Punctuation for Beginning English Speakers

Choose the sentence that uses commas correctly.

• Mr. Addison, our teacher, comes from Chicago.
• Mr. Addison our teacher, comes from Chicago.
• Mr. Addison, our teacher comes from Chicago.

Choose the sentence that uses commas correctly.

• The Jolly Tiger, my father's favorite restaurant has a special this week on sandwiches. 
• The Jolly Tiger my father's, favorite restaurant has a special this week on sandwiches. 
• The Jolly Tiger, my father's favorite restaurant, has a special this week on sandwiches. 

Where do commas belong in the following sentence?
Our new kittens who could not find their mother meowed loudly.

• Our new kittens, who could not find their mother, meowed loudly.
• Our new kittens who could not find their mother, meowed loudly.
• Our new kittens, who could not find their mother meowed loudly.

Choose the best answer.

• Mr. Wright, how many students, are in our class?
• Mr. Wright, how many students are in our class?
• Mr. Wright how, many students are in our class?
• Mr. Wright how many students are in our class?

Where do commas belong in the following sentence?
Marsha and Bill will you please stop arguing?

• Susan and Eboni, will you please stop arguing?
• Susan, and Eboni will you please stop arguing?
• Susan and Eboni will you, please, stop arguing?

Place a dash after which word:  Our agents were undertaking a special mission in Reims a mission that Delphine had spearheaded under my direction.

• AGENTS
• REIMS
• MISSION
• SPEARHEADED

Place a dash after:  It’s not only our lives on the line it’s the lives of thousands of Allied soldiers.

• NOT
• ONLY
• LINE
• ALLIED

Which sentence uses parentheses correctly?

• Adolf the (biggest chimp) was not very helpful to Jane, but Rashidi was.

• Adolf (the biggest chimp) was not very helpful to Jane, but Rashidi was.

• Adolf the biggest chimp was not very helpful to Jane (but Rashidi was).

• Adolf the biggest chimp was (not very helpful) to Jane, but Rashidi was.

Which sentence uses dashes correctly?

• Jane Goodall was studying the chimps by interacting with them at the time—a novel way to proceed!

• Jane Goodall was studying the chimps—by interacting with them at the time a novel way to proceed!

• Jane Goodall—was studying the chimps by interacting with them at the time a novel way to proceed!

• Jane Goodall was studying the chimps by interacting with them—at the time a novel way to proceed!

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

• Chimps like people sleep all night.

• Chimps, like people, sleep all night.

• Chimps like people, sleep, all night.

• Chimps like, people, sleep all night.