Punctuation Grammar Test

'Using Punctuation' Test

Test your knowledge of apostrophes, brackets, colons, commas, dashes, hyphens, semicolons, and speech marks.

(There are lots more grammar tests here.)

Your score:

Click on each grey area and then name the punctuation which is missing:

Hint: For these tests, place punctuation inside quotation marks
(For example: "I know," she said.

"I know", she said.

).
[More on punctuation inside or outside quotation marks]

Apostrophes

overview
used incorrectly with plurals (e.g. two cat's.)
in time expressions (e.g. year's salary)
to replace letters (e.g. can't)
to show the plural of abbreviations (e.g. SOS's)
to show possession (e.g. dog's dinner)
test

Brackets

overview of round brackets
overview of square brackets
replaced by commas or dashes

Colons

to extend a sentence (e.g. ...one trait: bravery.)
in references (e.g. Para. 4: Section 2)
for introductions (e.g. ...the following: A and B.)
with bullet points
before quotations

Commas

after 'setting the scene' (e.g. At 4 o'clock, I went...)
after a transitional phrase (e.g. However, it is...)
after an interjection (e.g. Yes, I know...)
before a conjunction (e.g. ...the end, but only when...)
to replace brackets (e.g. Simon, the last man, saw...)
in lists (e.g. egg, milk and butter)
with a long subject (e.g. A, B and C, are required...)
with numbers (e.g. 2,232)
with speech marks (e.g. He yelled, 'Get out!')
when addressing someone (e.g. That's true, Simon.)
test

Dashes

to extend a sentence (e.g. ...one trait - bravery.)
to replace brackets (e.g. Simon - the last man - saw...)

Hyphens

in compound adjectives (e.g. two-seater aircraft)
in compound nouns (e.g. cooking-oil)
in prefixes (ex-President)
alternatives to hyphens (e.g. a "come here" look)

Semicolons

before conjunctions (e.g. ...is true; but the other one...)
before transitional phrases (e.g. ...he knew; as a result, I was...)
in lists (e.g. the master, aged 81; the servant, aged 19)
to extend a sentence (e.g. It was serious; I broke a toe.)

Speech Marks

with colons or commas
and three dots (ellipsis)
and punctuation (inside or outside)
for ships, plays and books
doubles (") or singles (')
meaning alleged or so-called
test

'Using Punctuation' Test

Apostrophes

Brackets

Colons

Commas

Dashes

Hyphens

Semicolons

Speech Marks

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