Punctuation

Where should the comma go? 'After dinner we went to the park.'

• AAfter dinner we, went to the park.
• BAfter dinner we went, to the park.
• CAfter, dinner we went to the park.
• DAfter dinner, we went to the park.✓

Answer: A comma follows an introductory phrase at the start of a sentence to separate it from the main clause.

Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly?

• AThe dogs toys' are in the basket.
• BThe dogs toys are in the baskets'.
• CThe dog's toys are in the basket.✓
• DThe dog's are playing.

Answer: 'The dog's toys' is correct: the apostrophe before the 's' shows the toys belong to one dog. The apostrophe goes with the owner, never with the thing that is owned.

Add a semicolon correctly: 'It was a sunny day the children played outside.'

• AIt was a sunny day the; children played outside.
• BIt was a sunny day; the children played outside.✓
• CIt was a sunny day; the children, played outside.
• DIt was; a sunny day the children played outside.

Answer: A semicolon joins two related independent clauses. Both parts can stand alone as complete sentences.

Which sentence uses commas correctly in a list?

• AI bought apples, oranges, and bananas.✓
• BI bought apples oranges and bananas.
• CI bought, apples, oranges, and bananas.
• DI bought apples, oranges, and, bananas.

Answer: When listing items, place commas between each item, including one before 'and' (the Oxford comma).

Which contraction is written correctly?

• Aca-nt
• Bca'nt
• Ccan't✓
• Dcant

Answer: 'Can't' is the correct contraction of 'cannot'. The apostrophe replaces the letters 'no'.

Use a colon correctly: 'I need three things milk, bread and eggs.'

• AI need three things: milk, bread and eggs.✓
• BI need three: things milk, bread and eggs.
• CI need three things milk: bread and eggs.
• DI need: three things milk, bread and eggs.

Answer: A colon introduces a list or explanation. It comes after an independent clause that introduces what follows.

Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly?

• AIts book belongs to the school's library.✓
• BIt's book belongs to the school's library.
• CIt's book belongs to the schools' library.
• DIts book belongs to the schools library.

Answer: 'Its' is possessive (no apostrophe). 'School's' is correct for a singular possessive. 'It's' means 'it is'.

How should this be punctuated? 'Have you finished your homework asked Mum'

• A'Have you finished your homework?' asked Mum.✓
• B'Have you finished your homework' asked Mum.
• C'Have you finished your homework asked Mum'.
• DHave you finished your homework? asked Mum.

Answer: Direct speech uses speech marks. The question mark goes inside the speech marks before the closing quote.

Which sentence uses brackets correctly?

• AThe recipe (which is very easy) takes 30 minutes.✓
• BThe recipe which is very easy) (takes 30 minutes.
• CThe recipe (which is very easy takes 30 minutes.
• DThe recipe (which is very easy takes) 30 minutes.

Answer: Brackets should enclose the additional information completely, with matching opening and closing brackets.

Use a hyphen correctly: 'My sister is twenty one years old.'

• AMy sister is twenty -one years old.
• BMy sister is twenty one-years old.
• CMy sister is twenty- one years old.
• DMy sister is twenty-one years old.✓

Answer: Compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated. The hyphen joins the two parts of the number.

Which sentence correctly uses a comma to separate a clause?

• ABecause it was, cold we wore coats.
• BWe wore coats, because it was cold.
• CWe, wore coats because it was cold.
• DBecause it was cold, we wore coats.✓

Answer: When a subordinate clause starts a sentence, use a comma to separate it from the main clause.

Which statement about the apostrophe is right? 'The girls' books are on the shelf.'

• AThis is correct✓
• BIt should be 'girls'
• CIt should be 'girls''
• DIt should be 'girl's'

Answer: 'The girls' books' is correct. Multiple girls own the books, so the apostrophe comes after the plural noun.

Which sentence punctuates this list correctly?

• AShe likes reading, writing; and painting.
• BShe likes reading, writing, and painting.✓
• CShe likes reading; writing, and painting.
• DShe likes: reading, writing; and painting.

Answer: For a simple list, use commas. Save semicolons for separating complex ideas or clauses.

Add punctuation: 'What a brilliant idea'

• AWhat a brilliant idea;
• BWhat a brilliant idea!✓
• CWhat a brilliant idea?
• DWhat a brilliant idea.

Answer: An exclamation mark shows strong emotion or enthusiasm. This sentence expresses excitement about the idea.

Which shows the correct use of a hyphen?

• AThe well-known-actor performed brilliantly.
• BThe well known-actor performed brilliantly.
• CThe well-known actor performed brilliantly.✓
• DThe well- known actor performed brilliantly.

Answer: 'Well-known' is a hyphenated compound adjective that comes before a noun to modify it.

Where should the apostrophe go in this sentence? 'The cats toys are all over the floor.' (There is one cat.)

• AThe cat's toys' are all over the floor
• BThe cats's toys are all over the floor
• CThe cat's toys are all over the floor✓
• DThe cats' toys are all over the floor

Answer: Since there is one cat, we use the singular possessive 'cat's' with the apostrophe before the 's'. If there were multiple cats, we would write 'cats'' with the apostrophe after the 's'.

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

• AI like pizza, pasta, and chocolate but not together✓
• BI like, pizza pasta and chocolate, but not together
• CI like pizza pasta, and chocolate but, not together
• DI, like pizza pasta and chocolate but not together

Answer: Commas separate the items in a list: 'pizza, pasta, and chocolate'. In the other options the commas are placed where they break the sentence up in the wrong way.

Which sentence uses semicolons correctly?

• AI love swimming I enjoy tennis
• BI love swimming; tennis is the best
• CI love; swimming I enjoy tennis
• DI love swimming; I enjoy tennis✓

Answer: A semicolon connects two related independent clauses that are closely linked in meaning. Both 'I love swimming' and 'I enjoy tennis' are complete sentences related by the semicolon.

Where should the quotation marks go in this sentence? 'I'm going to the shop,' said Emma.

• A'I'm going to the shop' said Emma
• B'I'm going to the shop,' said Emma✓
• CI'm going to the shop said Emma
• D'I'm going to the shop', said Emma

Answer: When writing direct speech, quotation marks enclose the spoken words and the punctuation goes inside the closing quotation mark. The comma separates the speech from the speaker tag.

Which sentence uses a colon correctly?

• AThe recipe needed: flour, eggs, sugar, butter and milk
• BThe recipe needed: butter, sugar and eggs
• CThe recipe needed the following: flour, eggs, and sugar✓
• DThe recipe needed: eggs:sugar:flour

Answer: A colon introduces a list that follows. It works best when the words before the colon introduce the list, such as 'the following'. Simply writing 'needed:' is incorrect without introducing the list.

Which sentence uses dashes correctly?

• AI went to the park - even though it was cold - to play football✓
• BI went to the park - even though it was very cold to play
• CI - went - to - the park - even though it was cold
• DI played football in the - park although it was cold

Answer: Dashes (or hyphens used as dashes) can be used in pairs to add extra information, similar to brackets. 'Even though it was cold' is an extra piece of information set off by dashes.

Which sentence uses full stops correctly?

• AMrs Smith. Is a teacher. In London.
• BMrs Smith is a teacher. In London.
• CMrs Smith is a teacher in London.✓
• DMrs Smith. Is a teacher in London.

Answer: A full stop marks the end of a complete sentence. 'Mrs Smith is a teacher in London' is one complete sentence, so it needs one full stop, at the end. (In British English 'Mrs' is written without a full stop.)

Where should the exclamation mark go? 'Watch out, there's a car coming'

• AWatch! Out there's a car coming!
• BWatch out! There's a car coming.✓
• CWatch out! There's a car coming!
• DWatch out, there's a car coming!

Answer: An exclamation mark shows strong feeling or urgency. 'Watch out!' is the urgent warning, so it takes the exclamation mark, and the statement that follows is factual, so it ends with a full stop.

Which sentence uses question marks correctly?

• AWhere are you going he asked?
• BI asked him, 'Where are you going?'✓
• CI asked him where he was going?
• DHe said, 'I am going shopping?'

Answer: Question marks go inside quotation marks when the quoted text is a question. 'Where are you going?' is a direct question, so it needs a question mark inside the quotation marks.

Which sentence uses brackets correctly?

• AThe teacher Mrs Jones (explained the lesson clearly)
• BThe teacher (Mrs Jones) explained the lesson clearly✓
• CThe teacher (Mrs Jones explained the lesson clearly
• DThe teacher Mrs Jones explained (the lesson clearly)

Answer: Brackets should enclose extra information about something previously mentioned. '(Mrs Jones)' is additional information about 'the teacher', so it goes in brackets.

Which sentence uses hyphens correctly?

• AThe well-known actor performed well✓
• BThe well known actor performed well
• CThe well known-actor performed well
• DThe well - known actor performed well

Answer: A hyphen joins two or more adjectives that work together to describe a noun. 'Well-known' is a compound adjective, so it needs a hyphen. Without it, they are two separate adjectives.

Where should the comma go? 'No I don't think that's right.'

• ANo I don't, think that's right
• BNo I, don't think that's right
• CNo, I don't think that's right✓
• DNo I don't think, that's right

Answer: When 'No' or 'Yes' starts a sentence, it should be followed by a comma to separate it from the rest of the sentence. 'No, I don't think that's right' is correct.

Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly for a title?

• AHave you read - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone -?
• BHave you read Harry 'Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'?
• CHave you read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?
• DHave you read 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'?✓

Answer: In British English a book title is usually written in inverted commas (single quotation marks), and they must go around the whole title. Dashes are not used for titles, and a title with no marks at all is not what the question asks for.

Which sentence uses an ellipsis to show the words trailing off at the end?

• AI... think... we... should... go
• BI think we should... go to the park
• CI think we should go... to the park... tomorrow
• DI think we should go to the park...✓

Answer: An ellipsis (...) shows an unfinished thought or a pause at the end of a sentence, or shows that something is left out. 'I think we should go to the park...' trails off appropriately.

Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly for contraction?

• ASh'e is going to the shop
• BShe's going to the shop✓
• CShe is going to the shop
• DShes' going to the shop

Answer: A contraction joins two words and removes letters, replacing them with an apostrophe. 'She's' is the contraction of 'she is'. The apostrophe goes where the 'i' is removed.