This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Punctuation – Set 2”.
1. Among the options, select the one that punctuates the below sentence correctly.
if you had invited me I would have come.
a) ‘If you had invited me I would have come’.
b) If you had invited me, I would have come.
c) if you had invited me, I would have come.
d) If you had, invited me, I would have come
View Answer
Explanation: The first letter of the sentence should be capitalized. The sentence has two phrases. Thus, a comma is required to separate them.
2. Select the sentence in which the punctuation is correct.
a) Who is at the door!
b) He said, “I won’t come tomorrow”.
c) Everyone at the office, including the manager and the workers were waiting for a day off.
d) Go to sleep:
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence, ‘Who is at the door’ should end with a question mark. For the sentence, ‘Everyone at the office, including the manager and the workers were waiting for a day off’, a comma should be inserted after the word ‘workers’. The sentence ‘Go to sleep’ should terminate with a period.
3. For separating the clauses of a compound sentence, which of the following should be used?
a) Semicolon
b) Hyphen
c) Comma
d) Colon
View Answer
Explanation: Consider the sentence, ‘She was a kind, large-hearted woman; and we all praised her’. Here the semicolon is used to separate the clauses of the sentence. ‘Large-hearted’ is the compound word here.
4. Select the option which punctuates the below sentence correctly.
alas he died so soon.
a) Alas! he died so soon.
b) Alas, he died so soon.
c) Alas! He died so soon.
d) “Alas!”, he died so soon.
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Alas’ is an exclamatory word and thus requires an exclamation mark following the word. Double inverted commas are not required for this sentence.
5. Identify the sentence with the wrong punctuation.
a) Watch out for sharp pieces of glass!
b) That was an absolutely incredible shot.
c) Shall we go hiking?
d) Read the Bible every morning.
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence is of exclamatory nature and hence, it should end with an exclamation mark. ‘That was an absolutely incredible shot!’ will be the correct form.
6. Choose the option which punctuates the below sentence in the correct manner.
go and stand there paul.
a) Go and stand there, paul.
b) Go and stand there! Paul.
c) Go and stand there Paul.
d) Go and stand there, Paul.
View Answer
Explanation: A comma is required to mark off the nominative of address. Also, the first letter of the noun ‘Paul’ should be capitalized.
7. The below sentence has no errors in punctuation.
His birthday is in the month of april.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: The first letter of the days of a week and months should be capitalized. Hence the correct sentence is ‘His birthday is in the month of April’.
8. Identify the option which punctuates the below sentence correctly.
the following players missed the training today rajesh kumar and mohan.
a) The following players missed the training today: Rajesh, Kumar and Mohan.
b) The following players missed the training today. Rajesh Kumar and Mohan.
c) The following players missed the training today; Rajesh, Kumar and Mohan.
d) The following players missed the training today, Rajesh, Kumar and Mohan.
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence introduces a list and thus, it requires a colon after the word ‘today’. The first letter of the names of players should be capitalized.
9. Which punctuation should be used to represent the greatest pause and separation?
a) period
b) semicolon
c) colon
d) dash
View Answer
Explanation: Period otherwise known as full stop has to be used in such circumstances requiring the greatest pause. For example, ‘The Nobel Laureate passed away today morning.’
10. Identify the sentence with the correct punctuation.
a) They asked what time the mall would close?
b) Which team are you rooting for!
c) Joseph and Mathew, went to school together.
d) To everyone’s surprise Michael passed the exam.
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence, ‘They asked what time the mall would close’ should terminate with a period because it is an indirect question. A question mark should be included at the end of the sentence ‘Which team are you rooting for’. For the sentence, ‘To everyone’s surprise Michael passed the exam’ a comma should be included after the word ‘surprise’ to separate the two clauses.
11. Which of the following options has the correct punctuation for the below sentence?
what an extraordinary player said the coach.
a) What an extraordinary player? said the coach.
b) “What an extraordinary player?”, said the coach.
c) “What an extraordinary player!”, said the coach.
d) What an extraordinary player! said the coach.
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence has an indirect question. Thus, a question mark should not be used. The sentence also uses the exact words of the speaker which mandates it to be enclosed in double inverted commas.
12. The below sentence has no errors in punctuation.
At the age of 24, he became the youngest MP.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: MP is an abbreviation for Member of Parliament. Full stop should be used for abbreviations. Thus, the correct sentence is ‘At the age of 24, he became the youngest M.P.’
13. Which of the following sentences is wrong in terms of its punctuation?
a) That short man, Prem’s father, is the Chairman.
b) We had a great time in India.
c) I’m asking if you went there?
d) The girl’s father attended the meeting.
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence is an indirect question and should not end with a question mark. The sentence must be rephrased as, ‘I’m asking if you went there.’
14. If a quotation occurs within a quotation, it has to be enclosed with __________
a) parentheses
b) single inverted commas
c) double inverted commas
d) hyphen
View Answer
Explanation: John said, “He used the term ‘pensive’ to refer to friendly”. In this sentence, single inverted commas are used to enclose the quotation within a quotation.
15. Select the option which punctuates the below sentence correctly.
only the almighty can help us this time.
a) Only the Almighty can help us this time.
b) Only the almighty can help us this time.
c) Only the almighty, can help us this time.
d) Only The Almighty can help us this time.
View Answer
Explanation: The first letter of the words that stand for God should be capitalized. Thus the correct sentence is ‘Only the Almighty can help us this time’.
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