Grades 6, 7 and 8 | English Language | Middle School | Knowledge of Language

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English Language: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Knowledge of Language - Quotation Marks (Questions)

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Quotation marks (“ ”) are used to enclose words that were originally stated from another source. They are also used to set off spoken dialog, when writing the name of a song title, when writing the title and/or chapter of a book, the name of a magazine, essays, newspaper, theater play and TV show.

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They are also used when the writer wants to highlight a particular word or phrase in order to bring the reader’s attention to it. They always come in pairs - open quotation marks and close quotation marks.

When using quotation marks there are certain rules that apply to the placement of punctuation marks.

Periods (.) go inside quotation marks. Example: I always watch “CSI Las Vegas.”
Commas (,) go inside quotation marks. Example: I always watch “CSI Las Vegas,” and any other detective shows.
Question marks (?) go outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation itself. Example: Do you watch “CSI Las Vegas”? After seeing the last episode I bought a book called “Can You Solve Crimes?”

What do you do when you have a quote within a quote? In American written English, when you have a quote within a quote, the inner quote has single quotation marks while the outer, main quote has double quotation marks. In other countries such as the U.K., this is reversed with the single quotation marks on the outside and the double quotation marks on the inside. We will be using the American rule for this quiz.

Example of quote within a quote: John said, “My most favorite book is ‘Treasure Island’.”

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Billy The Kid was a famous western gunslinger.

[ ]	Billy the kid was a famous western gunslinger.
[ ]	Billy the kid was “a famous western” gunslinger.
[ ]	Billy “The Kid” was a famous western gunslinger.
[ ]	Billy The Kid was a famous “western gunslinger.”

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Mommy can I have another cookie he asked.

[ ]	“Mommy, can I have another cookie?” he asked.
[ ]	“Mommy can I have another cookie” he asked?
[ ]	Mommy, can I have “another cookie” he asked.
[ ]	“Mommy, can I have another cookie”? he asked.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Excuse me she said but do you have the time?

[ ]	“Excuse me” she said “but do you have the time?”
[ ]	“Excuse me,” she said, “But do you have the time?”
[ ]	“Excuse me,” she said. “But do you have the time”?
[ ]	Excuse me she said but, “do you have the time?”

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

We sang Auld Lang Syne when the clock struck midnight.

[ ]	We sang Auld Lang Syne when the “clock struck midnight.”
[ ]	We sang Auld Lang Syne when the clock struck midnight.
[ ]	We sang “Auld Lang Syne” when the clock struck midnight.
[ ]	We sang, “Auld Lang Syne when the clock struck midnight.”

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park tonight.

[ ]	The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park tonight.
[ ]	The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at “Fenway Park” tonight.
[ ]	“The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park tonight.”
[ ]	The “Boston Red Sox” are playing the “New York Yankees” at Fenway Park tonight.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

She was reading Twilight when I last saw her.

[ ]	She was reading “Twilight” when I last saw her.
[ ]	She was reading, “Twilight” when I last saw her.
[ ]	She was reading Twilight when I last saw her.
[ ]	She was reading Twilight “when I last saw her.”

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Mr. Cooper said Turn to The Solar System chapter in your science book.

[ ]	Mr. Cooper said “Turn to The Solar System chapter in your science book.”
[ ]	Mr. Cooper said, “Turn to The Solar System chapter in your science book.”
[ ]	Mr. Cooper said, “Turn to ‘The Solar System’ chapter in your science book.”
[ ]	Mr. Cooper said, “Turn to “The Solar System” chapter in your science book.”

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

My favorite Beatles’ song is I Want to Hold Your Hand.

[ ]	My favorite Beatles’ song is “I Want to Hold Your Hand”.
[ ]	My favorite “Beatles’” song is “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
[ ]	My favorite Beatles’ song is “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
[ ]	My favorite Beatles’ song is I Want to Hold Your Hand.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

She bought three copies of Time.

[ ]	She bought three copies of “Time.”
[ ]	She bought three copies of “Time”.
[ ]	She bought three copies of Time.
[ ]	She bought “three copies” of Time.

10.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

James wondered if anyone was in the office.

[ ]	James wondered if anyone was “in the office.”
[ ]	James “wondered” if anyone was in the office.
[ ]	James wondered if “anyone was in the office.”
[ ]	James wondered if anyone was in the office.

English Language: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Knowledge of Language - Quotation Marks (Answers)

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Billy The Kid was a famous western gunslinger.

[ ]	Billy the kid was a famous western gunslinger.
[ ]	Billy the kid was “a famous western” gunslinger.
[x]	Billy “The Kid” was a famous western gunslinger.
[ ]	Billy The Kid was a famous “western gunslinger.”

In this sentence there is no dialog being quoted. The writer, however, is bringing the readers’ attention to who Billy is. In this case, Billy was a famous western gunslinger known as “The Kid.” As “The Kid” was a title, it is capitalized. Answer (c) is the correct use of quotation marks in this sentence.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Mommy can I have another cookie he asked.

[x]	“Mommy, can I have another cookie?” he asked.
[ ]	“Mommy can I have another cookie” he asked?
[ ]	Mommy, can I have “another cookie” he asked.
[ ]	“Mommy, can I have another cookie”? he asked.

Let’s first focus on punctuation marks. A comma represents a pause. When “he” calls out to his mother he says, “Mommy” and then pauses. Therefore, there should be a comma after “Mommy”. This makes Answer (b) incorrect. As a question is being asked, we need to see a question mark. Answer (c) does not have a question mark so we know Answer (c) is not correct. The rule of where to place a question mark when dealing with quotation marks is that the question mark goes outside of the quotation marks unless the quotation itself contains a question. As “he” is asking a question, the question mark should appear inside the quotation marks. Therefore, Answer (d) is not correct. The correct answer is Answer (a).

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Excuse me she said but do you have the time?

[ ]	“Excuse me” she said “but do you have the time?”
[x]	“Excuse me,” she said, “But do you have the time?”
[ ]	“Excuse me,” she said. “But do you have the time”?
[ ]	Excuse me she said but, “do you have the time?”

Let’s first focus on punctuation marks. A comma represents a pause. After “she” speaks, a pause is taken. Therefore, we should see a pause after she first speaks. This would be after “Excuse me.” A “comma” should come after “me.” Next, “she said” represents a longer pause between her speaking so a comma should come after “said” to represent the end of the pause. We do not use a period here because the conversation is continuing. However, as she continues to speak, the first word of the continued dialog is capitalized. Therefore, “but” needs to be capitalized. This is also a question and the entire question is being quoted. Therefore, a question mark should appear inside the quotation mark. This shows us that Answer (b) shows the correct punctuation marks and quotation mark placements.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

We sang Auld Lang Syne when the clock struck midnight.

[ ]	We sang Auld Lang Syne when the “clock struck midnight.”
[ ]	We sang Auld Lang Syne when the clock struck midnight.
[x]	We sang “Auld Lang Syne” when the clock struck midnight.
[ ]	We sang, “Auld Lang Syne when the clock struck midnight.”

One of the rules of using quotation marks is that the title of songs should contain quotation marks. Therefore, we know that Answer (b) is not correct as there are no quotation marks. “Auld Lang Syne” is the title of a very popular song and should contain quotation marks. Neither Answer (a) nor (b) have this so they both are incorrect. Answer (d) has placed an incorrect pause (comma) after “sang” and then quotes the remainder of the sentence incorrectly. However, Answer (c) shows us the correct placement and usage of quotation marks for this sentence at it contains quotation marks around a song title, the only place they are needed.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park tonight.

[ ]	The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park tonight.
[ ]	The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at “Fenway Park” tonight.
[ ]	“The Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park tonight.”
[x]	The “Boston Red Sox” are playing the “New York Yankees” at Fenway Park tonight.

In Answer (b) “Fenway Park” is the proper name of a park. It does not need quotation marks so Answer (b) is not correct. However, the writer is bringing the readers’ attention to who is playing at Fenway Park, that is the “Boston Red Sox” and the “New York Yankees.” Therefore, Answer (a) is not correct. Answer (c) treats the sentence as a dialog but there is no indication that this is a dialog so Answer (c) is not correct. Answer (d) shows the attention the writer is giving to who is playing at Fenway Park.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

She was reading Twilight when I last saw her.

[x]	She was reading “Twilight” when I last saw her.
[ ]	She was reading, “Twilight” when I last saw her.
[ ]	She was reading Twilight when I last saw her.
[ ]	She was reading Twilight “when I last saw her.”

As we can determine from this sentence, the subject (She) is reading a book. Book titles when written are given quotation marks. This tells us that Answer (c) is not correct. This sentence is a complex sentence and does not need any punctuation marks within it. Therefore, Answer (b) is not correct. The comma is not needed. Answer (d) draws attention to “when I last saw her.” However, this phrase is not being emphasized by the writer. That leaves us with Answer (a) which does show the correct use of quotation marks.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

Mr. Cooper said Turn to The Solar System chapter in your science book.

[ ]	Mr. Cooper said “Turn to The Solar System chapter in your science book.”
[ ]	Mr. Cooper said, “Turn to The Solar System chapter in your science book.”
[x]	Mr. Cooper said, “Turn to ‘The Solar System’ chapter in your science book.”
[ ]	Mr. Cooper said, “Turn to “The Solar System” chapter in your science book.”

This sentence is in the form of dialog so we know quotation marks are needed. Mr. Cooper is the speaker so we need to know what he said. A comma is placed after the word “said” to let us know that Mr. Cooper is about to speak – the comma represents the pause before speaking. Mr. Cooper is giving instruction to turn to a particular chapter in a science book. The chapter is “The Solar System.” Book chapters should receive quotation marks. Therefore, this sentence gives us a quote within a quote. The inner quote receives single quotation marks while the outer quote gets double quotation marks. Therefore, Answer (c) shows the correct placement of quotation marks and punctuation marks.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

My favorite Beatles’ song is I Want to Hold Your Hand.

[ ]	My favorite Beatles’ song is “I Want to Hold Your Hand”.
[ ]	My favorite “Beatles’” song is “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
[x]	My favorite Beatles’ song is “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
[ ]	My favorite Beatles’ song is I Want to Hold Your Hand.

When a song title is written it requires quotation marks. Therefore, Answer (d) is not correct. In Answer (b) the possessive noun “Beatles” has quotation marks. Possessive nouns do not need quotation marks so the answer is not the correct one. Answer (a) shows the period outside of the closing quotation mark. Periods must be placed inside the closing quotation mark so Answer (a) is not correct. Answer (c) shows us the correct placement of quotation marks and the punctuation mark.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

She bought three copies of Time.

[x]	She bought three copies of “Time.”
[ ]	She bought three copies of “Time”.
[ ]	She bought three copies of Time.
[ ]	She bought “three copies” of Time.

The writer is not trying to bring the readers’ attention to any specific word or phrase, therefore, Answer (d) is not correct. When naming a magazine, the name needs to receive quotation marks. “Time” is the name of a magazine and, therefore, Answer (c) is not correct as the sentence does require quotation marks. When thinking about the rule of punctuation marks with quotation marks, periods always go inside the closing quotation mark. Therefore, Answer (b) is not correct because it shows the period outside of the closing quotation mark. Answer (a) shows the correct use of quotation marks.

10.

Choose the answer that shows the correct use of quotation marks and punctuation placement.

James wondered if anyone was in the office.

[ ]	James wondered if anyone was “in the office.”
[ ]	James “wondered” if anyone was in the office.
[ ]	James wondered if “anyone was in the office.”
[x]	James wondered if anyone was in the office.

In this sentence there isn’t any dialog being quoted, there is no book, magazine, newspaper or title of any kind given nor is the writer trying to bring the readers’ attention to anything. It is a simple sentence and needs no changing. Therefore, Answer (d) is the correct answer.