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 uses the Oxford comma?
Answer: I bought pens, paper, and folders.
The Oxford comma is the comma placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items.
Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
Answer: She loves editing; she reads grammar books daily.
A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction.
Where should the comma be placed in this sentence: 'After the meeting the editor reviewed all the drafts'?
Answer: After 'meeting, the'
A comma follows an introductory phrase ('After the meeting') before the main clause.
Which sentence uses an em dash correctly?
Answer: The editor—a veteran journalist—approved the piece.
Em dashes set off a parenthetical phrase, with one em dash on each side of the inserted material.
Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly?
Answer: The editors' desk is cluttered.
When the possessor is a plural noun ending in 's,' only an apostrophe is added after the 's.'
In American English, where does the period go relative to closing quotation marks?
Answer: Inside the closing quotation mark
American English style places periods and commas inside closing quotation marks.