Punctuation Test

A Test on Using Punctuation

This test is linked to the entry on punctuation in Grammar Monster's glossary.

Test your knowledge of apostrophes, brackets, colons, commas, dashes, hyphens, semicolons, and speech marks. (There are lots more grammar tests here.)
Interactive Test
Your score:

Click on a highlighted area and then name the missing punctuation.





Hint: For these tests, place punctuation inside quotation marks. For example:
  • "I know," she said. correct tick
  • "I know", she said. wrong cross
Read more about punctuation inside or outside quotation marks.

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See Also

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 pointsbefore 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