Punctuation Basics
Correct the punctuation:
The meal included chicken rice and vegetables.
The meal included chicken, rice, and vegetables.
Is this a fragment or a complete sentence?
Walking through the park on a sunny day.
Fragment.
Identify the type of sentence:
I went to the store, and I bought some snacks.
Compound sentence.
What is the purpose of the colon in this sentence?
I have three favorite sports: soccer, basketball, and tennis.
The colon introduces a list.
Identify the correct conjunction:
I wanted to go outside, _____ it was raining.
but
Why is this sentence wrong?
My dog barks all night it drives my neighbors crazy.
This is a run-on sentence. It needs a semicolon, period, or conjunction
Fix this run-on sentence:
I love pizza it’s my favorite food.
I love pizza; it’s my favorite food.
Rewrite this sentence to avoid a comma splice:
She loves reading, she doesn’t enjoy writing.
She loves reading, but she doesn’t enjoy writing.
Where should the dashes go in this sentence?
The teacher my favorite one always encourages us to try harder.
The teacher—my favorite one—always encourages us to try harder.
Choose the best conjunction:
She couldn’t decide _____ to study or go to the party.
whether
Add punctuation to correct the sentence:
We visited Paris Rome London and Berlin on our trip.
We visited Paris, Rome, London, and Berlin on our trip.
Identify the fragment in this sentence:
We went to the concert. Singing loudly along with the band.
Singing loudly along with the band is the fragment.
Identify the dependent clause:
Because it was raining, we stayed inside.
Because it was raining is the dependent clause.
Add dashes to emphasize extra information:
The winner of the race John was my best friend.
The winner of the race—John—was my best friend.
Combine these sentences using the correct conjunction:
I wanted to go to the park. It was raining.
I wanted to go to the park, but it was raining.
Fix the punctuation:
The principal said "We will have a special assembly today."
The principal said, "We will have a special assembly today."
Combine these sentences into one clear sentence:
The storm caused power outages. It knocked down several trees.
The storm caused power outages and knocked down several trees.
Rearrange this sentence for proper structure:
The flowers on the table I arranged are beautiful.
The flowers I arranged on the table are beautiful.
Rewrite this sentence to introduce a list using a colon:
I need to buy bread milk and eggs at the store.
I need to buy: bread, milk, and eggs at the store.
Identify the misplaced modifier and fix the sentence:
Running to catch the bus, her backpack slipped off her shoulder.
Misplaced modifier: Running to catch the bus.
Rewrite this for clarity:
The dog chased the cat it ran up a tree to escape.
The dog chased the cat; it ran up a tree to escape.
Correct this run-on sentence using a subordinating conjunction:
I was tired I stayed up to finish the project.
Although I was tired, I stayed up to finish the project.
Combine these sentences into one with a participial phrase:
The students studied late into the night. They were preparing for their exams.
Preparing for their exams, the students studied late into the night.
Rewrite this sentence using dashes for clarity:
The results of the election which surprised many people were announced today.
The results of the election—which surprised many people—were announced today.
Combine these sentences into one complex sentence by using a subordinating conjuction.
She stayed up late. She finished her homework. She was very tired.
Although she was tired, she stayed up late to finish her homework.