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Worksheets

Dashes Hyphens and Ellipses

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is used to show a sudden break in a sentence, to emphasize a word or clause, and to show that someone's speech is being interrupted?

a)

hyphen

b)

dash

c)

quotation mark

d)

a breath

2.

How would you change the red portion of the sentence?


The school trip, which is scheduled for September 12th—will involve stopping for lunch at an authentic Himalayan restaurant.

a)

Keep AS IS

b)

school trip which is scheduled

c)

school trip—which is scheduled

d)

school trip-which is scheduled

3.

Which of the following sentences correctly indicates a pause in the sentence?

a)

"I really think I belong there...where the wild things are."

b)

"I really think I belong there—where the wild things are."

c)

"I really think I belong there-where the wilder things are."

d)

"I really think I belong there (where the wild things are)."

4.

Which sentence is correct?

a)

The 1998 Yankees had one aim and one aim only winning.

b)

the 1998 Yankees had one aim and one aim only...winning

c)

the 1998 yankees had one aim and one aim only - winning.

d)

The 1998 Yankees had one aim and one aim only—winning.

5.

In the following sentence, where does a hyphen need added: Yesterday, my cousin turned twenty five.

a)

Yester-day

b)

my-cousin

c)

twenty-five

d)

turn-ed

6.

What type of punctuation is used to join two words into one, clarify words, and divide words at the end of a line?

a)

dash

b)

comma

c)

ellipses

d)

hyphen

7.

Insert a hyphen in the following sentence: The heart pounding ending left me breathless.

a)

The heart-pounding ending left me breathless.

b)

The heart pounding-ending left me breathless.

c)

The heart-pounding-ending left me breathless.

d)

The heart pounding ending left me breath-less.

8.

A reviewer wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, beautifully performed, and had many outstanding special effects."
Which of the following shows how the author could correctly use an ELLIPSIS to shorten the quote?

a)

A critic wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, and beautifully performed. . . ."

b)

A critic wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, . . . and beautifully performed."

c)

A  critic wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, and beautifully . . . performed."

d)

A critic wrote that . . . the musical was "dazzling, colorful, and beautifully performed."

9.

What is used to show a pause in dialogue or to show that words or sentences have been left out? (HINT: ...)

a)

comma

b)

space

c)

hyphen

d)

ellipses

10.

How would you hyphenate the word goober at the end of a line?

a)

goo-ber

b)

go-ober

c)

goob-er

d)

Correct as is.

11.

Pick the correct use of ellipses in the sentence:

a)

It is . . . sand pressed tightly together and . . . acts as a kind of cement.

b)

It...acts as a kind of cement.

c)

It is not much more than sand . . . mixed with clay.

d)

It is . . . more than sand . . . mixed with clay.

12.

What is used to divide words at the end of a line and to form compound words?

a)

dash

b)

comma

c)

ellipses

d)

hyphen

13.

Hyphenate the following word as it would be at the end of a line: doesn't

a)

does-n't

b)

doesn't

c)

do-esn't

d)

None of the above

14.

Which word needs hyphenated in the following sentence:

The company halted in house production of its magazine.

a)

company-halted

b)

in-house

c)

house-production

d)

in-house-production

15.

Pick the correct use of ellipses in the sentence:

Holmes's ever questioning mind and dislike for displays of emotion made him appear cold, calculating, and uncaring.

a)

Holmes's ... dislike for displays of emotion made him appear ... uncaring

b)

Holmes's ever questioning mind ... made him appear cold, calculating, and uncaring.

c)

Holmes's ... him appear cold, calculating, and uncaring.

d)

Answer 1 and 2.

16.

Pick the correct use of ellipses in the sentence:

Dr. Martin Cooper may not be a familiar name, but he invented one of the most significant innovations of the twentieth-century.

a)

Dr. Martin Cooper ... invented ... the most significant innovations of the twentieth-century.

b)

Keep it as is.

c)

Dr. Martin Cooper...a familiar name...invented one of the most significant innovations of the twentieth-century.

d)

Both 1 and 3.

17.

How should the below sentence be punctuated?

a)

Newburyport- a small town in Massachusetts- is the place she calls home.

b)

Newburyport — small town in Massachusetts — is the place she calls home.

c)

Newburyport —a small town in Massachusetts is the place she calls home.

d)

Newburyport a small town in Massachusetts - is the place she calls home.

18.

How would you change the red portion of the sentence?


The school trip, which is scheduled for September 12th--will involve stopping for lunch at an authentic Himalayan restaurant.

a)

Keep AS IS

b)

school trip which is scheduled

c)

school trip--which is scheduled

d)

school trip-which is scheduled

19.

What sign do we use when two parents decide to give their child both of their last names?

a)

comma

b)

long dash

c)

hyphen

d)

ellipses

20.

Which of the following sentences correctly uses a dash to indicate an abrupt change in thought?

a)

A) I was going to the store—but I forgot my wallet.

b)

B) I was going to the store, but I forgot my wallet.

c)

C) I was going to the store; but I forgot my wallet.

d)

D) I was going to the store. But I forgot my wallet.

21.

Identify the sentence that correctly uses a hyphen.

a)

A) The well known author signed my book.

b)

B) The well-known author signed my book.

c)

C) The well known-author signed my book.

d)

D) The well-known author-signed my book.

22.

Which sentence demonstrates the correct use of ellipses to indicate omitted text?

a)

A) She said she would be late...but didn't explain why.

b)

B) She said she would be late but...didn't explain why.

c)

C) She said...she would be late but didn't explain why.

d)

D) She said she would be late but didn't explain...why.

23.

Choose the sentence that correctly uses a dash for emphasis.

a)

A) The winner of the contest is—John Smith!

b)

B) The winner of the contest is, John Smith!

c)

C) The winner of the contest is; John Smith!

d)

D) The winner of the contest is. John Smith!

24.

Which of the following sentences uses a hyphen correctly in a compound adjective?

a)

A) She is a well respected leader.

b)

B) She is a well-respected leader.

c)

C) She is a well respected-leader.

d)

D) She is a well-respected-leader.

25.

Identify the sentence that uses ellipses to show a trailing off of thought.

a)

A) I was thinking about going to the party...

b)

B) I was thinking about going to the party.

c)

C) I was thinking about going to the party—

d)

D) I was thinking about going to the party;