Punctuation Flashcards
6 cards from real Writing and Editing practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Punctuation flashcards as text
Which sentence correctly uses 'its' vs. 'it's'?
Answer: The report lost its cover page.
'Its' is the possessive pronoun; 'it's' is the contraction for 'it is.'
Which sentence uses a question mark correctly?
Answer: Was the deadline today?
A direct question ends with a question mark, while an indirect question does not.
Which sentence correctly avoids a comma splice?
Answer: Both B and C are correct.
A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma; fix it with a semicolon or a coordinating conjunction.
Which sentence uses an exclamation mark appropriately in formal writing?
Answer: No exclamation marks are appropriate in formal writing.
Formal writing generally avoids exclamation marks, which are considered too emphatic or informal.
Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen with a prefix?
Answer: The article was co-written by two editors.
A hyphen is commonly used with the prefix 'co-' before a word, especially in American English.
In a series of items using semicolons, why would you use semicolons instead of commas?
Answer: When one or more items in the series already contain commas
Semicolons replace commas as series separators when the items themselves contain internal commas.