needs to buy chips soda and ice cream for the party.

• C) Koda needs to buy chips, soda and ice cream for the party.

• A) Logan needs to buy chips soda, and ice cream for the party.

• D) They need to buy chips soda and ice cream for the party.

• B) Emily needs to buy chips, soda, and ice cream for the party.

Answer explanation

The correct use of commas is shown in option B) Grace needs to buy eggs, milk, and bread for the picnic.

Logan is writing an email to his colleague, Emily. He is unsure about when to use a comma before a coordinating conjunction. Can you help him understand when a comma should be used before a coordinating conjunction?

• When Logan is joining a subject and a verb with the coordinating conjunction in his email.

• When Logan is joining two independent clauses with the coordinating conjunction in his email.

• When Logan is joining a dependent clause and an independent clause with the coordinating conjunction in his email.

• When Logan is joining two prepositional phrases with the coordinating conjunction in his email.

Answer explanation

A comma should be used before a coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses in a letter.

In a conversation, Emily mentioned, 'I heard Kristin's cat's meow is really loud,' where should the apostrophe be placed?

• After the second 's'

• Before the 'm'

• Before the first 's'

• Before the 't'

Answer explanation

The apostrophe should be placed before the first 's'. This indicates possession by Ethan and shows that the cat belongs to him.

Logan, Kristin, and Koda went to the library after their soccer practice. Choose the sentence that correctly uses commas to describe their activity: A) After soccer practice Logan Kristin and Koda went to the library and read some books. B) After soccer practice, Logan, Kristin, and Koda went to the library, and read some books. C) After soccer practice Logan Kristin and Koda went to the library, and read some books.

• A) After soccer practice Logan Kristin and Koda went to the library, and read some books.

• C) After soccer practice, Logan, Kristin and Koda went to the library and read some books.

• D) After soccer practice, Logan, Kristin and Koda went to the library and read some books.

• B) After soccer practice, Logan, Kristin, and Koda went to the library, and read some books.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is B) After school, Samuel, Ava, and Aria went to the park, and played on the swings. It correctly uses commas to separate the names and includes a comma before the coordinating conjunction 'and'.

Delaney, Darren, and Emily are working on a community project about local businesses. They are discussing how to correctly use an apostrophe in a business name. They came up with the following names: A) The Mens Shop is next door. B) The Men's Shop is next door. C) The Mens' Shop is next door. Which of these names uses an apostrophe correctly?

• F) The Men's' Shop is next door.

• D) The Mens's Shop is next door.

• B) The Men's Shop is next door.

• E) The Men Shop is next door.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is B) The men's room is down the hall. It uses an apostrophe correctly to indicate possession.

Kaden is writing an email to his classmate Ethan and he is unsure about the usage of commas. Can you help him understand when should a comma be used to set off introductory words or phrases?

• Before the main clause of the sentence

• At the end of the sentence

• Only in long sentences

• After the subject of the sentence

Answer explanation

A comma should be used to set off introductory words or phrases before the main clause of the sentence.