Punctuation errors 1
Semicolons
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- Some
- people
- spend
- a
- lot
- of
- money
- hiring
- people
- for
- wedding
- services
- they
- are
- lucky
- to
- have
- such
- talented
- friends.
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The right answer is: Some people spend a lot of money hiring people for wedding services; they are lucky to have such talented friends.
- Some
- people
- spend
- a
- lot
- of
- money
- hiring
- people
- for
- wedding
- services;
- they
- are
- lucky
- to
- have
- such
- talented
- friends.
Semicolons
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- The
- flowers
- will
- be
- roses,
- daisies,
- and
- snapdragons
- orchids,
- tulips,
- and
- irises
- or
- peonies
- and
- lilies.
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The right answer is: The flowers will be roses, daisies, and snapdragons; orchids, tulips, and irises; or peonies and lilies.
- The
- flowers
- will
- be
- roses,
- daisies,
- and
- snapdragons;
- orchids,
- tulips,
- and
- irises;
- or
- peonies
- and
- lilies.
Colons
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- There
- will
- be
- three
- colours
- for
- the
- wedding
- white,
- black,
- and
- gold.
Great!
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The right answer is: There will be three colours for the wedding: white, black, and gold.
- There
- will
- be
- three
- colours
- for
- the
- wedding:
- white,
- black,
- and
- gold.
Colons
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- They've
- finally
- narrowed
- down
- the
- dinner
- choices
- salmon,
- steak,
- and
- a
- vegan
- stew.
Great!
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The right answer is: They’ve finally narrowed down the dinner choices: salmon, steak, and a vegan stew.
- They've
- finally
- narrowed
- down
- the
- dinner
- choices:
- salmon,
- steak,
- and
- a
- vegan
- stew.
Colons
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- Their
- wedding
- invitations
- contained
- the
- following
- quote
- from
- the
- Roman
- poet
- Ovid
- If
- you
- want
- to
- be
- loved,
- be
- lovable.
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The right answer is: Their wedding invitations contained the following quote from the Roman poet Ovid: If you want to be loved, be lovable.
- Their
- wedding
- invitations
- contained
- the
- following
- quote
- from
- the
- Roman
- poet
- Ovid:
- If
- you
- want
- to
- be
- loved,
- be
- lovable.
Quotes
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- The
- invitations
- said
- that
- the
- wedding
- would
- be
- outdoor
- casual.
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The right answer is: The invitations said that the wedding would be “outdoor casual.”
- The
- invitations
- said
- that
- the
- wedding
- would
- be
- "outdoor
- casual."
Quotes
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- What
- exactly
- does
- 'outdoor
- casual'
- mean?
- I
- asked
- the
- bride.
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The right answer is: “What exactly does ‘outdoor casual’ mean?” I asked the bride.
- "What
- exactly
- does
- 'outdoor
- casual'
- mean?"
- I
- asked
- the
- bride.
Quotes
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- She
- told
- me
- to
- dress
- comfortably
- and
- wear
- shoes
- that
- do
- not
- sink
- into
- the
- ground.
Great!
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The right answer is: She told me to “dress comfortably and wear shoes that do not sink into the ground.”
- She
- told
- me
- to
- "dress
- comfortably
- and
- wear
- shoes
- that
- do
- not
- sink
- into
- the
- ground."
Apostrophes
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- On
- the
- day
- of
- the
- wedding,
- were
- going
- to
- rent
- a
- limo.
Great!
Try again!
The right answer is: On the day of the wedding, we’re going to rent a limo.
- On
- the
- day
- of
- the
- wedding,
- we're
- going
- to
- rent
- a
- limo.
Apostrophes
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- My
- brothers
- wife
- will
- make
- the
- arrangements.
Great!
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The right answer is: My brother’s wife will make the arrangements.
- My
- brother's
- wife
- will
- make
- the
- arrangements.
Apostrophes
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- Shes
- a
- great
- party
- organiser.
Great!
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The right answer is: She’s a great party organiser.
- She's
- a
- great
- party
- organiser.
Brackets
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- On
- the
- day
- of
- the
- wedding,
- the
- bride
- looked
- more
- beautiful
- than
- ever
- and
- I've
- known
- her
- for
- fifteen
- years.
Great!
Try again!
The right answer is: On the day of the wedding, the bride looked more beautiful than ever (and I’ve known her for fifteen years).
- On
- the
- day
- of
- the
- wedding,
- the
- bride
- looked
- more
- beautiful
- than
- ever
- (and
- I've
- known
- her
- for
- fifteen
- years.)
Brackets
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- All
- the
- details
- were
- perfect
- in
- my
- opinion.
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The right answer is: All the details were perfect (in my opinion).
- All
- the
- details
- were
- perfect
- (in
- my
- opinion.)
Hyphens
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- The
- groom
- danced
- with
- his
- new
- mother
- in
- law.
Great!
Try again!
The right answer is: The groom danced with his new mother-in-law.
- The
- groom
- danced
- with
- his
- new
- mother-
- in-
- law.
Hyphens
Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctuation. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for.
- It
- was
- a
- spectacular,
- fun
- filled
- day
- for
- everyone.
Great!
Try again!
The right answer is: It was a spectacular, fun-filled day for everyone.
- It
- was
- a
- spectacular,
- fun-
- filled
- day
- for
- everyone.
Attribution
This work includes material from the following sources:
The Saylor Foundation. (2013). Writing for success. Retrieved from http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Writing%20for%20Success.pdf Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
