NoRedInk Punctuation Usage 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?
- She is a well known author.
- She is a well-known author. (Correct answer)
- She is a well—known author.
- She is a well, known author.
Correct answer: She is a well-known author.
Compound modifiers before a noun are hyphenated, so 'well-known' is correct when it precedes 'author'.
Question 2: Which sentence has correct apostrophe usage?
- The dogs bone was buried.
- The dog's bone was buried. (Correct answer)
- The dogs' bone was buried.
- The dogs bone's was buried.
Correct answer: The dog's bone was buried.
A singular possessive is formed by adding apostrophe + s to the noun ('dog's').
Question 3: How should you punctuate the end of a direct question within a sentence?
- She asked did you finish the homework.
- She asked, 'Did you finish the homework.'
- She asked, 'Did you finish the homework?' (Correct answer)
- She asked; 'Did you finish the homework?'
Correct answer: She asked, 'Did you finish the homework?'
A question mark is required at the end of a direct question, even when embedded in a larger sentence.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly avoids a comma splice?
- I was tired, I went to bed early.
- I was tired, so I went to bed early. (Correct answer)
- I was tired I went to bed early.
- I was tired. so I went to bed early.
Correct answer: I was tired, so I went to bed early.
Adding the coordinating conjunction 'so' after the comma correctly joins the two clauses.
Question 5: Where does the period go in a sentence ending with a parenthetical remark?
- She left early (for the airport.)
- She left early. (for the airport)
- She left early (for the airport). (Correct answer)
- She left early (for the airport,).
Correct answer: She left early (for the airport).
When a parenthetical remark is part of a larger sentence, the period goes outside the closing parenthesis.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly uses quotation marks?
- He said that 'he was hungry'.
- He said, "I am hungry." (Correct answer)
- He said, 'I am hungry".
- He said "I am hungry".
Correct answer: He said, "I am hungry."
Direct speech requires double quotation marks in American English, with the period inside the closing mark.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly punctuates an introductory adverbial clause?
- After the storm the streets flooded.
- After the storm, the streets flooded. (Correct answer)
- After the storm; the streets flooded.
- After the storm: the streets flooded.
Correct answer: After the storm, the streets flooded.
An introductory adverbial clause is followed by a comma before the main clause.
NoRedInk Punctuation Usage 3
Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?