Mitchell Punctuation Skills

When listing items in a sentence, which punctuation mark should be used to separate them?

• Semicolons

• Question marks

• Exclamation marks

• Commas

Answer explanation

When listing items in a sentence, commas should be used to separate them. Semicolons, question marks, and exclamation marks are not appropriate for this purpose.

Which punctuation mark is used at the end of a declarative sentence?

• question mark

• comma

• period

• exclamation mark

Answer explanation

A period is used at the end of a declarative sentence to indicate a full stop. It is the correct punctuation mark for this type of sentence.

In the sentence 'The cat's toy is missing', what does the apostrophe in 'cat's' indicate?

• Possession

• Possessive

• Contraction

• Plurality

Answer explanation

The apostrophe in 'cat's' indicates possession, showing that the toy belongs to the cat.

Which of the following sentences use correct comma placement? A) I went to the store and bought milk, bread, and eggs. B) I went to the store and bought milk bread and eggs.

• I went to the store and bought milk, bread and eggs.

• I went to the store and bought milk bread, and eggs.

• A) I went to the store and bought milk, bread, and eggs.

• I went to the store and bought milk bread and eggs.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence with proper comma placement is: A) I went to the store and bought milk, bread, and eggs.

What punctuation mark should be used to separate the city from the state in an address?

• ;

• .

• ,

• -

Answer explanation

The correct punctuation mark to separate the city from the state in an address is a comma (,).

Which sentence uses correct end punctuation? A) Where are you going B) Where are you going.

• A) Where are you going?

• B) Where are you going.

• D) Where are you going

• C) Where are you going,

Answer explanation

The correct sentence should end with a period to indicate a statement. Therefore, option B) Where are you going. is the correct choice.

In the sentence 'The dog's tail wagged happily', what does the apostrophe in 'dog's' indicate?

• possession

• verb tense

• plural

• contraction

Answer explanation

The apostrophe in 'dog's' indicates possession, showing that the tail belongs to the dog in the sentence.

When should a comma be used before a coordinating conjunction like 'and' or 'but'?

• When the coordinating conjunction is connecting two independent clauses.

• When the coordinating conjunction is connecting two prepositional phrases.

• When the coordinating conjunction is connecting a dependent clause and an independent clause.

• When the coordinating conjunction is connecting a subject and a verb.

Answer explanation

A comma should be used before a coordinating conjunction like 'and' or 'but' when connecting two independent clauses.

Which sentence uses correct comma placement? A) After school I went to the park, and played with my friends. B) After school I went to the park and played with my friends.

• B) After school I went to the park and played with my friends.

• After school I went to the park, and played with my friends

• After school I went to the park, and played with my friends.

• After school I went to the park and, played with my friends.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is B) After school I went to the park and played with my friends because it correctly joins two independent clauses without a comma before the coordinating conjunction 'and'.

What punctuation mark should be used to indicate possession in a plural noun like 'dogs'?

• A period

• A question mark

• A comma

• An apostrophe

Answer explanation

An apostrophe should be used to indicate possession in a plural noun like 'dogs'.