IEO Punctuation & Capitalization

Question 1

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

Accepted Answer

I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

Answer

Items in a series are separated by commas — 'apples, oranges, and bananas' is the correct Oxford comma usage.

Question 2

When should a colon be used?

Accepted Answer

To introduce a list or explanation that follows a complete clause

Answer

A colon is used after a complete independent clause to introduce a list, explanation, or quotation.

Question 3

Which word should be capitalized in the sentence: 'my favorite subject is english'?

Accepted Answer

My and English

Answer

Both 'My' (first word of the sentence) and 'English' (a proper noun — a language name) must be capitalized.

Question 4

What punctuation mark is used to show possession?

Accepted Answer

Apostrophe (')

Answer

An apostrophe followed by 's' (or just an apostrophe after a plural 's') shows possession — e.g., 'the dog's collar.'

Question 5

Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly?

Accepted Answer

She said, "I will be late."

Answer

When introducing a direct quote with a reporting verb, place a comma before the opening quotation mark.

IEO - International English Olympiad Practice Test