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Punctuation 02
He'd been shocked to be asked to interview for the zoo keeper's position, but had decided to attend.

Punctuation 02

There's more to punctuation than capital letters, full stops and commas. Our first punctuation quiz focused especially on the use of the comma. But to write perfectly clear sentences, you should be able to use apostrophes, semicolons, colons and hyphens, as well.

See how well you can use a wide range of punctuation by trying this second English quiz on the subject.

1.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Martin stopped to consider the blinking red light on his phone should he check the message or not
Martin stopped to consider the blinking red light on his phone; should he check the message or not.
Martin stopped to consider the blinking, red light on his phone should he check the message or not?
Martin stopped to consider the blinking, red light on his phone:  should he check the message, or not?
Martin stopped to consider the blinking red light on his phone - should he check the message or not.
A colon can be followed by an explanation or illustration of the previous clause.  For example:  'Martin stopped to consider the blinking, red light on his phone' is a complete sentence on its own.  The colon indicates that the following sentence will explain what Martin is considering
2.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Sandras name appeared in bold at the top of the screen
Sandra's name appeared in bold at the top of the screen.
Sandras name appeared (in bold) at the top of the screen.
Sandras name appeared in bold at the top of the screen.
Sandras' name appeared in bold, at the top of the screen.
Mistakes with apostrophes are still very commonly made at GCSE. Always remember to use an apostrophe followed by 's' when a proper noun is possessive (this is correct even when the proper noun ends in an 's': i.e. Mrs. Evans's cat, or Bridget Jones's Diary)
3.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

He stared at the phone and its tiny light which winked at him knowingly
He stared at the phone and it's tiny light which winked at him knowingly.
He stared at the phone and it's tiny light, which winked at him, knowingly.
He stared at the phone and its tiny light, which winked at him knowingly.
He stared at the phone, and it's tiny light, which winked at him knowingly.
'Its' is possessive (belonging to 'it') and does not use an apostrophe. 'It's' means 'it is'. Be careful not to confuse these two words
4.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Do it his friends had told him everyone else does
Do it! His friends had told him, 'Everyone else does.'
Do it, his friends had told him, everyone else does.
'Do it.' His friends had told him. 'Everyone else does.'
'Do it,' his friends had told him.  'Everyone else does.'
5.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Persuaded by his friends he searched eventually finding the neglected document under the bed
Persuaded by his friends, he searched. Eventually finding the neglected document under the bed.
Persuaded by his friends, he searched, eventually finding the neglected document under the bed.
Persuaded by his friends, he searched; eventually finding the neglected document, under the bed.
Persuaded by his friend's, he searched, eventually finding the neglected document under the bed.
6.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

His dusty cv lacked three things flair references and most importantly relevant experience
His dusty CV lacked three things: flair, references and, most importantly, relevant experience.
His dusty cv lacked three things; flair, references and, most importantly, relevant experience.
His dusty CV lacked three things; flair, references and, most importantly, relevant experience.
His dusty CV lacked three things. Flair, references and, most importantly, relevant experience.
As long as it is preceded by a complete sentence, a colon should be used to introduce a list. 'C.V.' is also correct, but is used infrequently
7.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Experience had been easy to invent martin had added farming animal husbandry and lion taming
Experience had been easy to invent, Martin had added farming, animal husbandry and lion taming.
Experience had been easy to invent. martin had added farming, animal husbandry, and lion taming
Experience had been easy to invent: Martin had added farming animal husbandry and lion taming.
Experience had been easy to invent; Martin had added farming, animal husbandry and lion taming.
Two related sentences can be joined by using a semicolon rather than a conjunction/connective
8.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Armed with his newly polished cv martin had applied haphazardly for fifty two jobs listed online
Armed with his newly polished c.v. Martin had applied haphazardly for fifty two jobs listed on-line.
Armed with his newly, polished CV Martin had applied haphazardly for fifty-two jobs listed online.
Armed with his newly polished CV, Martin had applied haphazardly for fifty-two jobs listed online.
Armed with his newly polished CV; Martin had applied haphazardly for fifty two jobs listed online.
Numbers such as fifty-two should be hyphenated. 'Online', however, has become a single, unhyphenated, word
9.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Hed been shocked to be asked to interview for the zoo keepers position but had decided to attend
Hed been shocked, to be asked to interview, for the zoo keeper's position but had decided to attend.
He'd been shocked to be asked to interview for the zoo keeper's position, but had decided to attend.
He'd been shocked to be asked to interview, for the zoo keepers position, but had decided to attend.
Hed been shocked to be asked to interview for the zoo-keeper's position, but had decided to attend.
10.
Choose the sentence which is punctuated correctly.

Now sandra the manager was ringing after a brilliant interview what if she knew about the lies
Now Sandra the manager was ringing after a brilliant interview; what if she knew about the lies?
Now Sandra, the manager, was ringing after a brilliant interview. What if she knew about the lies?
Now Sandra (the manager) was ringing after a brilliant interview. What if she knew about the lies.
Now Sandra (the manager) was ringing, after a brilliant interview; what if she knew about the lies.
Try to avoid brackets in your writing. Use a pair of parenthetical commas instead
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Punctuation

Author:  Sheri Smith

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