Capital Crimes
Identify and correct the capitalization error:
"The police officer interviewed ravi singh on friday."
The police officer interviewed Ravi Singh on Friday.
Insert the missing comma:
"Although the evidence was limited the detectives continued investigating."
Although the evidence was limited, the detectives continued investigating.
Correct the error:
"The Fitz-Amobi's were interested in the investigation."
The Fitz-Amobis were interested in the investigation.
What punctuation mark can connect two closely related independent clauses without using a conjunction?
A) ;
B) :
A) ; A semicolon.
Complete the sentence:
"The detectives searched _____ the suspect's background for evidence." (in / into)
Which sentence is correctly capitalized?
A) The Detective investigated the Barrows Wood.
B) The detective investigated the Barrows Wood.
C) The detective investigated the barrows wood.
B
Add commas around the embedded clause:
"Ted Bundy one of the most infamous serial killers used to work for a suicide prevention hotline."
Ted Bundy, one of the most infamous serial killers, used to work for a suicide prevention hotline.
Choose the correct sentence and explain why:
A) John Wayne Gacys' clown name was Pogo the Clown.
B) John Wayne Gacy's clown name was Pogo the Clown.
B is correct because Gacy's indicates possession by one person.
Correct the punctuation:
"The judge delivered an unexpected sentence life without parole."
The judge delivered an unexpected sentence: life without parole.
Correct the error:
"Their going to examine the evidence because the suspects left they're belongings at the scene."
They're going to examine the evidence because the suspects left their belongings at the scene.
Correct the capitalization:
"John Wayne Gacy was known as the pogo the clown killer."
John Wayne Gacy was known as Pogo the Clown.
Correct the punctuation in this sentence:
"The investigators collected fingerprints photographs witness statements and DNA samples."
The investigators collected fingerprints, photographs, witness statements, and DNA samples.
Identify and correct the apostrophe error:
"I didn't always agree with the main character's actions', but I understood their motivations."
I didn't always agree with the main characters' actions, but I understood their motivations. (If referring to one character, use character's.)
Correct the quotation punctuation:
"The prosecutor asked "Did you plan this out, or did it just happen on the spur of the moment"?"
The prosecutor asked, "Did you plan this out, or did it just happen on the spur of the moment?"
Choose the correct words:
"_____ responsible for the crime, and _____ motive remains unclear." (Who's / Whose)
Who's responsible for the crime, and whose motive remains unclear.
Explain why "police officer" is not capitalized in this sentence, but "Friday" is:
"The police officer questioned the suspect on Friday."
"Police officer" is a general job title, or common noun. "Friday" is the name of a specific day and is a proper noun.
Identify the error and correct it:
"The Black Dahlia case remains unsolved, many suspects have been investigated."
This is a comma splice.
Correction: The Black Dahlia case remains unsolved, but many suspects have been investigated.
Correct all the errors:
"Its difficult to understand why the detective didn't trust they're evidence."
It's difficult to understand why the detective didn't trust their evidence.
Identify the punctuation error and correct it:
"D.B. Cooper hijacked a Boeing 747; in 1971, he received $200,000 and parachuted out of the plane."
The semicolon incorrectly separates a dependent phrase from the preceding independent clause.
Correction: D.B. Cooper hijacked a Boeing 747 in 1971; he received $200,000 and parachuted out of the plane.
Explain the difference between "its" and "it's" in the below sentences.
"The evidence was placed in its container."
and
"It's important to preserve the evidence."
Its is possessive. It's is a contraction of "it is."
Rewrite the sentence with correct capitalization and explain two of your corrections:
"in 1963, the great train robbery took place in england, when criminals targeted a royal mail train."
In 1963, the Great Train Robbery took place in England, when criminals targeted a Royal Mail train.
The specific event, country and organization are proper names and require capitals.
Rewrite this sentence using all necessary commas:
"Although the police had several suspects Robert Pickton also known as the Pig Farmer Killer was not immediately convicted."
Although the police had several suspects, Robert Pickton, also known as the Pig Farmer Killer, was not immediately convicted.
Explain the difference between the meaning of these two sentences:
"The suspects' statements were inconsistent."
"The suspect's statements were inconsistent."
Suspects' means statements belonging to multiple suspects. Suspect's means statements belonging to one suspect.
Rewrite the following using a colon and explain why it is appropriate:
"The Bernardo and Homolka case shocked Canadians when crucial evidence was discovered: the murder tapes."
The Bernardo and Homolka case shocked Canadians when crucial evidence was discovered: the murder tapes.
The colon introduces an explanation identifying the specific evidence.
Identify and correct all five errors:
"Their was no evidence that the suspect had broken in to the house, but it's fingerprints were found inside. The detective asked who's belongings were left at the scene."
There was no evidence that the suspect had broken into the house, but its fingerprints were found inside. The detective asked whose belongings were left at the scene.