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Punctuation Worksheet
Commas, Colons & Semi-colons

FRESHMAN ENGLISH
Archbishop Moeller High School, Mr. Rose

Refer to your “Chesterton Punctuation” PowerPoint to review all the rules for proper usage of commas.

PART I -- Read each sentence. Put commas in the correct places in each sentence. If a sentence does not require
commas, write “correct” at the end of the sentence. Use your tablet pen and write in red!

1. Even though the paint was still wet, I couldn't resist touching it. Complex Sentence DC, IC

2. After the fire burned out, I went inside the house. Complex DC, IC

3. In English class we read Old Man and the Sea, The Pearl and Romeo and Juliet. Simple

4. I watched television, took the dog for a walk, and drove to the store to get milk. Simple

5. William Shakespeare a famous playwright wrote Macbeth and Hamlet. Appositive / Simple

6. The three pound bass which was the biggest fish I ever caught, tasted delicious. Complex Sentence DC,
IC

7. While the turkey was cooking, I prepared mashed potatoes. Complex DC, IC

8. My best friend John just bought a new lawn mower. Correct

9. In the basement mice hide between the boxes. Simple

10. After hiking in the woods for three hours, I sat down to have a drink of water. Complex Sentence DC,
Practice: rewrite these sentences using a semi-colon.
1.It rained heavily this afternoon. We managed to have our picnic
anyway. .............................................................................................................................................
........................ ...................................................................................................................................
..................................
2.They couldn't make it to the summit and back before dark. They decided to camp for the
night. .................................................................................................................................................
.................... .......................................................................................................................................
..............................
3.The Leaning Tower of Pisa is in danger of falling over. Engineers are trying to stabilize its
foundations. .......................................................................................................................................
.............................. .............................................................................................................................
........................................
4.The computer can perform millions of operations in a split second. It cannot think for
itself. ..................................................................................................................................................
................... ........................................................................................................................................
.............................
5.The artist preferred to paint in oils. He did not like
watercolors. .......................................................................................................................................
............................................. ..............................................................................................................
......................................................................
Practice: add a colon to these sentences.
1.We visited many parts of Europe Spain, France, Bulgaria and Poland.
2.The daily newspaper contains four sections news, sports, entertainment, and classified
advertisements.
3.Assemble your ingredients tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and pesto sauce.
4.Suddenly I realised where we were Gloucester market.