OSSLT Applying Punctuation Rules 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?
- She is a well-known author. (Correct answer)
- She is well-known.
- She is a well known author.
- She is an author who is well-known.
Correct answer: She is a well-known author.
Compound modifiers are hyphenated when they appear before the noun they modify.
Question 2: Which is the correct way to punctuate this title: 'The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe'?
- The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Correct answer)
- The Lion The Witch, and The Wardrobe
- The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
- The Lion: The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Correct answer: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Commas separate items in a series within a title, including before the final 'and.'
Question 3: Which sentence correctly avoids a comma splice?
- I studied hard, I passed the test.
- I studied hard, and I passed the test. (Correct answer)
- I studied hard and, I passed the test.
- I studied hard, so, I passed the test.
Correct answer: I studied hard, and I passed the test.
A comma splice is fixed by adding a coordinating conjunction after the comma.
Question 4: Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly to show joint possession?
- Tom's and Jerry's house is big.
- Tom and Jerry's house is big. (Correct answer)
- Tom's and Jerry house is big.
- Tom and Jerrys' house is big.
Correct answer: Tom and Jerry's house is big.
When two people own something together, only the last name takes the apostrophe-s.
Question 5: Which sentence is correctly punctuated when addressing someone directly?
- Can you help me Marcus?
- Can you help me, Marcus? (Correct answer)
- Can, you help me Marcus?
- Can you, help me Marcus?
Correct answer: Can you help me, Marcus?
A comma sets off a direct address (also called a vocative) from the rest of the sentence.
Question 6: Which option correctly punctuates a sentence with two adjectives before a noun?
- She wore a long red dress.
- She wore a long, red dress. (Correct answer)
- She wore a long, red, dress.
- She wore a, long red dress.
Correct answer: She wore a long, red dress.
A comma separates coordinate adjectives (each modifying the noun independently) when they can be joined by 'and.'
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses a period with an abbreviation?
- She lives on Elm St..
- She lives on Elm St. (Correct answer)
- She lives on Elm St,
- She lives on Elm St
Correct answer: She lives on Elm St.
When a sentence ends with an abbreviation, only one period is used — it serves both the abbreviation and the sentence.
OSSLT Applying Punctuation Rules 4
Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?