PUNCTUATIONS EXERCISE 2 – 50 MCQs

Q.1
Correct option: B. God, the Supreme Creator and the Supreme Being is our only hope.
Explanation: Titles like “Supreme Creator” and “Supreme Being” should be capitalized as they are proper nouns referring to specific concepts. No additional punctuation is needed after “Being” because the sentence flows naturally.

Q.2
Correct option: B. Top Gear has three presenters: Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.
Explanation: A colon is used to introduce a list of items (the presenters). Commas separate the names in the list, but no comma is needed before “and” (Oxford comma is optional here).

Q.3
Correct option: D. We were, believe it or not, in love with each other.
Explanation: The phrase “believe it or not” is a parenthetical expression and should be set off by commas for clarity.

Q.4
Correct option: A. Have you met our handsome new financial director?
Explanation: This is a direct question, so it requires a question mark. The sentence is correctly punctuated without unnecessary exclamation marks or periods.

Q.5
Correct option: A. If you are ever in London, come and see you.
Explanation: A comma is needed after the introductory clause (“If you are ever in London”) to separate it from the main clause.

Q.6
Correct option: B. Looking straight at her, he said, “I can’t help you.”
Explanation: A comma is required after the introductory phrase (“Looking straight at her”) and before the dialogue tag (“he said”). The period goes inside the quotation marks.

Q.7
Correct option: B. He missed his train; as a result, he was late for the meeting.
Explanation: A semicolon is used to connect two closely related independent clauses. A comma follows the transitional phrase “as a result.”

Q.8
Correct option: A. I missed my flight; however, I still managed to arrive on time.
Explanation: A semicolon is used before “however” to join two independent clauses, and a comma follows “however” for clarity.

Q.9
Correct option: D. He does not hate cricket; on the contrary, he quite likes it.
Explanation: A semicolon is used to connect two contrasting independent clauses. A comma follows “on the contrary.”

Q.10
Correct option: B. It was extremely foggy; nevertheless, they decided to play the game.
Explanation: A semicolon is used before “nevertheless” to join two independent clauses, and a comma follows “nevertheless.”

Q.11
Correct option: D. Some people work best in the mornings; others do better in the evenings.
Explanation: A semicolon is used to connect two independent clauses that contrast each other.

Q.12
Correct option: A. Did you understand why I was upset?
Explanation: This is a direct question, so it requires a question mark. The word order (“why I was upset”) is correct for an indirect question.

Q.13
Correct option: A. The girl’s father sat in a corner.
Explanation: The singular possessive form (“girl’s”) indicates that the father belongs to one girl.

Q.14
Correct option: A. In the words of Murphy’s Law: ‘Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.’
Explanation: A colon introduces the quotation, and single quotation marks are used for the quote within the sentence.

Q.15
Correct option: B. I can’t see Tim’s car, there must have been an accident.
Explanation: The possessive form “Tim’s” is correct, and a comma separates the two independent clauses (though a semicolon would also be acceptable).

Q.16
Correct option: B. Why can’t I speak to Ms. Parvin today?
Explanation: This is a direct question, so it requires a question mark. “Ms.” is correctly abbreviated with a period, and “I” is capitalized.

Q.17
Correct option: B. Our head teacher is called Mrs. Amjad.
Explanation: “Mrs.” is correctly abbreviated with a period, and the sentence ends with a period as it is a statement.

Q.18
Correct option: C. My friend Sally and I are reading “The Phantom Tollbooth”.
Explanation: The pronoun “I” is capitalized, and the book title is in quotation marks. The period goes outside the quotation marks in British English (inside in American English).

Q.19
Correct option: C. Mrs. Sajjad, who was sitting behind the desk, gave me a big smile.
Explanation: The non-restrictive clause (“who was sitting behind the desk”) is set off by commas.

Q.20
Correct option: D. Myra and her family are spending the summer at Attabad Lake.
Explanation: “Attabad Lake” is a proper noun and should be capitalized. No additional punctuation is needed.

Q.21
Correct option: A. You’re going to lose your slice of cake if you do not eat it quickly!
Explanation: “You’re” is the correct contraction of “you are,” and an exclamation mark conveys urgency.

Q.22
Correct option: D. The air was crisp and clear; it was a lovely day.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two closely related independent clauses.

Q.23
Correct option: B. The colors in the curtains are yellow, orange, beige and tan.
Explanation: Commas separate items in a list, and “and” precedes the last item.

Q.24
Correct option: C. Samar bought an apple, an orange and a pear.
Explanation: Commas separate items in a list, and “a” is used before “pear” (not “an”).

Q.25
Correct option: C. The word Mississippi has many s’s.
Explanation: To pluralize a letter, an apostrophe + “s” is used (e.g., “s’s”).

Q.26
Correct option: B. Waiting for the storm to stop, I was anxiously looking out the window.
Explanation: A comma is needed after the introductory participial phrase.

Q.27
Correct option: A. A friend of mine works as a translator for U.N.
Explanation: “U.N.” is correctly abbreviated with periods.

Q.28
Correct option: C. Harvey is a good driver; moreover, he is a very friendly one.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two independent clauses, and a comma follows “moreover.”

Q.29
Correct option: C. Jones’s yard is much bigger than Smith’s.
Explanation: Both singular possessives are correct (“Jones’s” and “Smith’s”).

Q.30
Correct option: A. My brother graduated from NIU in the early 1990s.
Explanation: No apostrophe is needed for plural decades (“1990s”).

Q.31
Correct option: B. Many high school students’ scores have been gradually improving over the last several years.
Explanation: The plural possessive (“students’”) is correct because “scores” belong to multiple students.

Q.32
Correct option: A. The Civil War, fought in the 1860s, was one of the most turbulent times in the history of the United States.
Explanation: No apostrophe is needed for plural decades (“1860s”), and commas set off the non-restrictive clause.

Q.33
Correct option: D. Groups are required to turn in their projects on CDs.
Explanation: “Their” is the correct possessive pronoun, and “CDs” is the correct plural form (no apostrophe).

Q.34
Correct option: A. This assignment is extra credit only, but we still need to hand it in.
Explanation: A comma is used before the coordinating conjunction “but.”

Q.35
Correct option: B. This assignment is extra credit only; however, we still need to hand it in.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two independent clauses, and a comma follows “however.”

Q.36
Correct option: A. John finished all his homework; Kathleen did not finish hers.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two closely related independent clauses.

Q.37
Correct option: D. Although Nate is a kind employee, that new guy is not.
Explanation: A comma is needed after the introductory clause.

Q.38
Correct option: B. “How did you do on your final?” my roommate asked.
Explanation: The question mark goes inside the quotation marks, and the sentence ends with a period.

Q.39
Correct option: D. Having examined all the data gathered for my study, I was ready to write the final chapter of my dissertation.
Explanation: A comma is needed after the introductory participial phrase.

Q.40
Correct option: A. You will consider the offer, won’t you?
Explanation: A comma separates the main clause from the tag question, which ends with a question mark.

Q.41
Correct option: A. Mankind has only one thing left: hope.
Explanation: A colon introduces an explanation or elaboration.

Q.42
Correct option: A. We have come up with five travel choices for this summer: Mexico City, Dublin, Amsterdam, Hawaii, and Indianapolis.
Explanation: A colon introduces the list, and commas separate the items (including the Oxford comma before “and”).

Q.43
Correct option: A. The best days of my life have been January 3, 2000; March 26, 2007; and December 25, 1979.
Explanation: Semicolons separate items in a list that already contain commas.

Q.44
Correct option: D. Do you know, “Pakistan is going to be super power soon”?
Explanation: The question mark goes outside the quotation marks because the entire sentence is a question, not the quoted material.

Q.45
Correct option: B. I read To Kill A Mockingbird; my friend read Of Mice and Men.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two independent clauses about related topics.

Q.46
Correct option: B. He knocked several times; no one came to the door.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two closely related independent clauses.

Q.47
Correct option: A. My sister loves mysteries; my brother likes comics.
Explanation: A semicolon connects two independent clauses with a parallel structure.

Q.48
Correct option: A. She said, “He said, ‘Hurry up.’ “
Explanation: Single quotation marks are used for the quote within a quote, and periods go inside both sets of quotation marks.

Q.49
Correct option: D. We can’t do their job since it’s difficult to do even ours.
Explanation: “It’s” is the contraction of “it is,” and “ours” is the correct possessive pronoun.

Q.50
Correct option: A. Even though I tell the customers that their film will be ready the next day, they still come back in one hour.
Explanation: A comma separates the dependent clause from the independent clause.