ITBS Capitalization and Punctuation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses commas with an introductory clause?
- After the rain stopped we went outside.
- After the rain stopped, we went outside. (Correct answer)
- After, the rain stopped we went outside.
- After the rain, stopped we went outside.
Correct answer: After the rain stopped, we went outside.
A comma is placed after an introductory dependent clause before the main clause.
Question 2: Which sentence correctly uses a possessive apostrophe?
- The dogs bone was buried in the yard.
- The dog's bone was buried in the yard. (Correct answer)
- The dogs' bone was buried in the yard.
- The dogs bone's was buried in the yard.
Correct answer: The dog's bone was buried in the yard.
A singular possessive is formed by adding 's to the owner, so 'dog's bone' shows one dog owns the bone.
Question 3: Which sentence uses capital letters correctly for a person's title?
- We met president Johnson at the parade.
- We met President johnson at the parade.
- We met President Johnson at the parade. (Correct answer)
- We met president johnson at the parade.
Correct answer: We met President Johnson at the parade.
When a title directly precedes a person's name, both the title and name are capitalized as part of the proper noun.
Question 4: Which sentence is punctuated correctly at the end?
- How amazing that was
- How amazing that was.
- How amazing that was! (Correct answer)
- How amazing that was?
Correct answer: How amazing that was!
An exclamatory sentence expressing strong emotion ends with an exclamation point.
Question 5: Which word should NOT be capitalized in the sentence 'My Uncle lives in the South.'?
- Uncle (Correct answer)
- South
- My
- lives
Correct answer: Uncle
Family titles like 'uncle' are only capitalized when used as a name or directly before one; here it is used with 'My', so it should be lowercase.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly uses quotation marks for a title of a short story?
- I read The Gift of the Magi last night.
- I read 'The Gift of the Magi' last night.
- I read "The Gift of the Magi" last night. (Correct answer)
- I read (The Gift of the Magi) last night.
Correct answer: I read "The Gift of the Magi" last night.
Titles of short stories are enclosed in double quotation marks, not italics, single quotes, or parentheses.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- I was tired; but I finished my homework.
- I was tired; I finished my homework anyway. (Correct answer)
- I was tired, I; finished my homework.
- I was tired; and finished my homework.
Correct answer: I was tired; I finished my homework anyway.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
ITBS Capitalization and Punctuation 4
Which sentence correctly uses commas with an introductory clause?