Book Editing Book Editor Trainer 3

Question 1

In US punctuation style, where do periods and commas go relative to closing quotation marks?

Accepted Answer

Always inside the quotation marks

Answer

Always outside the quotation marks

Answer

Inside only for dialogue

Answer

It depends on sentence length

Question 2

Which is the correct use of an em dash?

Accepted Answer

To set off an abrupt break or parenthetical aside

Answer

To separate digits in a phone number

Answer

To hyphenate a compound modifier

Answer

To indicate a range of page numbers

Question 3

An en dash is most appropriately used to:

Accepted Answer

Indicate ranges such as pages 10–20

Answer

Join words in a compound adjective like 'well-known'

Answer

Replace a colon before a list

Answer

Mark a speaker change in dialogue

Question 4

Which sentence correctly uses a serial (Oxford) comma per Chicago style?

Accepted Answer

We bought apples, oranges, and pears.

Answer

We bought apples, oranges and pears.

Answer

We bought apples oranges, and pears.

Answer

We bought, apples, oranges, and pears.

Question 5

The word 'their' used for 'there' is an error a spell-checker typically MISSES because it is:

Accepted Answer

A correctly spelled but wrong word (homophone)

Answer

A grammatical fragment

Answer

A run-on construction

Answer

A dangling modifier

Question 6

How should numbers under 100 generally be treated in narrative prose under Chicago style?

Accepted Answer

Spelled out (e.g., 'forty-two')

Answer

Always written as numerals

Answer

Spelled out only if even

Answer

Written as Roman numerals

Question 7

A 'comma splice' occurs when:

Accepted Answer

Two independent clauses are joined only by a comma

Answer

A comma separates a list of three items

Answer

A comma follows an introductory phrase

Answer

A comma sets off a nonrestrictive clause