English Grammar Test English Grammar Punctuation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?
- She loves hiking; and camping.
- The report is due Friday; however, I need more time. (Correct answer)
- I bought apples; oranges; and bananas.
- He ran fast; but lost the race.
Correct answer: The report is due Friday; however, I need more time.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses when followed by a conjunctive adverb like 'however.'
Question 2: Where should a comma be placed in this sentence: 'After the storm ended the streets flooded'?
- After the storm, ended the streets flooded.
- After the storm ended, the streets flooded. (Correct answer)
- After the storm ended the streets, flooded.
- No comma is needed.
Correct answer: After the storm ended, the streets flooded.
A comma follows an introductory adverbial clause ('After the storm ended') before the main clause.
Question 3: Which correctly punctuates a non-restrictive relative clause?
- My brother who lives in Denver is a doctor.
- My brother, who lives in Denver, is a doctor. (Correct answer)
- My brother, who lives in Denver is a doctor.
- My brother who lives in Denver, is a doctor.
Correct answer: My brother, who lives in Denver, is a doctor.
A non-restrictive clause adds extra information and must be set off by commas on both sides.
Question 4: What punctuation correctly ends a polite request phrased as a question: 'Would you please close the door'?
- Would you please close the door!
- Would you please close the door?
- Would you please close the door. (Correct answer)
- Would you please close the door;
Correct answer: Would you please close the door.
Polite requests phrased as questions often end with a period because they function as commands, not true questions.
Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses an em dash?
- She had one goal - to win.
- She had one goal—to win. (Correct answer)
- She had one goal–to win.
- She had one goal: — to win.
Correct answer: She had one goal—to win.
An em dash (—) with no spaces is the standard American English style to introduce an emphatic appositive or elaboration.
Question 6: In which sentence is the apostrophe used correctly?
- The dog wagged it's tail.
- Its' time to leave.
- The childrens' coats were wet.
- The children's coats were wet. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The children's coats were wet.
'Children' is an irregular plural, so the possessive is formed by adding 's after the word: children's.
Question 7: Which option correctly uses quotation marks with other punctuation in American English?
- She said, "I'm ready". Then she left.
- She said, "I'm ready." Then she left. (Correct answer)
- She said, "I'm ready", then she left.
- She said "I'm ready." then she left.
Correct answer: She said, "I'm ready." Then she left.
In American English, periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark.
English Grammar Test English Grammar Punctuation 2
Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?