ACT English: Punctuation for Clauses and Phrases 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly punctuates an essential (restrictive) clause?
- The student, who finished first, won a prize.
- The student who finished first won a prize. (Correct answer)
- The student who finished first, won a prize.
- The student, who finished first won a prize.
Correct answer: The student who finished first won a prize.
Essential clauses needed to identify the noun take no commas.
Question 2: Choose the correct punctuation: "After the movie ended ___ we discussed the plot."
- ;
- , (Correct answer)
- :
- —
Correct answer: ,
A comma separates the introductory clause from the main clause.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses a dash to set off a phrase?
- The results—surprising as they were, pleased everyone.
- The results—surprising as they were—pleased everyone. (Correct answer)
- The results, surprising as they were—pleased everyone.
- The results surprising—as they were—pleased everyone.
Correct answer: The results—surprising as they were—pleased everyone.
A pair of dashes sets off a parenthetical phrase on both sides.
Question 4: Identify the correct punctuation: "He had one goal ___ to finish the marathon."
- ,
- ;
- : (Correct answer)
- and
Correct answer: :
A colon introduces an explanation or appositive after an independent clause.
Question 5: Which sentence fixes the run-on: "The dog barked the mailman ran."?
- The dog barked the mailman, ran.
- The dog barked, the mailman ran.
- The dog barked; the mailman ran. (Correct answer)
- The dog barked the mailman; ran.
Correct answer: The dog barked; the mailman ran.
A semicolon correctly separates two independent clauses in a run-on.
Question 6: Choose the correct comma placement for the appositive: "My teacher Ms. Lopez assigned homework."
- My teacher, Ms. Lopez assigned homework.
- My teacher Ms. Lopez, assigned homework.
- My teacher, Ms. Lopez, assigned homework. (Correct answer)
- My, teacher Ms. Lopez assigned homework.
Correct answer: My teacher, Ms. Lopez, assigned homework.
A nonessential appositive is enclosed by commas on both sides.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly punctuates two clauses joined by 'but'?
- She tried hard but, she lost.
- She tried hard, but she lost. (Correct answer)
- She tried hard but she lost,
- She tried, hard but she lost.
Correct answer: She tried hard, but she lost.
A comma comes before 'but' when joining two independent clauses.
ACT English: Punctuation for Clauses and Phrases 3
Which sentence correctly punctuates an essential (restrictive) clause?