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Worksheets

English Punctuation Quiz

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 13hrs 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

___ is used to indicate possession.

a)

A quotation

b)

An apostrophe

c)

A hyphen

2.

___ is used to mark the end of declarative and imperative sentences.

a)

A period

b)

A comma

c)

A semi-colon

3.

A comma ___ be used between a verb and its direct object or complement.

a)

cannot

b)

can

4.

When a subordinate clause is followed by the main clause, ___ is required.

a)

a semi-colon

b)

a comma

c)

a dash

5.

When a comma is used ___ meaning is ___.

a)

appropriately, changed

b)

inappropriately, changed

c)

inappropriately, maintained

6.

___ precedes decimal numbers.

a)

A comma

b)

A colon

c)

A period

7.

When no connecting word is used to connect two independent clauses, one should use ___.

a)

a comma

b)

a semi-colon

c)

a period

8.

A question mark is not used at the end of ___ .

a)

a direct question

b)

an indirect question

9.

In ___ piece of writing, a dash replaces the parentheses or commas.

a)

a formal

b)

an informal

10.

___ separates a question tag from the rest of the sentence.

a)

A dash

b)

A semi-colon

c)

A comma

11.

To enclose cross-references one uses ___.

a)

parentheses

b)

hyphens

c)

question marks

12.

In ___ all words and punctuation are enclosed by quotation marks.

a)

indirect speech

b)

direct speech

13.

___ is used at the end of a sentence or remark to express strong emotion.

a)

An exclamation mark

b)

A question mark

c)

A quotation mark

14.

___ are used around a relative clause that defines the noun it follows.

a)

Only commas

b)

No commas

c)

Semi-colons

15.

A question mark is used in parenthesis to express ___.

a)

anger

b)

amazement

c)

doubt

16.

All of the people at the school, including the teachers and _______________ were glad when summer break came.

a)

students:

b)

students,

c)

students;

d)

students

17.

Sit up straight _____

a)

;

b)

?

c)

.

d)

:

18.

They asked what time the department store would open _____

a)

?

b)

.

c)

,

d)

;

19.

Who do you think will win the contest _____

a)

.

b)

!

c)

?

d)

,

20.

Choose the sentence below with the correct punctuation.

a)

Ted and Janice, who had been friends for years, went on vacation together every summer.

b)

Ted and Janice, who had been friends for years, went on vacation together, every summer.

c)

Ted, and Janice who had been friends for years, went on vacation together every summer.

d)

Ted and Janice who had been friends for years went on vacation together every summer.

21.

To _______________, Anne was on time for her math class.

a)

everybody’s surprise

b)

every body’s surprise

c)

everybodys surprise

d)

everybodys’ surprise

22.

In Edgar Allen Poe’s _______________________ Edgar Allen Poe describes a man with a guilty conscience.

a)

short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart,”

b)

short story The Tell-Tale Heart,

c)

short story, The Tell-Tale Heart

d)

short story. “the Tell-Tale Heart,”

23.

Billboards are considered an important part of advertising for big business, ________________ by their critics.

a)

but, an eyesore;

b)

but, “ an eyesore,”

c)

but an eyesore

d)

but-an eyesore

24.

I can never remember how to use those two common words, “sell,” meaning to trade a product for money, or _____________________ meaning an event where products are traded for less money than usual.

a)

sale.

b)

“sale,”

c)

“sale

d)

“to sale,”

25.

The class just finished reading ________________________ a short story by Carl Stephenson about a plantation owner’s battle with army ants.

a)

-”Leinengen versus the Ants”,

b)

Leinengen versus the Ants,

c)

“Leinengen versus the Ants,”

d)

Leinengen versus the Ants

26.

This is absolutely incredible _____

a)

!

b)

.

c)

:

d)

;

27.

Watch out for the broken glass _____

a)

.

b)

?

c)

,

d)

!

28.
What type of punctuation does this sentence need?
Math is my favorite subject ___
a)
!
b)
?
c)
.
d)
,
29.
What goes at the end of this sentence?
WOW!  Did you see that ___
a)
!
b)
.
c)
?
d)
,
30.

Which sentence is correct:

(1) Emma asked herself what she can do to become first in the grade?

(2) Emma asked herself what she can do to become first in the grade.

a)

(1)

b)

(2)

31.

Choose the correct sentence:

a)

The teacher shouted, "Be quiet Ona!"

b)

The teacher shouted, "Be quiet Ona,"

c)

The teacher shouted, "Be quiet Ona?"

d)

The teacher shouted, "Be quiet Ona."

32.

Choose the correct sentence:

a)

Where is Georgia going?

b)

Were is Georgia going?

c)

Where is Georgia going.

d)

Were is Georgia going.

33.
The coachs daughter is one of the best runners on the track team.
a)
coachs'
b)
runner's
c)
coach's
d)
runners'
34.
Which word should have an apostrophe in the sentence?
Sheer white curtains and fresh lilacs added to the rooms simple charm.
a)
curtain's
b)
lilac's
c)
room's
d)
curtains'
35.
Which word should have an apostrophe in the sentence?
Some students are unhappy about the schools decision to remove soft drink machines.
a)
student's
b)
school's
c)
machine's
d)
students'
36.
Which sentence is correct?
a)
Larrys bike was new.
b)
Larry bike was new.
c)
Larry's bike was new.
d)
Larrys' bike was new.
37.
Which sentence is written correctly?
a)
All the actor's got together backstage after the show.
b)
All the actors' got together backstage after the show.
c)
All the actors got together backstage after the show.
d)
All the actors's got together backstage after the show.
38.
Which sentence uses commas correctly?
a)
Jim is very bold and smart but he doesn't always say nice things to people. 
b)
Jim is very bold and smart, but he doesn't always say nice things to people. 
c)
Jim, is very bold and smart but he doesn't always say nice things to people. 
d)
Jim is very bold, and smart, but he doesn't always say nice things to people. 
39.

The tree is very tall old and green.

a)

very tall, old and green.

b)

very, tall, old, and green.

c)

very tall old, and green.

d)

No change

40.

Carlos wants to visit Paris Italy Germany and China.

a)

Paris and Italy and Germany and China.

b)

No change

c)

Paris, Italy, Germany, and China.

d)

Paris Italy, Germany and China.

41.

We went to the amusement park, it was a lot of fun.

a)

No change

b)

We went to the amusement park - it was a lot of fun.

c)

We went to the amusement park and, it was a lot of fun.

d)

We we to the amusement park it was a lot of fun.

42.

In five minutes the building will be closed.

a)

No change

b)

In five minutes the building, will be closed.

c)

In five minutes; the building will be closed.

d)

In five minutes, the building will be closed.

43.

Sorry we do not have enough room.

a)

No change

b)

Sorry, we do not have enough room.

c)

Sorry. We do not have enough room.

d)

Sorry - we do not have enough room.

44.

As an English teacher, people often ask me to name my favorite book.

a)

No change

b)

people often require me

c)

I am often asked

d)

students sometimes ask me

45.

Pick out the correct sentence.

a)

Prevent which is part of the 'Contest' strategy is for our safety.

b)

Prevent, which is part of the 'Contest' strategy is for our safety.

c)

Prevent, which is part of the 'Contest' strategy, is for our safety.

46.

Which punctuation mark can join two sentences together with similar ideas?

a)

colon

b)

comma

c)

ellipsis

d)

semi-colon

47.

An omissive apostrophe...

a)

Shows possession - what belongs to what

b)

Shows when to pause

c)

Shortens the word

48.
What is the point of an exclamation mark?
a)
it shows that you've asked a question forcefully
b)
to make it clear you've said something funny
c)
 to show that something is surprising or forceful
49.
Which sentence is correct?
a)
His mom's shoes are expensive. 
b)
His mom's shoe's are expensive.
c)
His moms shoe's is expensive.
d)
His moms shoes is expensive. 
50.
__ a nice day.
a)
Its
b)
It's