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Simmons.
 Standard 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 Item 1

As we got out of the car

car,we
wecould
couldsmell
smellthe
the
A
delicious chicken and
and rice
rice that
that Grandma
Grandma was
was
B C
cooking for dinner.

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

A. Since Grandma wasnt looking, Julie filled the dogs

bowls with leftovers from the meal.
B. Since Grandma wasn’t looking, Julie filled the dogs’
dogs’ bowls
bowls with leftover’s
with leftover’s
from the
frommeal.
the meal.
C. Since Grandma
Grandma wasn’t
wasn’tlooking,
looking,Julie
Juliefilled
filledthe
the dogs’
dogs’ bowls
bowls with leftovers
with leftovers
from from
the meal.
the meal.

An item might have 3 that

Notice or 4the
apostrophes
versions of a sentence, and you
will have to chooseare
theall correct
letter where
all punctuationinisversion
correct C..
 End 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 dentist’s!
One exclamation mark per essay is a
good average.

X
But I really love! I
mean love! the
exclamation
mark!!! I want to
use it all the time!!!
It’s me!!!
 Commas, Part 1
• Use commas to connect introductory,
interrupting, and some concluding
material.
• Interrupting material will include a comma
before and a comma after.
Without
Jasmine willa,pass
doubt,
without a doubt,
Jasmine
the comma , without
testwill thea
passthe
pass
[Link].
comma
comma test.

You should know

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

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

Hard work
deserves a
reward!
 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.
Jasmineprefers
Jasmine worries
worries about
classes
about her
her
thatgrade in statistics;
grade
require in statistics.
her to write:
math
Math
Intro isisHumanities,
to not
nother
herbest
best subject.
Abnormal
subject. Psychology, and US
Government.

But I excel at
punctuation!
 Apostrophe
• Use the apostrophe [ ’ ] with an s to show
possession: Jasmine’s pen, the cat’s eyes, the
professors’ frowns
• Or use the apostrophe to indicate the letters/spaces
removed in a contraction: she’ d, can’ t,
should’ ve
We can’t
We cant cheat
cheatfrom
fromJasmine’s
Jasmines punctuation
punctuation quiz
quiz
because shesabsent
because she’s absent today!
today!

Ha! Dentist
appointment!
Quick Test, Part 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 1

Although Raymond
Although Raymondwill
willeat
eataagrasshopper,
grasshopper,he
he
A B
refuses all green vegetables;
vegetables; such
vegetables, such as
as peas,
peas,
C
spinach, and even cucumbers.

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

Before his calculus exam

exam,Scott
Scott
Scottrubbed
rubbed
rubbedhis
his
hislucky
lucky
lucky
A B
rabbit’s foot and found his favorite pencil.
C

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

Francine has five chair’s

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

Ross remembers to bring an extra.

C

A. chairs
B. guest’s
C. remember’s
D. No change is necessary.
Item 4
Roseanne washed the piles of dirty dishes;
dishes while
while
while
A
Maria vacuumed the filthy rug; they tried to
B
complete a month’s worth of housekeeping in a
C
single hour.

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

Audrey can’t leave work early, and Peggy wont

wont
won’t
A B
help with the cupcakes, so I guess I’ll have to do
C
all the baking myself.

A. cant
B. won’t
C. Ill
D. No change is necessary.
Item 6
During our picnic, we were tormented
tormented by
A
insects: ants
ants swarming
swarming into
into the
the potato
potato
B
salad, bees
bees buzzing
buzzing by
by our
our ears,
ears, and
and aa katydid
katydid
C
jumping into Henry’s open mouth.

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

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the sentence that is correctly punctuated.

Try a
different
type of
item.
Item 7

A. Roger spent three hours writing Christinas paper.

B. Roger spent three hour’s writing Christina’s paper.
C. Roger spent three
three hours
hours writing
writingChristina’s
Christina’spaper.
paper.
Item 8

A. When the crickets and the frogs sing Luis cannot

get a good nights sleep.
B. When the crickets
crickets and
and the
thefrogs
frogssing,
sing,Luis
Luiscannot
cannot
get a good night’s
night’s sleep.
sleep.
C. When the cricket’s and the frog’s sing, Luis cannot
get a good nights sleep.
Item 9

A. Before you
you start
start painting
paintingthe
thewalls,
walls,you’ll
you’llneed
needa a
drop cloth and
and aa ladder.
ladder.
B. Before you start painting the walls you’ll
need a drop cloth, and a ladder.
C. Before you start painting the walls, youll need a
drop cloth, and a ladder.
Item 10

A. Darlene laughed at Jebs haircut; it looked,

as if goat’s had grazed on his head.
B. Darlene laughed
laughed at
at Jeb’s
Jeb’shaircut;
haircut;ititlooked
looked
as if goats had
had grazed
grazed on
onhis
hishead.
head.
C. Darlene laughed at Jeb’s haircut, it looked
as if goats had grazed on his’s head.
 Grammar
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