Punctuation- exercises

A. If the following sentences are correctly punctuated with introductory commas, mark a C on the line to
the left of the sentence. If there is an error, put an X on the line and circle the error. Do you know why
each sentence is correct or incorrect?

____ 1. As the boat turned about a dozen dolphins began to follow it.

____ 2. Since we moved into town, our fuel bill has tripled.

____ 6. When he was in high school he was known only as an athlete.

____ 7. Before you decide what courses to take, you should consider the amount of work you are willing to do.

____ 8. Nevertheless I do not want to meet him.

B. Add introductory commas where they are needed in the following sentences.

____ 3. Of course the movie that I had rushed to see didn't start on time.

____ 4. Her secondhand car was in excellent condition when she bought it.

____ 8. To succeed in politics is not necessarily desirable.

____ 9. Making up his mind quickly Jared ordered lasagna while we were still reading the menu.

____ 10. However he tried to use the bottle opener it wouldn't work.

C. Write your own sentences with introductory elements, and punctuate them correctly.

1. After ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. To save ________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

4. As I mentioned __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

5. Hearing ________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

6. Because of______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

D. Insert a comma or a semi-colon. ,/;

1. The hill was covered with wildflowers …..it was a beautiful sight.

Opracowała: mgr Agnieszka Złotkowska- Danilczuk

2. The artist preferred to paint in oils …….he did not like watercolors.

3. The computer could perform millions of operations in a split second …..however, it could not think
spontaneously.

4. I thought registration day would be tiring …..but I didn't know I'd have to stand in so many lines.

5. The suspect said that he had never met the victim …..however, the detective knew that he was lying.

6. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road ….in the second place, we had no chains.

7. I have read Soul on Ice ….but I have not read The Invisible Man.

8. San Francisco is my favorite city ….in fact, I plan to spend two weeks there this summer.

9. Ron and Mike were both in English class this morning ….they gave an interesting presentation on their
research.

10. Not all highly educated people enjoy traveling …..but many world travelers are particularly well educated.

E.Are there any nonessential words, phrases, or clauses in the following sentences? If so, underline them
and change the punctuation as appropriate.

1. The movie that I wanted to see is no longer playing.

2. Each person who enters the contest must send in two box tops.

3. John decided nonetheless not to buy the car.

4. The Mississippi River which once flowed north into Hudson Bay flows south into the Gulf of Mexico.

5. The free-jazz musician Sun Ra claimed to be from Saturn.

F. Are the essential and nonessential elements in the following sentences punctuated correctly? If the
following sentences are correctly punctuated, mark a C on the line to the left of the sentence. If there is an
error, put an X on the line and circle the error.

____1. The woman who did not attend the meeting said that she had to study for her chemistry exam.

____2. He did not however intend to return the money he borrowed.

____3. West Point cadets, who break the honor code, are expelled.

____4. She was as a matter of fact chiefly interested in becoming a Hollywood celebrity.

____5. Raul's wife, Conchita, is president of the local Red Cross.

____6. The German writer, Hermann Hesse, is a favorite with American college students.

____7. The courthouse which was renovated recently was built in 1878.

____8. Saul having forgotten to save his work lost all of his revisions when his computer crashed.

____9. St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, wrote his handbook of spiritual exercises in the
sixteenth century.

Opracowała: mgr Agnieszka Złotkowska- Danilczuk

____10. The book, that your sister gave you for your birthday, won a National Book Award.

G. The following sentences have essential and nonessential words, phrases, and clauses in them. Put in the
necessary punctuation.

1. The girl who teaches swimming at the neighborhood pool has a great deal of patience.

2. The girl who enjoyed teaching swimming decided to major in physical education at college.

3. The high school course that was most valuable to me was typing.

4. Maria wearing an original dress of her own design was the center of attention.

6. Dauphin Island located off the coast of Alabama is a favorite spot for fishermen.

7. He saw his favorite movie Star Wars eight times.

8. Two of her friends Kate and Beth are planning to share an apartment with her next summer.

10. The officer who made the arrest had been investigated previously for excessive use of force.

H. Add commas as needed in the sentences below.

1. He left the scene of the accident and tried to forget that it had happened.

2. Oil which is lighter than water rises to the surface.

3. Madame de Stael was an attractive gracious lady.

4. Nice is a word with many meanings and some of them are contradictory.

5. Some people refuse to go to the zoo because of pity for creatures that must live in small cages.

6. Taxicabs that are dirty are illegal in some cities.

7. December 7 1941 will never be forgotten.

8. The field was safe enough wasn't it?

9. He replied "I have no idea what you mean."

10. Men who are bald are frequently the ones who are the most authoritative on the subject of baldness.

11. As a celestial goddess she regulated the course of the heavenly bodies and controlled the alternating seasons.

12. I hope that some day he will learn how to be polite.

I. Punctuate the following passages:

It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen Winston Smith his chin nuzzled into his
breast in an effort to escape the vile wind slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions though
not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him the hallway smelt of boiled
cabbage and old rag mats at one end of it a coloured poster too large for indoor display had been tacked to the
wall it depicted simply an enormous face more than a metre wide the face of a man of about forty-five with a
heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features Winston made for the stairs it was no use trying the lift

Opracowała: mgr Agnieszka Złotkowska- Danilczuk

even at the best of times it was seldom working and at present the electric current was cut off during daylight
hours it was part of the economy drive in preparation for Hate Week the flat was seven flights up and Winston
who was thirty-nine and had a varicose ulcer above his right ankle went slowly resting several times on the way
on each landing opposite the lift-shaft the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall it was one of those
pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move BIG BROTHER IS
WATCHING YOU the caption beneath it ran

(“1984” by George Orwell)

Come and play with me proposed the little princeI am so unhappy

I cannot play with you the fox said I am not tamed

What does that mean-- 'tame'?

It is an act too often neglected said the fox it means to establish ties

'To establish ties'?

Just that said the fox to me you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other
little boys and I have no need of you and you on your part have no need of me to you I am nothing more than a
fox like a hundred thousand other foxes but if you tame me then we shall need each other to me you will be
unique in all the world to you I shall be unique in all the world

I am beginning to understand said the little prince there is a flower I think that she has tamed me

(“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery)

Opracowała: mgr Agnieszka Złotkowska- Danilczuk