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Grammar RULES main 3 > Punctuation > Flashcards

Punctuation Flashcards

1
Q

Use apostrophes to contract the boldface words:

-I can not- believe the superhero -was not- able to save the kitten.

A

I -can’t- believe the superhero -wasn’t- able to save the kitten.

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2
Q

Punctuate the following sentence:

Meanwhile as the monster roared in hunger the billy goats fled as fast as their legs could carry them.

A

Meanwhile, as the monster roared in hunger, the billy goats fled as fast as their legs could carry them.

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3
Q

Does the following sentences need a comma?

We want to go to the movies but Isabelle is refusing to go.

A

Yes, There should be a comma before -but-.

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4
Q

Insert commas where needed:

France England and Scotland are countries in Europe; China Japan and Vietnam are countries in Asia.

A

France, England, and Scotland are countries in Europe; China Japan and Vietnam are countries in Asia.

France, England and Scotland are countries in Europe; China, Japan and Vietnam are countries in Asia.

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5
Q

Insert commas where needed:

Liz just read Madame Bovary The Corrections and The Namesake and is planning to tackle White Noise next.

A

Liz just read Madame Bovary, The Corrections, -and- The Namesake, -and is planning to tackle- White Noise -next-.
The serial comma before the first -and- is optional.)

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6
Q

Insert commas where needed:

When the band came out the fans went insane.

A

When the band came out, the fans went insane.

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7
Q

Insert commas where needed:

Mark visited Paris Praque Venice and Budapest.

A

Mark visited Paris, Praque, Venice, and Budapest.
If the final item in a list includes -and-, the serial comma may be used or omitted, as long as your usage is consistent.

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8
Q

Is a serial comma required in the following sentences?

Remember to buy bread, milk, eggs, and three boxes of macaroni and cheese.

A

Yes. Without a serial comma, it isn’t clear whether you are supposed to purchase three boxes of macaroni as well as some cheese, or three boxes of macaroni and cheese.

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9
Q

Insert commas where needed:

Michael Jordan considered by many to be the best basketball player in history played professional baseball for a time.

A

Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the best basketball player in history, played professional baseball for a time.

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10
Q

Are the commas correctly placed in the following sentence?

He really means well, but, despite his good intentions, Mickey is boorish and offensive.

A

No. The comma after -but- is unnecessary.

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11
Q

Insert commas where needed:

Sydney Australia has a famous opera house.

A

Sydney, Australia, has a famous opera house.

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12
Q

Are the punctuation correctly placed in the following sentence?
The gay neighborhood in Washington, D.C., is pretty small.

A

Yes.

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13
Q

Does the following sentence require commas?

my friend Jane manages a billion dollar hedge fund.

A

No- unless the speaker has only one friend.

My friend, Jane, suggests that Jane is the speaker’s only friend.

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14
Q

Does the following sentence require commas?

Jane, my wife, is the family breadwinner.

A

Yes.

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15
Q

What is wrong with the following?

August, 2000 was one hot month.

A

The comma between August and 2000 is not necessary.

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16
Q

What is wrong with the following sentence:

Rob said “I refuse to let you dump me.”

A

A comma is missing before the quotation. It should read: Robert said, “I refuse to let you dump me.”

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17
Q

Punctuate the following sentence:

On this day February 25th 2005 said the spokesman we remember our forefathers

A

“On this day, February 25th, 2005,” said the spokesman, “we remember our forefathers.”

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18
Q

Insert commas where needed:

“We will rebuild this city” said the mayor but the governor responded “there will be no new taxes.”

A

“We will rebuild this city,” said the mayor, but the governor responded, “there will be no new taxes.”

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19
Q

Insert commas where needed:

Jefferson said that all men are created equal.

A

None are needed.

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20
Q

Insert commas where needed:
The United States of America the nation below Canada is the oldest continuous democratic society in the world although it only declared its independence on July 4 1776.

A

The United States of America, the nation below Canada, is the oldest continuous democratic society in the world, although it only declared its independence on July 4, 1776.

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21
Q

Insert commas where needed:

“I object” the lawyer said “and I insist that the witness stop screaming.”

A

“I object,” the lawyer said, “and I insist that the witness stop screaming.”

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22
Q

What is wrong with the following sentence?

The kids brought their grandma: flowers, chocolate, slippers, and a magazine.

A

-The kids bought their grandma- is not an independent clause, so it shouldn’t be followed by a colon. No punctuation is necessary after -grandma-.

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23
Q

What is wrong with the following sentence?

The eight year old girl felt like she was thirteen-years-old.

A

The hyphen usage is reversed. Eight-year-old needs hyphens; -thirteen years old- does not.

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24
Q

What is wrong with the following sentence?

That dimly-lit room gives me the creeps.

A

A hyphen is not needed between -dimly- and -lit-. It’s clear that -dimly- modifies -lit- because of the -ly ending.

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25
Q

Punctuate the following sentence:

On my tenth birthday (were you there) the cake was spoiled.

A

On my tenth birthday (were you there?), the cake was spoiled.

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26
Q

Is the following sentence punctuated correctly?

My teacher said that “our pop quiz would be impossible.”

A

No. Indirect quotes do not need quotation marks.

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27
Q

Combine the following two sentences using a semicolon:

I’m a Red Sox fan. In fact, I’m practically a Red Sox fanatic.

A

I’m a Red Sox fan; in fact, I’m practically a Red Sox fanatic.

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28
Q

Is the following sentence punctuated correctly?

The history of mankind has been a history of conflict; but that does not mean war is inevitable.

A

No. When a semicolon joins two independent clauses, conjunctions (in this case, -but-) should not be used.

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29
Q

Fix the incorrect compound words:

John hit a base ball into his neighbor’s back-yard and ran half way to thirdbase before he was tagged out.

A

John hit a baseball into his neighbor’s back-yard and ran half way to third base before he was tagged out.

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30
Q

Insert commas where needed:

The little old lady crossed the street.

A

None are needed.

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31
Q

Can commas ever place verbs?

A

Yes. In parallel clauses that imply the repetition of the verb in each clause, a comma can replace the verb.
Ex: Bill prefers blondes; Jeff, redheads; Mike, any woman with a steady job.

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32
Q

When are apostrophes used?

A

Apostrophes make nouns possessive. They also are used in contractions to indicate the omission of letters.

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33
Q

T/F: An apostrophe is always followed by an s.

A

False. That is often the case, but a few words that end in -s, such as -Jesus-, are made possessive simply by adding an apostrophe.

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34
Q

Are there any possessive words that do not include an apostrophe?

A

Yes. There are a handful of words that imply possession (their, my his, whose) that don’t use apostrophes.

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35
Q

Are all words with apostrophes possessive?

A

No. Contractions (can’t, don’t, won’t) are not possessive.

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36
Q

Are apostrophes ever used to make something plural?

A

Yes, Use apostrophes for words that don’t use -s in their plural form ( The children’s puppet show was a debacle.)

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37
Q

Do decades take an apostrophe (1980’s)?

A

No. (We had big hair in the 1980s). However, if you want the decade to be possessive (80’s bands are cooler than 90’s), use apostrophes.

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38
Q

Is it okay to use contractions in essays?

A

Many teachers want you to avoid contractions. However, writing can feel cumbersome and overly formal without contractions.

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39
Q

If you need to change a quotation for grammar’s sake, how do you indicate the changed portion?

A

Put brackets around the changed portion.

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40
Q

When are brackets used?

A

When changing or inserting words, or adding or altering punctuation or formatting in a quotation.

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41
Q

T/F: Races, nationalities, languages, and religions all get capitalized.

A

True

42
Q

What punctuation mark indicates a pause?

A

A comma

43
Q

T/F: Any time you want to indicate a pause in your writing, use a comma.

A

False. Do not use a comma everywhere you’d want someone reading aloud to take a breath. Use commas according to the rules of grammar that govern them.

44
Q

Does the following sentence need a comma?

We’re planning to go to the movies and then play some pool.

A

No

45
Q

Does the final item in a series always require a comma?

A

No, the serial comma is optional.

46
Q

T/F: commas and semicolons join independent clauses in the same way.

A

False. A comma must be used with a coordinating conjunction, whereas a semicolon can be used alone.

47
Q

What is a parenthetical phrase?

A

A parenthetical phrase is a nonessential part of a sentence. It should be set off by commas or parentheses.

48
Q

Are commas required when writing someone’s name and title?

A

Sometimes. If the title precedes the name, no (General Sherman). If the title follows the name, yes (William Sherman, General).

49
Q

Is there a limit to the number of commas a sentence can have?

A

No. Complicated sentence with many phrases and clauses require many commas.

50
Q

Should a comma separate the month and year in a date?

A

No. September 2001 is correct, not September, 2001.

51
Q

Do punctuation mark go inside or outside quotation marks?

A

Both. Commas and periods always go inside. Question marks, exclamation marks, semicolons, colons, and dashes go outside the quotation mark unless the punctuation mark is part of the quotation.

52
Q

Is it ever appropriate to use set off a quotation with a colon instead of a comma?

A

Yes. If you’re quoting a long block of text, introduce it with a colon. EX: Abe Lincoln said; “Four score…”

53
Q

Are commas ever used after decimal points?

A

No. For example, the number 3,500.6724 requires a comma only to the left of the decimal point.

54
Q

T/F: Dashes should be used instead of commas wherever possible.

A

False. Although dashes are sometimes acceptable, most teachers frown upon writing that is full of dashes.

55
Q

When should you use a dash?

A

You should use a dash when you want to set off a conclusion from the rest of a sentence, or when you want to set off parenthetical phrases.

56
Q

What do dashes indicate when writing dialogue?

A

Dashes often indicate a shift in tone or a meaningful pause.

57
Q

What punctuation mark introduces a list, summary, or thesis?

A

A colon. Colons must follow independent clauses; they should never separate a verb and its object.

58
Q

When is an ellipsis (…) used?

A

An ellipsis is used when omitting a section of a quote.

59
Q

What is the difference between an ellipsis and a period followed by an ellipsis?

A

If a section in the middle of a sentence is omitted, an ellipsis is used.

60
Q

Is it ever correct to start a sentence with an ellipsis?

A

No. Even if material is omitted from the beginning of a sentence, an ellipsis is not necessary.

61
Q

Suppose an entire sentence or several sentences are omitted from the middle of a quoted passage. How should such an omission be punctuated?

A

Finish the sentence that precedes the omission with a period, then use an ellipsis with a space on either side of it, and then begin the next sentence.

62
Q

When should exclamation marks be used?

A

Sparingly. Use exclamation marks only when indicating strong emotion, surprise, or urgency.

63
Q

What are the three categories of compound words?

A

Open (post office, upper class), closed (baseball, pancake, newborn), hyphenated (sister-in-law, ex-husband).

64
Q

How can you tell which compound words should be open, which should be closed, and which should be hyphenated?

A

No simple rule exists; it’s best to memorize the forms of common compound words and use a dictionary when in doubt.

65
Q

Are hyphens the same as dashes?

A

No. Hyphens (-) are shorter than en dashes ( –) and em dashes (—) are used differently.

66
Q

Do compound nouns ever need hyphens?

A

Yes. Some compound nouns, like high-rise, require hyphens. Compound nouns that act as adjectives (the brick-wall defense) also require hyphens.

67
Q

Are hyphens needed when writing someone’s age?

A

Sometimes. If the age is modifying a noun (an eight-year-old cat), hyphens are needed. But hyphens are not needed when the age isn’t modifying a noun (my cat is eight years old).

68
Q

What do parentheses indicate?

A

Generally, parentheses set off a phrase that is less important than the rest of the sentence or departs a little from the main idea.

69
Q

If a parenthetical phrase is a complete sentence separate from the preceding sentence, where should the period go?

A

Inside the final parenthesis.

70
Q

How are periods used?

A

To end sentences that aren’t questions

71
Q

Do periods go inside or outside parenthesis?

A

It depends. If the parenthetical phrase is an entire sentence and not part of the sentence that precedes it, the period goes inside the final parenthesis. If the parenthetical phrase is part of another sentence, the period goes outside the final parenthesis.

72
Q

What do question marks indicate?

A

Question marks indicate a question has been asked.

73
Q

When are quotation marks used?

A

To denote speech or to mark a passage taken from someone else’s work. Quotation marks are also used to indicate titles of poems, articles, and short stories.

74
Q

Are quotation marks needed to denote a character’s thoughts?

A

No

75
Q

When trying to show that a word or phrase is used ironically, is it appropriate to use quotation marks?

A

Yes, but this technique (known as “apologetic quotation marks”) should be used sparingly.

76
Q

Should quotation marks be used to show emphasis?

A

No. Use italics or underline the word to show emphasis.

77
Q

What do semicolons do?

A

Semicolons can unite independent clauses in a sentence without a coordinating conjunction. They can also separate items in a series that have commas within them.

78
Q

Can any two sentences be united with a semicolon?

A

No. Sentences should not be combined unless they are closely related to each other.

79
Q

Aside from web addresses, are slashes ever okay to use?

A

Yes. Use a slash (/) when more than one possibility exists; for example, and/or

80
Q

Do all words in a title get capitalized?

A

No. Articles (a, an, the), conjunctions (and, or) and prepositions, when they do not begin a title, are lowercase.

81
Q

Do the names of seasons get capitalized?

A

No. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter are lowercase unless they begin a sentence.

82
Q

Do professional titles get capitalized?

A

If used in conjunction with the person’s name (President Clinton), they are capitalized. If they stand alone (the mayor is on vacation), they are not.

83
Q

Do cardinal directions get capitalized?

A

Not if referring to direction (drive north or Georgia is north of Florida), but they are if referring to discrete regions (the North fought the South in the Civil War).

84
Q

When joining two independent clauses, should you use a comma before or after the coordinating conjunction?

A

Before.

EX: It was Thanksgiving Day, so we all went to the parade; not It was Thanksgiving Day so, we all went to the parade.

85
Q

Which of the following requires quotation marks?
“Sailing to Byzantium” is one of my favorite poems from Yeats’ The Tower.
Hamlet is a tragic play.

A

“Sailing to Byzantium,” because it is a poem.
Hamlet is italicized (or set roman when the sentence is already in italics) because it is the title of a play, and -The Tower is italicized (or set roman) because it is the title of a collection of poems.

86
Q

Are commas required with nonrestrictive phrases?

A

Yes.

EX: Pilates, created by Joseph Pilates, is gaining popularity.

87
Q

What is an appositive phrase?

A

An appositive phrase provides more description or details about the word or phrase directly preceding it. Appositives should be set off with commas.
EX: Ronald Reagan, president from 1981 to 1989, was a Republican.

88
Q

Where should you place commas if a parenthetical phrase directly follows a coordinating conjunction? For example, how should this sentence be punctuated?
It was raining hard and even though we had umbrellas we got soaked.

A

Before the coordinating conjunction and after the parenthetical phrase.
EX: It was raining hard, and even though we had umbrellas, we got soaked.

89
Q

Are commas necessary when writing place names?

A

Yes if cities and states or countries are named together.

EX: Miami, Florida, is my least favorite city.

90
Q

Are commas used when writing dialogue?

A

Yes.

EX: “You’ve never really understood me,” Amy sobbed.

91
Q

Do numbers ever require commas?

A

Yes. Commas subdivide numbers in groups of three digits.

EX: 1,243,342,234

92
Q

Are commas used to separate strings of adjectives?

A

Sometimes, if -and- or -but- could separate the adjectives, use commas.
EX: The airport employed surly, uninformed, antagonistic people.

93
Q

When a sentence directly addresses someone by name, is a comma needed?

A

Yes. In a direct address, a comma is needed.

EX: “Melvin, don’t go in there!”

94
Q

Can dashes be used to set off lists?

A

Yes. Dashes can be used before and after a series separated by commas.
EX: All of the dogs-Whistler, George, and Bear- were abandoned as puppies.

95
Q

What punctuation mark signals that a definition with follow?

A

A colon.

EX: Frisbee: a circular disc thrown and caught for recreation.

96
Q

When should a hyphen be used in compound modifiers?

A

When adjectives combine to act as a single modifier. (Without the hyphen, it can sound like the adjectives are modifying the noun individually.)
EX: The high-flying airplane looked like it was standing still.

97
Q

When adverbs and adjectives are next to each other, is a hyphen required?

A

No.

EX: The ludicrously expensive watch is not worth the price.

98
Q

Is it necessary to capitalize the first word inside parenthesis?

A

Only if the sentence inside the parentheses is not part of another sentence. If so, use a capital letter and put the sentence-ending punctuation inside the final parenthesis.
EX: Dan returnded from vacation. (And as usual, he bragged endlessly about his trip.)

99
Q

How should short excerpts from poems or song lyrics be quoted?

A

With quotation marks and solidis (/), which indicates the end of a line.
EX: “Nature’s first green is gold, / Her hardest hue to hold. / Her early leaf’s a flower, / But only so an hour.”

100
Q

Are commas needed when writing dates?

A

Yes. Use commas to separate the day from the year.

Ex:I was born on September 22, 1976.

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