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 9 of 16
- A. We had pet insurance but still owed $40 in fees.
- B. We had pet insurance: but still owed $40 in fees.
- C. We had pet insurance but, still owed $40 in fees.
- D. We had pet-insurance but still owed $40 in fees.
Explanation: This option is correct. It uses proper punctuation without unnecessary commas or hyphens.
Correct answer: We had pet insurance but still owed $40 in fees.- A. was going
- B. today
- C. however
- D. me to
Explanation: Incorrect; "me to" should be "my" to properly form the phrase "caused me to postpone my workout." This is correct option
Correct answer: me to- A. "I am asking if you would like to rollerblade together tomorrow?"
- B. "I am asking 'if you would like to rollerblade together tomorrow'*?"
- C. "I am asking if you would like to rollerblade together tomorrow."
- D. "I am asking 'if you would like to rollerblade together tomorrow.' "
Explanation: This option correctly ends with a question mark, making it a direct question. This is correct option
Correct answer: "I am asking if you would like to rollerblade together tomorrow?"- A. "Yes, Jean, you were right about that answer."
- B. "Yes Jean, you were right about that answer."
- C. "Yes Jean you were right about that answer.
- D. "Yes, Jean, you were right, about that answer."
Explanation: This option correctly places commas before and after "Jean" to set it off as an interjection and to separate it from the rest of the…
Correct answer: "Yes, Jean, you were right about that answer."- A. "Whenever Cheryl is in town. She visits her sister."
- B. "Whenever Cheryl, is in town, she visits her sister."
- C. "Whenever, Cheryl is in town, she visits her sister."
- D. "Whenever Cheryl is in town, she visits her sister."
Explanation: This option correctly uses commas to set off the introductory phrase "Whenever Cheryl is in town" and to separate it from the main clause…
Correct answer: "Whenever Cheryl is in town, she visits her sister."- A. "It may not be the correct part, but I bet that it works."
- B. "It may not be the correct part but, I bet that it works."
- C. "It may not be the correct part but: I bet that it works."
- D. "It may not be the correct part but, I bet, that it works."
Explanation: This option correctly uses a comma to separate the introductory clause "It may not be the correct part" from the main clause "but I bet…
Correct answer: "It may not be the correct part, but I bet that it works."- A. "Paul Simon sang, 'I am a rock, I am. An island.'"
- B. "Paul Simon sang, 'I am a rock; 1 am an island.'"
- C. "Paul Simon sang I am a rock; I am an island."
- D. "Paul Simon sang I am a rock, I am an island."
Explanation: This option correctly uses a semicolon inside the quotation to separate the clauses "I am a rock" and "I am an island." This is correct…
Correct answer: "Paul Simon sang, 'I am a rock; 1 am an island.'"- A. "John F. Kennedy Jr. became a magazine publisher and a pilot before his tragic death."
- B. "John F. Kennedy Jr. became a magazine publisher, and a pilot before his tragic death."
- C. "John F. Kennedy Jr., became a magazine publisher and a pilot, before his tragic death."
- D. "John F. Kennedy Jr. became a magazine, publisher, and a pilot before his tragic death."
Explanation: This option correctly lists two occupations ("magazine publisher" and "pilot") without any unnecessary punctuation. This is correct option
Correct answer: "John F. Kennedy Jr. became a magazine publisher and a pilot before his tragic death."- A. "Julio, my friend from Ames, Ohio will join us."
- B. "Julio, my friend from Ames, Ohio, will join us."
- C. "Julio, my friend, from Ames, Ohio will join us."
- D. "Julio my friend from Ames Ohio will join us."
Explanation: This option correctly uses commas to set off the additional information "my friend from Ames, Ohio." This is correct option
Correct answer: "Julio, my friend from Ames, Ohio, will join us."- A. "The elections will be held on: the first Tuesday of November, 2018."
- B. "The elections will be held, on the first Tuesday of November 2018."
- C. "The elections will be held on the first Tuesday, of November 2018."
- D. "The elections will be held on the first Tuesday of November 2018."
Explanation: This option correctly states the date without unnecessary punctuation, providing a clear and grammatically correct sentence.
Correct answer: "The elections will be held on the first Tuesday of November 2018."- A. "The elections will be held on Tuesday November 6, 2018, and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m."
- B. "The elections will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m."
- C. "The elections will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m." This option incorrectly omits the comma before "and" which disrupts the sentence structure. Commas are needed to separate clauses in a compound sentence.
- D. "The elections will be held on: Tuesday, November 6, 2018, and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m."
Explanation: This option correctly formats the date with commas around "November 6, 2018" to set it off as a non-essential element.
Correct answer: "The elections will be held on Tuesday November 6, 2018, and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m."- A. "It is good that a caring dedicated teacher like Mr. Fuentes, should be appreciated by students who are usually bored and too busy."
- B. "It is good that a caring, dedicated teacher like Mr. Fuentes should be appreciated by students who are usually, bored and too busy."
- C. "It is good that a caring dedicated teacher like Mr. Fuentes should be appreciated by students who are usually bored and too busy."
- D. "It is good that a caring, dedicated teacher like Mr. Fuentes should be appreciated by students who are usually bored and too busy."
Explanation: This option correctly uses commas to set off the non-essential adjectives "caring" and "dedicated" describing Mr. Fuentes.
Correct answer: "It is good that a caring, dedicated teacher like Mr. Fuentes should be appreciated by students who are usually bored and too busy."- A. "Knowing her own strengths and working hard made her a success in school." This option correctly joins the two related actions ("knowing her own strengths" and "working hard") without unnecessary punctuation. This is correct option
- B. "Knowing her own strengths and working hard, made her a success in school."
- C. "Knowing her own strengths and working hard made her, a success, in school."
- D. "Knowing her own strengths, and working hard made her a success in school."
Explanation: This option correctly joins the two related actions ("knowing her own strengths" and "working hard") without unnecessary punctuation.
Correct answer: "Knowing her own strengths and working hard made her a success in school." This option correctly joins the two related actions ("knowing her own strengths" and "working hard") without unnecessary punctuation. This is correct option- A. "I need to locate four states on the map: Minnesota, Michigan, California, and Nevada."
- B. "I need to locate four states on the map. Minnesota; Michigan; California; and Nevada."
- C. "I need to locate four states on the map Minnesota, Michigan, California, and Nevada."
- D. "I need to locate four states on the map; Minnesota, Michigan, California, and Nevada.
Explanation: This option correctly uses a colon to introduce a list of items ("Minnesota, Michigan, California, and Nevada"). This is correct option
Correct answer: "I need to locate four states on the map: Minnesota, Michigan, California, and Nevada."- 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: This option correctly uses a colon to introduce the list of two items, "peace and quiet." This is correct option
Correct answer: "Right now I want two things: peace and quiet."- 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: This option correctly states the sentence without unnecessary punctuation. This is correct option
Correct answer: "Our philosophy teacher thinks that Einstein believed that we cannot stop war by waging war."- 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").
Correct answer: "Beware of the upcoming storm, the weather forecaster warned on national television."- 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.
Correct answer: "I completed the homework for English, History, Math and Science only in the span of an hour."- 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
Correct answer: "The sun was rising; we had to move."- 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.
Correct answer: "Help! Help me! I'm drowning!"