Sentence Structure and Punctuation Flashcards

Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?

Answer: She studied hard; she passed the exam.

A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

Identify the dangling modifier in: 'Walking down the street, the rain began to fall.'

Answer: 'Walking down the street' has no clear subject to modify.

The participial phrase 'Walking down the street' has no logical subject since rain cannot walk.

Which option correctly punctuates a list using the Oxford comma?

Answer: I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

The Oxford comma is placed before 'and' in a series of three or more items.

What is the grammatical error in: 'Running to the store, my keys were lost.'

Answer: Dangling modifier

The participial phrase 'Running to the store' illogically modifies 'my keys,' which cannot run.

Which sentence uses a colon correctly?

Answer: He brought everything: his books, notes, and pencils.

A colon after a complete clause correctly introduces a list or explanation.

Which sentence is a correct compound-complex sentence?

Answer: Because she practiced, she improved, and she won the competition.

A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and one dependent clause.

What punctuation is needed in: 'Its a beautiful day isnt it'

Answer: It's a beautiful day, isn't it?

'It's' needs an apostrophe for the contraction, a comma before the tag question, and a question mark at the end.