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©2016 by Robin L.
Simmons.
Standar d Punctuation
Do I need a
comma?
Or do I need a
semicolon?
This presentation
covers standard
punctuation: end
marks, commas,
semicolons, and
apostrophes.
Punctuation items on an
objective test might look
like these ...
Sample Item 1
As we got out of the car
car we
car,
we
wecould
could
couldsmell
smell
smellthe
the
the
A
delicious chicken
chickenand
andrice
ricethat
that
Grandma
Grandma
was
was
B
C
cooking for dinner.
A.
B.
C.
D.
car, we
car,
we
Do
Exactly!
you need
You
a
comma
after car
need
to connect
the,
chicken, and
chicken
, orclause.
rice?
introductory
rice, that
No change is necessary.
Sample Item 2
A. Since Grandma wasnt looking, Julie filled the
dogs bowls with leftovers from the meal.
B. Since Grandma wasn’t looking, Julie filled the
dogs’ bowls with leftover’s from the meal.
C. Since
Since Grandma
Grandmawasn’t
wasn’tlooking,
looking,
Julie
Julie
filled
filled
the
dogs’
the
dogs’
bowls
bowls
with leftovers
with leftovers
from the
from
meal.
the meal.
An item might have
Notice
3 that
or 4the
apostrophes
versions of a sentence,
and you
will have to chooseare
theall
letter
correct
where
all punctuationinisversion
correct
C..
End Mar ks
• Use the period [ . ] to end statements.
Jasmine ate a chocolate-broccoli muffin.
• Use the question mark [ ? ] when asking a
question.
Did Jasmine eat a chocolate-broccoli muffin?
• Use—not overuse —the exclamation
mark [ ! ] to signify excitement or
emphasis.
Oh, no! Jasmine ate a chocolate-broccoli muffin!
Do I have
broccoli stuck in
my teeth? I
have an
appointment at
the dentist’s!
O n e excl a m at i o n m a r k p e r
e s s a y i s a g o o d ave r a g e .
X
But I really love! I
mean love! the
exclamation
mark!!! I want to
use it all the time!!!
It’s me!!!
Commas, Par t 1
• Use commas to connect introductory,
interrupting, and some concluding
material.
• Interrupting material will include a comma
before and a comma after.
Withoutwill
Jasmine
a ,doubt,
pass
without
theJasmine
comma
a doubt,
test
will ,pass
pass
without
the
the
a
doubt
.
comma
test.
You should know
commas as well
as I do!
Commas, Par t 2
• Use a comma with a coordinating
conjunction to connect two sentences.
• Coordinating conjunctions = and, but, for,
or, nor, yet, and so.
Jasmine will pass the comma test,
but Slacker
test. Slacker
Sam
will not.
Sam
will not.
You have to
study if you want
to do well!
Commas, Par t 3
• Use and alone to connect two items.
• Use commas and an and to connect
three or more items.
Jasmine will buy a bag of potato chips,
chips a
hotdog,
and
a hotdog.
and a soda
Hard work
deserves a
reward!
Semicolon
• Use the semicolon [ ; ] to connect two main
clauses.
• Do not use the semicolon to introduce a list.
The comma with a transition like such as or
including, or the colon [ : ] does that job.
Jasmine prefers
worries classes
about her
that
grade
require
in statistics.
statistics;
her to write:
math
nother
herbest
bestAbnormal
subject. Psychology, and
Math to
Intro
isisHumanities,
not
subject.
US Government.
But I excel at
punctuation!
Apostrophe
• Use the apostrophe [ ’ ] with an s to show
possession: Jasmine’s pen, the cat’s eyes,
the professors’ frowns
• Or use the apostrophe to indicate the
letters/spaces removed in a contraction:
she’ d, can’ t, should’ ve
We can’t
cheatfrom
fromJasmines
Jasmine’spunctuation
punctuationquiz
cant cheat
quiz
because
absent
because
shesshe’s
absent
today!today!
Ha! Dentist
appointment!
Quick Test, Par t 1
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”
Show me
what you
know.
Item 1
Although Raymond
Although
Raymondwill
willeat
eata agrasshopper,
grasshopper,
he he
A
B
refuses all green vegetables;
vegetables;such
vegetables,
suchasaspeas,
peas,
C
spinach, and even cucumbers.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Although, Raymond
grasshopper he
vegetables, such
vegetables,
such
No change is necessary.
Item 2
Before his calculus exam
exam Scott
exam,
Scott
Scottrubbed
rubbed
rubbed
his
his
his
lucky
lucky
lucky
A
B
rabbit’s foot
foot and
andfound
foundhis
hisfavorite
favoritepencil.
pencil.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
exam, Scott
exam,
Scott
rubbed, his
foot, and
No change is necessary.
Item 3
Francine has five chair’s
chair’sbut
chairs
butsix
sixguests
guests
guestscoming
coming
coming
A
BB
for Thanksgiving dinner; she hopes that old Uncle
Ross remembers
remembersto
tobring
bringan
anextra.
extra.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
chairs
chairs
guest’s
remember’s
No change is necessary.
Item 4
Roseanne washed the piles of dirty dishes;
dishes;while
dishes
while
while
A
Maria vacuumed the filthy rug; they tried
tried to
to
B
complete a month’s
month’sworth
worthofofhousekeeping
housekeepingininaa
C
single hour.
A.
B.
C.
D.
disheswhile
dishes
while
tried, to
months
No change is necessary.
Item 5
Audrey can’t
can’t leave
leave work
work early,
early, and
and Peggy
Peggy wont
wont
won’t
A
B
help with the cupcakes, so I guess I’ll
’ll have
have to
to do
do
C
all the baking myself.
A. cant
B. won’t
won’t
C. Ill
D. No change is necessary.
Item 6
During our picnic,
picnic,we
wewere
weretormented
tormentedby
by
A
insects: ants
insects:
antsswarming
swarminginto
intothe
thepotato
potato
B
salad, bees
salad,
beesbuzzing
buzzingby
byour
ourears,
ears,and
andaakatydid
katydid
C
jumping into Henry’s open mouth.
A.
B.
C.
D.
picnic we
insects; ants
salad bees
No change
changeisisnecessary.
necessary.
Quick Test, Par t 2
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the sentence that is correctly punctuated.
Try a
different
type of
item.
Item 7
A. Roger spent three hours writing Christinas
paper.
B. Roger spent three hour’s writing Christina’s
paper.
C. Roger
Roger spent
spentthree
threehours
hours
writing
writing
Christina’s
Christina’s
paper.
paper.
Item 8
A. When the crickets and the frogs sing Luis
cannot get a good nights sleep.
B. When
When the
the crickets
cricketsand
andthe
the
frogs
frogs
sing,
sing,
Luis
Luis
cannot get
cannot
getaagood
goodnight’s
night’s
sleep.
sleep.
C. When the cricket’s and the frog’s sing, Luis
cannot get a good nights sleep.
Item 9
A. Before
Before you
youstart
startpainting
painting
thethe
walls,
walls,
you’ll
you’ll
need
a dropacloth
need
dropand
cloth
a ladder.
and a ladder.
B. Before you start painting the walls you’ll
need a drop cloth, and a ladder.
C. Before you start painting the walls, youll need
a drop cloth, and a ladder.
Item 10
A. Darlene laughed at Jebs haircut; it looked,
as if goat’s had grazed on his head.
B. Darlene
Darlene laughed
laughedatatJeb’s
Jeb’shaircut;
haircut;
it looked
it looked
as ifif goats
goatshad
hadgrazed
grazedononhis
his
head.
head.
C. Darlene laughed at Jeb’s haircut, it looked
as if goats had grazed on his’s head.
Grammar Bytes!
provides additional
handouts and exercises on
commas and
apostrophes.
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The End.