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Free Punctuation MCQs with Answers

308 Punctuation MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Punctuation marks show structure, pauses, relationships and emphasis in written sentences. Questions cover commas in lists, clauses and nonessential phrases, semicolons between independent clauses, colons, apostrophes, quotation marks and hyphens, as well as the errors that create fragments, run-on sentences or comma splices.

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308 questions · page 14 of 16

261. Choose the correct sentence for punctuation

  • A. Right now I want two things peace and quiet.
  • B. Right now I want two things; peace and quiet.
  • C. Right now I want two things... peace and quiet.
  • D. Right now I want two things: peace and quiet.

Explanation: Right now I want two things: peace and quiet - This sentence is an example of a sentence with a colon (:) used to introduce a list.

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Correct answer: Right now I want two things: peace and quiet.

262. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed: that we cannot stop war by waging war.
  • B. Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed that, we cannot stop war by waging war.
  • C. Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed that we cannot stop war by waging war.
  • D. Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed, that we cannot stop war by waging war.

Explanation: Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed that we cannot stop war by waging war - This sentence is an example of a sentence…

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Correct answer: Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed that we cannot stop war by waging war.

263. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. My friend Ali and i are reading 'The Phantom Tollbooth'
  • B. My friend Ali and I are reading 'The Phantom Tollbooth'.
  • C. "My friend Ali and I are reading 'the phantom Tollbooth'."
  • D. "My friend Ali and I are reading the phantom tollbooth."

Explanation: This option correctly capitalizes "I" and uses quotation marks around the title with proper punctuation. This is correct option

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Correct answer: My friend Ali and I are reading 'The Phantom Tollbooth'.

264. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. "Beware of the upcoming storm, the weather forecaster warned on national television."
  • B. Beware of the upcoming storm," the weather forecaster warned on national television."
  • C. "Beware of the upcoming storm,; the Weather Forecaster national television. Warned on"
  • D. "Beware of the upcoming storm? the weather forecaster warned on national television."

Explanation: This option correctly places a comma before the attribution ("the weather forecaster warned").

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Correct answer: "Beware of the upcoming storm, the weather forecaster warned on national television."

265. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. "I completed the homework for English, History, Math and Science only in the span of an hour."
  • B. "I completed the homework for English History, Math, and Science only in the span of an hour!"
  • C. "I completed the homework for english, history, math, and science only in the span of an hour."
  • D. "I completed the homework for English History Math and Science only in the span of an hour."

Explanation: This option correctly capitalizes proper nouns (English, History, Math, Science) and uses commas to separate items in a list.

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Correct answer: "I completed the homework for English, History, Math and Science only in the span of an hour."

266. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. "The sun was rising; we had to move."
  • B. "The sun was rising; we had to move?"
  • C. "The sun was rising, We had to move."
  • D. "The sun was rising we had to move."

Explanation: This option correctly uses a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses. This is correct option

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Correct answer: "The sun was rising; we had to move."

267. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. "When Sheila arrived she said, please fix me some hot tea; i'm so cold!"
  • B. "When Sheila arrived she said, 'Please fix me some hot tea; Im so cold!'"
  • C. "When Sheila arrived she said, 'Please fix me some hot tea, I'm so cold!'"
  • D. "When Sheila arrived she said, 'Please fix me some hot tea; I'm so Cold!'"

Explanation: This option correctly uses a comma after "tea" and corrects "I'm" to have an apostrophe.

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Correct answer: "When Sheila arrived she said, 'Please fix me some hot tea, I'm so cold!'"

268. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. "Help help! Me I'm drowning."
  • B. "Help! Help me! I'm drowning!"
  • C. "Help, help me. Im drowning."
  • D. "Help help me! Im drowning!"

Explanation: This option correctly uses exclamation marks for urgency and separates each phrase with appropriate punctuation.

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Correct answer: "Help! Help me! I'm drowning!"

269. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. "The class will begin, next Tuesday 6th September; at 6 p.m."
  • B. "The class will begin next Tuesday 6th September at 6 p.m.!"
  • C. "The class will begin next Tuesday, 6th September. at 6 p.m."
  • D. "The class will begin next Tuesday, 6th September, at 6 p.m."

Explanation: This option correctly uses commas to separate "next Tuesday," "6th September," and "at 6 p.m." It ends with a period, which is appropriate…

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Correct answer: "The class will begin next Tuesday, 6th September, at 6 p.m."

270. Choose the correct option for punctuation

  • A. Mother said "leave the dishes on the table until we have finished eating."
  • B. "Mother said Leave the dishes on the table until we have finished eating."
  • C. "Mother said, 'Leave the dishes on the table until we have finished eating.'"
  • D. "Mother said, Leave the dishes on the table until we have finished eating."

Explanation: This option correctly uses commas to introduce the direct speech and uses double quotation marks to indicate the exact words spoken.

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Correct answer: "Mother said, 'Leave the dishes on the table until we have finished eating.'"

271. Choose the correct sentence:

  • A. Drinks on the menu included the following, hot chocolate, iced tea and lemonade.
  • B. Drinks on the menu included the following hot chocolate, iced tea, and lemonade.
  • C. Drinks on the menu included the following: hot chocolate, iced tea and lemonade.
  • D. Drinks on the menu included the following. Hot chocolate, iced tea and lemonade.

Explanation: Before you start a list in a sentence, a colon must be placed, and commas are required to separate items to avoid misreading.Option A, B…

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Correct answer: Drinks on the menu included the following: hot chocolate, iced tea and lemonade.

272. Spot the error of punctuationNo matter what I do. I can't seem to convince the board of directors that achieving the designer's vision will be impossible, when considering economies of scale.

  • A. What I do
  • B. I can't seem
  • C. The designer's
  • D. Impossible

Explanation: This option ends with a period, making it a complete statement but lacks punctuation before "what," which should have a comma after "do."…

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Correct answer: What I do

273. Spot the error of punctuation"Ever since Joachim quit his last job he has been free to pursue his solo jazz career, and he has actually become quite skilled at improvisation

  • A. Ever since Joachim quit his last job
  • B. Pursue
  • C. Career
  • D. Quite skilled

Explanation: The phrase "Ever since Joachim quit his last job" is a subordinate clause, indicating the starting point of a timeframe.

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Correct answer: Ever since Joachim quit his last job

274. Spot the error of punctuation"Above all you must remember to conjugate the verbs correctly on tomorrow's test," the French teacher said.

  • A. "Above all
  • B. He verbs
  • C. Tomorrow's
  • D. "Test,"

Explanation: "Test," This punctuation is correct as it correctly ends the direct quotation with a comma before the closing quotation mark.

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Correct answer: "Test,"

275. Choose the correct option

  • A. When Wendy re-covered, she called her ex-husband.
  • B. When Wendy recovered, she called her exhusband.
  • C. When Wendy recovered, she called her ex-husband.
  • D. When Wendy re-covered, she called her exhusband.

Explanation: When Wendy recovered, she called her ex-husband - The word "recovered" is the correct choice because it means to regain health or…

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Correct answer: When Wendy recovered, she called her ex-husband.

276. Punctuate the following sentence ------You did it again.

  • A. Hey!
  • B. Wow!
  • C. Bravo!
  • D. None

Explanation: This expresses a strong feeling of surprise or admiration. This option is correct

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Correct answer: Wow!

277. Spot the error:Yes, Jean you were right about that answer 5.

  • A. Yes
  • B. Jean
  • C. Were
  • D. That answer

Explanation: - The sentence contains the phrase "Yes, Jean you were right about that answer", which is a response to someone named Jean who previously…

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Correct answer: Jean

278. Find the error in following sentence of punctuationWe could go to the beach or to your sister's house, and if all else fails we can always find something to do at home.

  • A. Your sister's
  • B. Else
  • C. Fails
  • D. At home

Explanation: - The sentence contains the phrase "if all else fails", which is a common idiomatic expression meaning "if everything else doesn't work…

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Correct answer: Fails

279. Find the error in following sentence of punctuationHe sees this as his ethical duty to photography, despite his history in computer aided graphic arts.

  • A. His ethical duty
  • B. Photography
  • C. Computer aided
  • D. Graphic arts

Explanation: - The sentence contains the phrase "computer aided graphic arts", which would be more correctly written as "computer-aided graphic arts"…

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Correct answer: Computer aided

280. Find the error in following sentenceIn each of the following question, four alternative sentences are given. Choose the correct one.

  • A. Spain is a beautiful country; the beache's are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.
  • B. Spain is a beautiful country: the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.
  • C. Spain is a beautiful country, the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.
  • D. Spain is a beautiful country; the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.

Explanation: - The semicolon (;) correctly separates the two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning.- The word "beaches" is correctly…

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Correct answer: Spain is a beautiful country; the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.
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