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About This Quiz
Whats' the point; of punctuation:? You only need to wade through a badly-punctuated piece of writing to know the answer to that question! Are your punctuation skills on point? Find out now with our quiz!
Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Maybe borrowing Jake's car wasnt the best idea.
Maybe borrowing Jake's car wasn't the best idea.
An apostrophe shows possession or indicates a missing letter or letters in a contraction. This sentence shows examples of both.
Maybe borrowing Jake's car was'nt the best idea.
Maybe borrowing Jakes car wasnt the best idea.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
She applied to: Ohio State, the University of Minnesota, and Miami University.
She applied to; Ohio State, the University of Minnesota, and Miami University.
She applied to Ohio State, the University of Minnesota and Miami University.
While a colon sometimes precedes a list, it shouldn't do so in a sentence this simple. To justify a colon, you'd have to write a sentence like, "These are the colleges to which she applied: Ohio State, the University of Minnesota and Miami University." Note also that this sentence does not use the "Oxford comma" after "University of Minnesota." Some people prefer its use; it's a matter of taste.
She applied to -- Ohio State, the University of Minnesota, and Miami University.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
I thought "Citizen Kane" was the best movie of the 20th century and she voted for "Blade Runner"; there was no right answer.
Semicolons are used to link two independent clauses that don't need to be separate sentences. The key to their proper use, in this example, is the word "and." You can't use a conjunction with a semicolon; it's redundant.
I thought "Citizen Kane" was the best movie of the 20th century; and she voted for "Blade Runner"; there was no right answer.
I thought, "Citizen Kane" was the best movie of the 20th century and she voted for, "Blade Runner" there was no right answer.
I thought "Citizen Kane" was the best movie of the 20th century and she voted for "Blade Runner," there was no right answer.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
"What if I ask her out and she tells me, 'Get lost!' Justin asked.
"What if I ask her out and she tells me 'Get lost!' Justin asked.
"What if I ask her out and she tells me, Get lost!" Justin asked.
"What if I ask her out and she tells me, 'Get lost!'?" Justin asked.
Justin is quoting what he imagines the girl would say, so we need both double quotes and a question mark for his dialogue and single quotes and an exclamation point for her dialogue. (Imagined and remembered dialogue both require quote marks, even if the speaker isn't present.)
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
If the price is right you can start work today.
If the price is right, you can start work today.
All this sentence needs is a comma to denote where the speaker would naturally pause between "right" and "you." Note that sometimes, in fiction, a writer might not use a comma if she wants to indicate the words were said all at once, with no pause. Fiction writers get a little more leeway.
If the price is right -- you can start work today.
If the price is right; you can start work today.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Warning this content is not safe for work.
Warning this content is not safe for work!
Warning? This content is not safe for work.
Warning! This content is not safe for work.
Interjections like "Warning!" usually require an exclamation point. Unless it is a query, in which case it would need a question mark.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Does a turtle ever misplace its shell.
Does a turtle ever misplace it's shell?
Does a turtle ever misplace its shell?
Many people confuse "it's" and "its." The first is short for "it is," while the second is a possessive pronoun. So our turtle would "misplace its shell".
Does a turtle ever misplace it is shell?
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
We refuse admission to the drunk high and or stoned customer.
We refuse admission to the drunk, high and/or stoned customer.
A diagonal, sometimes informally called a "slash," connects related concepts. Sometimes the relation is diametric opposites, like "and/or." The writer suggests both without having to choose one.
We refuse admission to the drunk high and, or, stoned customer.
We refuse admission to the drunk high and-or stoned customer.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Stephen King wrote "Carrie" when he was only 24.
The main issue here is single versus double quotes. Single quotes are reserved for a quotation within a quotation (at least, in American English). In this case, they stand in for italics, which should be used for titles of works if your word-processing software allows it.
Stephen King wrote 'Carrie' when he was only 24.
Stephen King wrote, "Carrie," when he was only 24.
Stephen King wrote Carrie when he was only 24.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
His favorite Beatles album is "Help"!
His favorite Beatles album is "Help!"
Admittedly, in this case you need to know that "Help!" uses an exclamation point in the title itself. For readability's sake, no period follows the exclamation point and ending quote marks, even though the sentence is a statement.
His favorite Beatles album is "Help."
His favorite Beatles album is "Help"?
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
He wanted to make the football team, he didn't; and the literary magazine, he did.
He wanted to make the football team (he didn't) and the literary magazine (he did).
Parentheses are used to mark "asides," bits of extraneous or interrupting information. They require simple parentheses, not brackets or French brackets.
He wanted to make the football team {he didn't} and the literary magazine {he did}.
He wanted to make the football team he didn't; and the literary magazine he did.
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Pick the sentence that, if taken from a transcript, is correctly punctuated:
Our agents were watching the building for [unintelligible] of Mr. Lasky's business.
Brackets are used to note an editor's or transcriber's note; they clearly say, "This is not part of the text." Brackets are never used in fiction, unless the writer is telling the story through official documents, like court transcripts.
Our agents were watching the building for: unintelligible: of Mr. Lasky's business.
Our agents were watching the building for, unintelligible, of Mr. Lasky's business.
Our agents were watching the building for unintelligible of Mr. Lasky's business.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
The play that best fits this criterion is ... . Am I boring you, Miss Halverson?
The play that best fits this criterion is -- am I boring you, Miss Halverson?
The play that best fits this criterion is ... am I boring you, Miss Halverson?
either #2 or #3 could be used
Either an ellipsis or a dash would work here. It would depend on whether the teacher trailed off before calling out Miss Halverson (ellipsis), or whether he/she broke off abruptly (dash).
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
These were our instructions. To wash the windows, launder the curtains and dust the blinds.
These were our instructions; to wash the windows, launder the curtains and dust the blinds.
These were our instructions: to wash the windows, launder the curtains and dust the blinds.
This is a typical case of how colons precede a list. If we'd started the sentence with "Our instructions were" there would be no need for a colon; the sentence would flow properly without it.
These were our instructions ... to wash the windows, launder the curtains and dust the blinds.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
O coffee how we love you!
O, coffee, how we love you!
O coffee, how we love you!
The introductory, direct-address "O" is either archaic (found in older work) or ironic. You could use the modern spelling "Oh" and it'd work as well. Either way, it needs a comma to set off the opening phrase from the rest of the sentence.
O coffee, how we love you?
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
The judge had indeed fallen asleep.
The judge had, indeed, fallen asleep.
The judge had -- indeed -- fallen asleep.
either #1 or #2 could be used
Punctuation is often used to render a written sentence in the style it would be spoken. So if you're making this a quick, matter-of-fact statement, no comma is needed. If you want to draw dryly humorous attention to the word "indeed," you'd use the commas, replicating a pause in speech.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
She was grotesquely dressed in little girl clothes.
She was grotesquely dressed in little-girl clothes.
Here the hyphen tells us that "little-girl" is a compound adjective. Or, rather, that "little" applies to "girl", not directly to clothes (although "little-girl clothes" probably are small in their dimensions).
She was grotesquely dressed in little/girl clothes.
She was grotesquely dressed in little, girl clothes.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
I tell you, the tango is not an easy dance.
Introductory phrases are usually set off with commas. A particulaly emphatic, longer phrase might use a colon, as in, "This is what you need to know about the tango: It's not an easy dance."
I tell you; the tango is not an easy dance.
I tell you the tango is not an easy dance.
I tell you. The tango is not an easy dance.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Elon Musk the South African entrepreneur, is speaking tonight.
Elon Musk, the South African entrepreneur is speaking tonight.
Elon Musk, the South African entrepreneur, is speaking tonight.
Few people would choose the fourth option, but is not uncommon for people to fail to open or close a descriptive phrase. In that case, the commas must bracket each other. There can't be just one at beginning or end.
Elon Musk ... the South African entrepreneur ... is speaking tonight.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
"Good mornin', ladies," the cowhand said.
In quoted dialogue or in fiction, writers will reflect a dropped "g" with an apostrophe. The above sentence requires both the apostrophe and a comma afterward. However, to fill in the "g" in brackets is unnecessary.
"Good mornin' ladies," the cowhand said.
"Good mornin, ladies," the cowhand said.
"Good mornin[g], ladies," the cowhand said.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
They wanted a whole screenplay written for -- I kid you not! -- five hundred dollars.
Dashes are commonly used to set off exclamations and queries within a sentence. A less vehement interruption might get away with just commas: "They wanted a whole screenplay written for, geez, five hundred dollars."
They wanted a whole screenplay written for ... I kid you not! ... five hundred dollars.
They wanted a whole screenplay written for, I kid you not! -- five hundred dollars.
They wanted a whole screenplay written for I kid you not! five hundred dollars.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
"You're mad! 'Mad' I tell you!" he shouted.
"You're mad! Mad I tell you!" he shouted.
"You're mad! Mad, I tell you!" he shouted.
Yes, it's classic old-movie dialogue. But if you're going to use it, punctuate it properly, by using the third choice.
"You're mad. Mad, I tell you." he shouted.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
We strolled (in) in twos and threes.
We strolled in in twos and threes.
We strolled in ... in twos and threes.
We strolled in, in twos and threes.
Occasionally, you can't avoid repetition of a word. A comma provides clarity and makes clear the repetition wasn't just a typo.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Dorises grandkids are coming to visit.
Doris's grandkids are coming to visit.
There's no end of confusion about this one. Although the name "Doris" ends with an "s", she is still a single person. Just like "Anne" becomes "Anne's," "Doris" becomes "Doris's."
Doris' grandkids are coming to visit.
Dorises' grandkids are coming to visit.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
The question, Should I break up with her? preoccupied him all weekend.
The question -- Should I break up with her? -- preoccupied him all weekend.
The question "Should I break up with her?" preoccupied him all weekend.
any of these can be used
You have a lot of flexibility in how you want to convey thoughts or internal dialogue. The important thing is that the reader understands what is being conveyed. The capital S helps in that regard.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Three parties participated in the treasure hunt: Molly, Jack and Bill, and Gary.
This is a tricky one because we need to make clear that Jack and Bill really were working as one team. The colon tells us we're about to see a list, and the use of "and" instead of a comma tells us that the two guys were working together.
Three parties participated in the treasure hunt. Molly, Jack and Bill, and Gary.
Three parties participated in the treasure hunt; Molly, Jack and Bill, and Gary.
Three parties participated in the treasure hunt: Molly, Jack, and Bill, and Gary.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
She wondered whether the dog would bite?
She wondered, whether the dog would bite?
She wondered whether the dog would bite.
This is a simple statement. No question mark is needed, because "she" is not directly asking a question, even internally.
She wondered, whether, the dog would bite.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Dogs and cats living together.
Dogs and cats, living together.
Dogs and cats, living together?
This is a sentence fragment; it has no verb. The only option that makes sense is the question, in which the speaker might be repeating something that was just said, as a way of asking for confirmation or clarification.
Dogs and cats ... living together.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
"The city in Poland is spelled G/d/a/n/s/k."
"The city in Poland is spelled G-d-a-n-s-k."
Spelling aloud is represented by hyphens. Unless you're conveying that a someone spelling a word aloud is being very slow about it, like a spelling bee candidate -- in which case the ellipses might work better.
"The city in Poland is spelled G,d,a,n,s,k."
"The city in Poland is spelled G ... d ... a ... n ... s .. k."
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
How can you say such a thing.
How can you say such a thing?
How can you say such a thing!
Either #2 or #3 would work.
Sometimes a statement like this is really a question, requiring a question mark. But if it's rhetorical and quite vehement, you can use an exclamation point instead. The only choice that's flatly wrong is the unemotional period.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
The haul from the hunt was as follows: ducks, four; teals, two; geese, two.
The colon in this sentence indicates a list is to come. Then, the individual items in the list are set off with a comma-semicolon pair.
The haul from the hunt was as follows. Ducks, four; teals, two; geese, two.
The haul from the hunt was as follows: ducks four; teals two; geese two.
The haul from the hunt was as follows: ducks, four, teals, two, geese, two.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Labials, fricatives, plosives -- these are all terms from linguistics.
Labials, fricatives, plosives: These are all terms from linguistics.
Labials, fricatives, plosives ... these are all terms from linguistics.
any of these might be correct
We're used to a list following a colon, but it can also precede one. So can a dash or an ellipsis.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
He was a highly-proficient computer programmer.
He was a highly proficient computer programmer.
both are correct
Often, a hyphen is used in a compound adjective for clarity. But when the first word in an adverb-adjective combination ends in "-ly," it's not considered necessary, as the suffix clearly indicates the relationship.
neither is correct
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
Simmons did the music, Wainwright the lyrics.
In a sentence this short and simple, a comma suffices. We admit that it's a tricky example because the second "did" is "elided," as grammarians would say. The reader understands the meaning.
Simmons did the music, Wainwright, the lyrics.
Simmons did the music. Wainwright the lyrics.
Simmons did the music: Wainwright the lyrics.
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Pick the sentence that is correctly punctuated:
The report submitted to the agency was tabled for further discussion later.
Because "submitted to the agency" is an essential part of the sentence, it should not be set off by commas. If the information in the clause was nonessential, it would take commas: "The report, which was very well-typed, was tabled for further discussion later."
The report, submitted to the agency, was tabled for further discussion later.
both are correct
neither are correct
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