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2016 by Robin L.
Simmons.
 Standard
Standard Punctuation
Punctuation

Do I need a
comma?
Or do I need a
semicolon?
 This presentation
covers standard
punctuation: end
marks, commas,
semicolons, and
apostrophes.
Punctuation items on an
objective test might look
like these . . .
 Sample
Sample Item
Item 1
1

As we got out of the car

car we
car, we
wecould
could
couldsmell
smell
smellthe
the
the
A
delicious chicken
chickenand
andrice
ricethat
thatGrandma
Grandma was
was
B C
cooking for dinner.

A.
A.car,
car, we
we Exactly!
Exactly! You
You
Do
Do you
you need
need aa
need to connect
need to after
connect
B.chicken, and comma
comma after car
car,,
the introductory
the introductory
chicken
chicken or rice
,, or rice??
C.rice, that clause.
clause.
D.No change is necessary.
 Sample
Sample Item
Item 2
2

A. Since Grandma wasnt looking, Julie filled the

dogs bowls with leftovers from the meal.
B. Since Grandma wasnt looking, Julie filled the
dogs bowls with leftovers from the meal.
C. Since
Since Grandma
Grandmawasnt
wasntlooking,
looking,
Julie
Julie
filled
filled
the
dogs
the dogs
bowls
bowls
with leftovers
with leftovers
from the
from
meal.
the meal.

An
An item
item might
might have
have 3 or 4
3 that
or 4the
Notice
Notice that the
versions
versions of of aa sentence,
sentence, and
and you
you
apostrophes
apostrophes
will
will have
have to
to choose
choose the letter
thecorrect
letter
are
are all
all correct
where all
where all punctuation
punctuation is
isC.
correct
in
in version
version C.
correct..
 End
End Marks
Marks
Use the period [ . ] to end statements.
Jasmine ate a chocolate-broccoli muffin.
Use the question mark [ ? ] when asking a
question.
Did Jasmine eat a chocolate-broccoli muffin?
Use not overuse the exclamation
mark [ ! ] to signify excitement or
emphasis.
Oh, no! Jasmine ate a chocolate-broccoli muffin!
 Do I have
broccoli stuck in
my teeth? I have
an appointment
at the dentists!
One
One exclamation mark per
exclamation mark per essay
essay is
is a
a
good
good average.
average.

X
But I really love! I
mean love! the
exclamation
mark! ! ! I want to
use it all the time! ! !
Its me! ! !
 Commas,
Commas, Part
Part 1
1
Use commas to connect introductory ,
interrupting, and some concluding
material.
Interrupting material will include a comma
before and a comma after.
Withoutwill
Jasmine a ,doubt,
without
pass a doubt,
theJasmine
comma will ,pass
test without
pass the
the
a doubt
comma test.
.

You should know

commas as well
as I do!
 Commas,
Commas, Part
Part 2
2
Use a comma with a coordinating
conjunction to connect two sentences.
Coordinating conjunctions = and, but, for,
or, nor, yet, and so.
Jasmine will pass the comma test but Slacker
test., Slacker Sam
will not.
Sam will not.

You have to
study if you want
to do well!
 Commas,
Commas, Part
Part 3
3
Use and alone to connect two items.
Use commas and an and to connect
three or more items.
Jasmine will buy a bag of potato chips, a
and a ,hotdog.
hotdog and a soda

Hard work
deserves a
reward!
 Semicolon
Semicolon
Use the semicolon [ ; ] to connect two main
clauses.
Do not use the semicolon to introduce a list.
The comma with a transition like such as or
including, or the colon [ : ] does that job.
Jasmine prefers
worries classes
about her
that
grade
requirestatistics;
her to write:
in statistics.
math
Math to
Intro isisHumanities,
not
nother
herbest subject.
bestAbnormal
subject. Psychology, and
US Government.

But I excel at
punctuation!
 Apostrophe
Apostrophe
Use the apostrophe [ ] with an s to show
possession: Jasmines pen, the cats eyes,
the professors frowns
Or use the apostrophe to indicate the
letters/spaces removed in a contraction:
she d, can t, should ve
cantt cheat
We can cheatfrom Jasminespunctuation
fromJasmines punctuationquiz
because
quiz shesshe
because s absent
absent today!today!

Ha! Dentist
appointment!
 Quick
Quick Test,
Test, Part
Part 1
1

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
No change is necessary.

Show me
what you
know.
 Item
Item 1
1

Although Raymond
Although Raymondwill
willeat
eata agrasshopper,
grasshopper,he he
A B
refuses all green vegetables;
vegetables;such
vegetables, such
suchasas
aspeas,
peas,
peas,
C
spinach, and even cucumbers.

A.Although, Raymond
B.grasshopper he
C.vegetables,
vegetables, such
such
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 2
2

Before his calculus exam

exam Scott
exam, Scott
Scottrubbed
rubbed
rubbedhis
his
his
lucky
lucky
lucky
A B
rabbits foot
foot and
andfound
foundhis
hisfavorite
favoritepencil.
pencil.
C

A.
A.exam,
exam, Scott
Scott
B.rubbed, his
C.foot, and
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 3
3

Francine has five chairs

chairsbut
chairs butsix
but sixguests
six guests
guestscoming
coming
coming
A BB
for Thanksgiving dinner; she hopes that old Uncle

Ross remembers
remembersto
tobring
bringan
anextra.
extra.
C

A.
A.chairs
chairs
B.guests
C.remembers
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 4
4
Roseanne washed the piles of dirty dishes;
dishes;while
dishes while
while
A
Maria vacuumed the filthy rug; they tried
triedto
to
B
complete a months
monthsworth
worthofofhousekeeping
housekeepingininaa
C
single hour.

A.
A.dishes
disheswhile
while
B.tried, to
C.months
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 5
5

Audrey cant
cant leave
leave work
work early,
early,and
and Peggy
Peggy wont
wont
wont
A B
help with the cupcakes, so I guess Illllhave
haveto
todo
do
C
all the baking myself.

A.cant
B.wont
wont
C.Ill
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 6
6
During our picnic,
picnic,we
wewere
weretormented
tormentedbyby
A
insects: ants
insects: antsswarming
swarminginto
intothe
thepotato
potato
B
salad, bees
salad, beesbuzzing
buzzingby
byour
ourears,
ears,and
andaakatydid
katydid
C
jumping into Henrys open mouth.

A.picnic we
B.insects; ants
C.salad bees
D.No change
changeisisnecessary.
necessary.
 Quick
Quick Test,
Test, Part
Part 2
2

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the sentence that is correctly punctuated.

Try a
different
type of
item.
 Item
Item 7
7

A. Roger spent three hours writing Christinas

paper.
B. Roger spent three hours writing Christinas
paper.
C. Roger
Roger spent
spentthree
threehours
hourswriting
writing
Christinas
Christinas
paper.
paper.
 Item
Item 8
8

A. When the crickets and the frogs sing Luis

cannot get a good nights sleep.
B. When
When the
the crickets
cricketsand
andthe
the
frogs
frogs
sing,
sing,
Luis
Luis
cannot get
cannot getaagood
goodnights
nights
sleep.
sleep.
C. When the crickets and the frogs sing, Luis
cannot get a good nights sleep.
 Item
Item 9
9

A.
A. Before
Before you
youstart
startpainting
paintingthethe
walls,
walls,
youll
youll
need
a dropacloth
need dropand
cloth
a ladder.
and a ladder.
B. Before you start painting the walls youll
need a drop cloth, and a ladder.
C. Before you start painting the walls, youll need
a drop cloth, and a ladder.
 Item
Item 10
10

A. Darlene laughed at Jebs haircut; it looked,

as if goats had grazed on his head.
B. Darlene
Darlene laughed
laughedatatJebs
Jebshaircut;
haircut;it looked
it looked
as ifif goats
goatshad
hadgrazed
grazedononhis
his
head.
head.
C. Darlene laughed at Jebs haircut, it looked
as if goats had grazed on hiss head.
 Grammar Bytes!
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commas and
apostrophes.
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The End.