Punctuation MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Punctuation - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is '3' i.e. The squirrels’ nuts were hidden in several hollow trees throughout the forest. .

Key Points

• The apostrophe placement is crucial in determining possession. In the given sentence, we are referring to nuts that belong to multiple squirrels.
• Squirrels’: The apostrophe after the plural noun "squirrels" indicates possession.
• The correct sentence is structured as The squirrels’ nuts were hidden..., meaning the nuts belonging to the squirrels.

Correct sentence: The squirrels’ nuts were hidden in several hollow trees throughout the forest.

Additional Information

• Explanation of incorrect options:
  • Option 1: Incorrect use of apostrophe placement in "trees’" as possession is not implied for trees.
  • Option 2: Incorrect singular form "tree’s" when the context clearly refers to multiple trees.
  • Option 4: Incorrect singular form "nut’s" when the context refers to multiple nuts.
• General Rule: Use the apostrophe to denote possession:
  • For singular nouns: Add 's (e.g., squirrel’s).
  • For plural nouns ending in "s": Add only an apostrophe (e.g., squirrels’).

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• Square brackets [ ] are not used interchangeably with parentheses ( ). They serve distinct purposes in punctuation.
• Square brackets are primarily used to add clarifying information or editorial comments within quoted material.
• Parentheses ( ) are used to set off non-essential information or asides that may not be integral to the main sentence.
• An ellipsis (...) is used to indicate omitted words in a quotation, often to shorten the text while retaining meaning.
• It can also be used stylistically to suggest a pause, hesitation, or a trailing off of thought.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Additional Information

• Correct use of punctuation enhances clarity and ensures precise communication in writing.
• Square brackets are often employed in academic or formal writing to make necessary clarifications or adjustments to quoted material without altering its meaning.
• Parentheses, on the other hand, are more commonly used for supplemental information, explanations, or side notes.

Key Points

• The sentence "What a terrible forest fire" expresses a strong feeling of shock or surprise.
• An exclamation mark (!) is used to denote strong emotions or emphasis in such cases.
• Options 1, 3, and 4 are incorrect in this context as they do not convey the required emphasis or emotional tone.

Additional Information

• Option 1: Mark of interrogation is used for questions, which is not applicable here.
• Option 3: Full stop is used for declarative sentences, which do not express strong emotions.
• Option 4: Semi-colon is used to connect related independent clauses, and it is not appropriate in this sentence.

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• The correct punctuation for the sentence ensures that the list of precipitation types is clearly separated from the rest of the sentence.
• Using a colon before the list (rain, snow, and sleet) is grammatically correct as it introduces the items being listed.
• A colon is used to introduce a list, explanation, or quotation that follows an independent clause.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Additional Information

• Option 1 uses a semicolon before the list, which is incorrect in this context.
• Option 2 uses a comma, which is less clear than a colon for introducing a list.
• Option 4 incorrectly splits the sentence into two parts.
• Option 5 uses semicolons within the list, which is unnecessary and less common.

The correct answer is Option 5.

Key Points

• The sentence "He asked, 'Did you finish the report?'" is an example of direct speech, where the exact words spoken are quoted.
• Proper punctuation for direct speech includes a comma after the reporting verb (asked), quotation marks around the spoken words, and a question mark inside the quotation marks.
• Option 5 correctly follows these rules, making it the correct choice.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 5.

Additional Information

• Option 1: "He asked "Did you finish the report"?" lacks the necessary comma after "asked" and misplaces the quotation marks.
• Option 2: "He asked, "Did you finish the report"?" correctly places the comma but misses the question mark inside the quotation marks.
• Option 3: "He asked, "Did you finish the report."" incorrectly uses a period instead of a question mark.
• Option 4: "He asked; "Did you finish the report?"" incorrectly uses a semicolon instead of a comma after "asked".

The correct answer is Amrit Sharma is a Metro Railway employee.

Key Points 

• "Metro railway employee" is a proper noun. Amrit Sharma is a proper noun too.
• Hence the first letter of the word should be capitalized.
• Proper nouns refer to a specific person, place, or thing and are always capitalized.

Hence, the correct statement will be, "Amrit Sharma is a Metro Railway employee".

The correct sentence is 'The bridge was inaugurated by the C.M.'

Key Points

• Punctuation is the correct use of various stops or pauses and various marks in writing so as to make the meaning of a sentence or passage clear.
• Option 1 is incorrect because we do not use a full stop (.) after abbreviations for titles, names, and degrees.
• Option 2 is incorrect as we always use capital letters to denote abbreviations for titles, names, and degrees.
  For e.g.- C.M., P.M., U.S.A, etc.
• Option 3 is incorrect as the first letter of the first word of every sentence is always capital.
  For e.g.- A mother loves her child.
• Hence, option 4 is the most appropriate choice. 

Additional Information

• In some European names, the middle name  'of', 'de', 'di', 'da', 'du', 'van', 'von' are not capitalised.
  For eg- Simone de Beauvoir, John of Gaunt, etc.

Important Points

• If there is a full stop after an abbreviation, no additional full stop is required.
• If the sentence is interrogative or exclamatory, the question mark or exclamation mark may be added after the full stop.
  for eg- What is the name of our V.P.?

• A full stop always comes before the closing of a double inverted comma in a speech.
  For eg- Mother said, " I've cooked delicious food for you". 
              Mother said, " I've cooked delicious food for you."   

The correct answer- The bridge was inaugurated by the C.M.

The correct answer is 'The speaker said, "High and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish: all must die.'

Key Points

• There are 14 punctuation marks in English.
• Let us see the meanings of the punctuation marks given in the options:
  • ( , ) : The comma (,) is used to show a separation of ideas or elements within the structure of a sentence. (Comma (,) का उपयोग वाक्य की संरचना के भीतर विचारों या तत्वों को अलग करने के लिए किया जाता है।)
  • ( ; ):  The semicolon (;) is used to connect independent clauses. It shows a closer relationship between the clauses than a period would show. (Semicolon (;) का प्रयोग स्वतंत्र उपवाक्यों को जोड़ने के लिए किया जाता है। यह एक अवधि की तुलना में खंडों के बीच घनिष्ठ संबंध दिखाता है।)
  • ( : ): A colon (:) has three main uses. The first is after a word introducing a quotation, an explanation, an example, or a series. The second is between independent clauses when the second explains the first, similar to a semicolon. The third use of a colon is for emphasis. (Colon (:) के तीन मुख्य उपयोग होते हैं। पहला एक शब्द के बाद एक उद्धरण, एक स्पष्टीकरण, एक उदाहरण, या एक श्रृंखला का परिचय देता है। दूसरा स्वतंत्र खंडों के बीच है जब दूसरा अर्धविराम के समान पहले की व्याख्या करता है। कोलन का तीसरा प्रयोग जोर देने के लिए होता है।)
  • (" "): Quotations marks (" ") are a pair of punctuation marks used primarily to mark the beginning and end of a passage attributed to another and repeated word for word. (Quotations marks (" ") विराम चिह्नों की एक जोड़ी है जिसका उपयोग मुख्य रूप से किसी अन्य और शब्द के लिए दोहराए गए शब्द के लिए जिम्मेदार एक मार्ग की शुरुआत और अंत को चिह्नित करने के लिए किया जाता है।)
  • ( . ): The period (.) is placed at the end of declarative sentences, statements thought to be complete and after many abbreviations. (Period (.) को घोषणात्मक वाक्यों के अंत में रखा गया है, बयानों को पूरा माना जाता है और कई संक्षिप्त रूपों के बाद।)
• Therefore, the correctly punctuated sentence:

                  The speaker said, "High and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish: all must die."

Additional Information      

• Subject pronouns are pronouns that replace the subject in the sentence. 
• The subject pronouns are we, you, he, she, it, and they.
• Object pronouns do not replace the subject.
• Instead, an object pronoun would replace the object in the sentence.
• The object is the part of the sentence that is being done to, from or with the action.
• The object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.

The correct answer is State­-owned Bank of India offers extra interest to long­-term investors.​

Key Points

• We use a hyphen ( - ) to join two or more words to form compound adjectives that precede a noun.
• The purpose of joining words to form a compound adjective is to differentiate the meaning from the adjectives used separately, such as up-to-date merchandise, copper-coated wire, fire-tested material, lump-sum payment, and well-stocked cupboard.
  • Example: He was proud of his well-stocked cupboards. (The adverb "well" describes "stocked" rather than "cupboards".)
• In the given sentence, we must use a hyphen ( - ) between the words "state" and "owned" as "state" describes "owned" rather than "Bank of India."
• Similarly, we must use a hyphen ( - ) between the words "long" and "term" as "long" describes "term" rather than "investors."
• Hence, the correct answer is Option 3.

Correct sentence: State­-owned Bank of India offers extra interest to long­-term investors.

Here, the incorrectly punctuated sentence is 'Leila’s father Hakim was a man of profound temperament.'

Key Points  

• We use commas( , ) to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
  • Example: I love vanilla ice cream, but my brother prefers chocolate.
• ​So, the option 1 and option 4 are grammatically correct.
• Option 2 is incorrect as it is not punctuated properly.
• When a speaker in a sentence names the person to whom he is speaking, this addressing of his audience is called direct address.
• Direct address is indicated by the use of a comma or commas, depending upon its placement within the sentence.
• Here, we need to use a comma ( , ) after "Leila's father" and "Hakim" for direct addressing to "Hakim."
• Option 3 is correctly punctuated according to the punctuation rules of direct addressing.
• ​Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.​
   

Correct sentence: Leila’s father, Hakim, was a man of profound temperament. 

The correct answer is 'My parents, whom you met last night, have a big bungalow'.

Key Points 

• In the given sentence, 'whom' is a relative pronoun.
• If the relative pronoun introduces a non-restrictive clause, we use commas to set off the non-restrictive clause.
  • Example: The Arabian Nights, which he recommended, is a fantastic book.
• The use of semicolon after the subject is inappropriate.
• In the given sentence, the relative clause adds extra information about the subject. However, this information is not essential to identify the subject.
• So, the sentence given in option 1) is correctly punctuated.

Correct sentence: My parents, whom you met last night, have a big bungalow.

The correct answer is  She will come here today; don't go anywhere.

Key Points

• Option 1) is the correctly punctuated sentence.
• Option 2) is incorrect. A comma is used when someone is directly addressed OR to separate two clauses/to separate ideas, objects, names in a sentence. Example: I will go to Goa, Mumbai and Pune.
• Option 3) is incorrect. The full stop is used at the end of a sentence. Example: She is my sister.
• Option 4) is incorrect. The exclamation mark is used to express strong feelings like wonder, surprise or to emphasize. Example: I have found the lost photo album!
   

Additional Information|

Let's see the usage of other punctuation marks:

The correct answer is "I'm sorry," the chemist said.

Key Points

• Inverted commas are used to enclose the exact words of a speaker or a quotation.
  • ​''I would rather die,'' he exclaimed, ''than join the oppressors of my country''.
• Thus, the correctly punctuated sentence from the given options is "I'm sorry," the chemist said.
   

Hence, the correct answer is option (1).

The correct answer is The speaker said, "Please lend me your ears".

Key Points

• The sentence is in direct speech.
• Direct speech is a sentence in which the exact words spoken are reproduced in speech/quotation marks.
• A comma is used after the introductory clause, i.e., right before the quoted part - The speaker said,
• The part that is quoted directly by the speaker needs to be within inverted commas.
• An exclamation mark after 'please' makes it seem like the speaker is insistent, raising their voice or shouting. Thus, exclamation mark is not used after please.
• Thus, The speaker said, "Please lend me your ears". is the correct answer.

Important Points

• Simple present changes to simple past.
  • Example: Direct: The teacher said, “Keep quiet .”
    Indirect: The teacher asked us to keep quiet.
• When reporting verb is in Future tense then there will be no change in the verb or tense of Reported speech in the sentence.
  • Example: Direct: The teacher says, “Tom will perform on the stage”
    Indirect: The teacher says that Tom will perform on the stage.
• When the Reporting speech has Universal Truth or Habitual fact then there is no change in the Tense.
  • Example: Direct: My teacher, “The earth is round”
    Indirect: My teacher said that the earth is round.
• When Reporting speech has some Imagined Condition then there is no change in the Tense.
  • Example: Direct: He said, “If I were rich, I would help him.”
    Indirect: He said that if he were rich he would help him.

The correct answer is 'You need three documents: your passport, your driving licence, and a bank statement.'

Key Points

• The most appropriate answer with correct punctuation inserted in the given sentence is 'You need three documents: your passport, your driving licence, and a bank statement.'
• A colon is used to give emphasis, present dialogue, introduce lists or text, and clarify composition titles.
  • Example: She had one love: Western Michigan University.
• Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
• In the given sentence 'and' is a coordinating conjunction.
• Here, 'your passport', 'your driving licence', and 'a bank statement' are independent clauses. Hence, a comma should be placed after each clause.
• Thus, the correct answer is Option 4.
   

Correct Sentence: You need three documents: your passport, your driving licence, and a bank statement.