Punctuation
Tell me which punctuation mark belongs in each blank. Your choices are a period (.), exclamation mark (!), a question mark (?), a comma (,), a semi-colon (;) and a colon (:). Each will be used once.
1. Dang it! Who typed the question mark on the teleprompter___
2. I decided to ride the pony___it was a poor choice.
3. When my sister asked me for help with her homework___I said I had to help you change your cat's litter box. Just go with it.
4. Give me my Snickers___
5. I brought the following things on my wilderness adventure___a knife, a package of protein bars, a Chinese finger trap, and a Slinky.
6. My remote control died just as Glee was about to come on___
1. Dang it! Who typed the question mark on the teleprompter___
2. I decided to ride the pony___it was a poor choice.
3. When my sister asked me for help with her homework___I said I had to help you change your cat's litter box. Just go with it.
4. Give me my Snickers___
5. I brought the following things on my wilderness adventure___a knife, a package of protein bars, a Chinese finger trap, and a Slinky.
6. My remote control died just as Glee was about to come on___
Types of Punctuation
Use an exclamation point [ ! ] at the end of an emphatic declaration, interjection, or command.
"No!" he yelled. "Do it now!"
or
"Crap! I scuffed my new Lebrons!"
Use a colon [ : ] before a list or an explanation with an independent clause before it. Think of the colon as a gate, inviting one to go on.
There is only one thing left to do: watch all eight Harry Potter movies in one day.
or
The charter review committee now includes the following people: the mayor, the chief of police, the fire chief, the chair of the town council.
Use a question mark [ ? ] at the end of a direct question.
"Where are you going with that pitchfork?"
or
"Why did you eat that snail?"
Use a semicolon [ ; ] for two reasons:
to help sort out a monster list:
There were citizens from Bangor, Maine; Hartford, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island.
OR
We had four professors on our committee: Peter Wursthorn, Professor of Mathematics; Ronald Pepin, Professor of English; Cynthia Greenblatt, Professor of Education; and Nada Light, Professor of Nursing.
to separate independent clauses that are closely related to each other:
My grandmother seldom goes to bed this early; she's afraid she'll miss out on something.
Use a period [ . ] to end any sentence that makes a statement:
"I accidentally knocked over that baby stroller."
or
"You are oddly talented at the harmonica."
Use a comma [ , ] for four reasons:
1. Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."
2. Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses, as in "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base."
3. Use a comma to set off introductory elements, as in "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."
4. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements--elements that could be completely taken out of the sentence without changing the sentence's structure. "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down."
"No!" he yelled. "Do it now!"
or
"Crap! I scuffed my new Lebrons!"
Use a colon [ : ] before a list or an explanation with an independent clause before it. Think of the colon as a gate, inviting one to go on.
There is only one thing left to do: watch all eight Harry Potter movies in one day.
or
The charter review committee now includes the following people: the mayor, the chief of police, the fire chief, the chair of the town council.
Use a question mark [ ? ] at the end of a direct question.
"Where are you going with that pitchfork?"
or
"Why did you eat that snail?"
Use a semicolon [ ; ] for two reasons:
to help sort out a monster list:
There were citizens from Bangor, Maine; Hartford, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island.
OR
We had four professors on our committee: Peter Wursthorn, Professor of Mathematics; Ronald Pepin, Professor of English; Cynthia Greenblatt, Professor of Education; and Nada Light, Professor of Nursing.
to separate independent clauses that are closely related to each other:
My grandmother seldom goes to bed this early; she's afraid she'll miss out on something.
Use a period [ . ] to end any sentence that makes a statement:
"I accidentally knocked over that baby stroller."
or
"You are oddly talented at the harmonica."
Use a comma [ , ] for four reasons:
1. Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."
2. Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses, as in "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base."
3. Use a comma to set off introductory elements, as in "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."
4. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements--elements that could be completely taken out of the sentence without changing the sentence's structure. "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down."