Punctuation Rules: How To Use Punctuation

Reviewed by Juliette Firla
Juliette Firla, MA (Teaching Writing) |
English Teacher
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Juliette is a middle school English teacher at Sacred Heart of Greenwich, Connecticut. Juliette earned a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Elon University and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education. Juliette possesses strong skills in English language arts, writing, editing, and literature study. She has a deep passion for working with young people and contributing to the education of America's youth in the classroom.
, MA (Teaching Writing)
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Diamondrose1
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Quizzes Created: 14 | Total Attempts: 673,694
| Attempts: 194,649 | Questions: 10
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1. Wow.... You really got the highest marks in the class.

Explanation

The correct answer is "exclamation mark" because it is used to express strong emotions, such as surprise or excitement. In the given statement, the speaker is expressing astonishment at the person receiving the highest marks in the class, which is why an exclamation mark is appropriate.

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About This Quiz
Punctuation Rules: How To Use Punctuation - Quiz

Do you know how to use punctuation? Get ready to test your knowledge of punctuation in this quiz. Punctuation plays a major role in English writing, but using... see morepunctuation incorrectly is very common among people who write. Here, out of the given options, you have to choose the correct punctuation mark for the part in the sentence that is highlighted by ". . .". Take this quiz, and you will test your skills; hopefully, you will also learn a few things to help you with your writing in the future. Good luck!
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2. They offered the students bananas... oranges... and grapes.

Explanation

The correct answer is a comma. In this sentence, the author is listing different fruits that were offered to the students. A comma is used to separate items in a list.

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3. When will you come back to our city....

Explanation

The correct answer is "?" question mark. A question mark is used to indicate a direct question or to express uncertainty. In the given sentence, the speaker is asking about the time of someone's return to their city, making it a direct question. Therefore, a question mark is the appropriate punctuation mark to use in this context.

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4. ...I haven't eaten anything today,... said Tom.

Explanation

In the sentence provided, the spoken words are introduced and enclosed using quotation marks. This is standard practice in English to indicate direct speech. Commas are used within the sentence to separate elements and provide necessary pauses but do not introduce the spoken words. Neither brackets nor a colon is used in this context.

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5. I found Sara...s shirt on the chair.

Explanation

The correct answer is ' an apostrophe. In the sentence, the word "Sara's" indicates possession, showing that the shirt belongs to Sara. The apostrophe is used to show possession in this context.

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6. Peter... Liza... and Amanda will decide.

Explanation

In the sentence "Peter, Liza, and Amanda will decide," the correct punctuation to use between the names is a comma. Commas are used to separate items in a list or series. The question mark, exclamation mark, and semicolon do not serve this function in this context.

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7. Amanda lives in Russia... her brother lives in France.

Explanation

A semicolon is used to connect two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning. In this case, the two clauses are "Amanda lives in Russia" and "her brother lives in France." These clauses are both complete sentences and could stand alone, but they are closely related because they both describe where family members live. Therefore, a semicolon is the most appropriate punctuation mark to use.

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8. The students were advised to use the following items... a pencil, a ruler, and a notebook.

Explanation

A colon is used to introduce a list or to provide further explanation or clarification. In this sentence, the colon is used to introduce the list of items that the students were advised to use. It indicates that the items that follow are examples or specifics of what the students were advised to use.

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9. My cousin considers himself a self...made man.

Explanation



The sentence should be punctuated with an apostrophe. "Self-made" is a compound adjective describing "man." The apostrophe indicates possession and connects "self" and "made," indicating that the man made himself. Thus, the correct sentence reads, "My cousin considers himself a self-made man."
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10. Sam... the mechanic... fixed the car.

Explanation

The correct answer is a comma. A comma is used to separate elements in a sentence, such as listing items or separating clauses. In this case, the comma is used to separate the name "Sam" from the rest of the sentence and to indicate a pause between the subject "Sam" and the verb "fixed".

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Juliette Firla |MA (Teaching Writing) |
English Teacher
Juliette is a middle school English teacher at Sacred Heart of Greenwich, Connecticut. Juliette earned a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Elon University and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education. Juliette possesses strong skills in English language arts, writing, editing, and literature study. She has a deep passion for working with young people and contributing to the education of America's youth in the classroom.

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Wow.... You really got the highest marks in the class.
They offered the students bananas... oranges... and grapes.
When will you come back to our city....
...I haven't eaten anything today,... said Tom.
I found Sara...s shirt on the chair.
Peter... Liza... and Amanda will decide.
Amanda lives in Russia... her brother lives in France.
The students were advised to use the following items... a pencil, a...
My cousin considers himself a self...made man.
Sam... the mechanic... fixed the car.
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