NoRedInk Punctuation Usage 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- I love writing; and reading.
- She studied hard; however, she still failed. (Correct answer)
- He ran fast; but lost.
- They arrived early; to get good seats.
Correct answer: She studied hard; however, she still failed.
A semicolon can join two independent clauses, especially when a conjunctive adverb like 'however' follows.
Question 2: Where should a colon be placed in this sentence: 'She needed three things milk eggs and butter'?
- She needed: three things milk eggs and butter.
- She needed three things: milk, eggs, and butter. (Correct answer)
- She needed three things milk: eggs and butter.
- She needed three things milk eggs: and butter.
Correct answer: She needed three things: milk, eggs, and butter.
A colon introduces a list and is placed after the complete introductory clause.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses an em dash?
- My dog - a golden retriever - loves to swim.
- My dog—a golden retriever—loves to swim. (Correct answer)
- My dog, a golden retriever— loves to swim.
- My dog—a golden retriever, loves to swim.
Correct answer: My dog—a golden retriever—loves to swim.
Em dashes are used in pairs to set off a parenthetical phrase and appear without spaces.
Question 4: Which option correctly punctuates the following: 'The results were surprising we had won'?
- The results were surprising, we had won.
- The results were surprising we, had won.
- The results were surprising; we had won. (Correct answer)
- The results were surprising: we had won only.
Correct answer: The results were surprising; we had won.
Two independent clauses cannot be joined with a comma alone (comma splice); a semicolon is correct here.
Question 5: In the title 'Dr. Smith's well-known book', what punctuation marks appear?
- A period only.
- A period, an apostrophe, and a hyphen. (Correct answer)
- An apostrophe and a hyphen only.
- A period and a comma.
Correct answer: A period, an apostrophe, and a hyphen.
The period follows the abbreviation 'Dr.', the apostrophe shows possession, and the hyphen links 'well-known'.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly uses parentheses?
- The meeting (will be held tomorrow at noon.
- The meeting will be held tomorrow (at noon). (Correct answer)
- The meeting will be held (tomorrow, at noon.
- The meeting will be held tomorrow at (noon).
Correct answer: The meeting will be held tomorrow (at noon).
Parentheses must always be used in matching pairs enclosing supplementary information.
Question 7: Which sentence uses the ellipsis correctly?
- She said... 'I will be there.'
- The original quote was 'I came, I saw...and I conquered.'
- 'To be or not to be...' is one of Shakespeare's famous lines. (Correct answer)
- He trailed off... and never finished his...
Correct answer: 'To be or not to be...' is one of Shakespeare's famous lines.
An ellipsis indicates omitted words in a quotation or a trailing off in speech, as shown in the famous Hamlet quote.
NoRedInk Punctuation Usage 2
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?