Comma Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. Where should a comma be placed in the tag-question sentence “You locked the door didn’t you?”
Place the comma after “locked.”
Place the comma after “didn’t.”
Do not separate the tag from the statement.
Place the comma after “door,” before the tag question.
2. How should commas be used in “The stack of old newspapers belongs in the recycling bin”?
Use no comma because the subject should not be separated from its verb.
Insert a comma after “stack” to mark the main noun.
Insert a comma after “newspapers” to close the subject phrase.
Insert a comma after “belongs” to introduce the location.
3. Several keys are being discussed, and only the one described in “The key that opens the cellar is missing” is missing. How should commas be used?
Enclose “that opens the cellar” in commas.
Place one comma after “cellar.”
Use no commas because the clause identifies which key is missing.
Place one comma before “that.”
4. In “The forecast looked clear but we packed raincoats anyway,” both parts joined by “but” are independent clauses. Where does the comma belong?
Put the comma directly after “but.”
Put the comma directly after “clear” and another after “but.”
Omit the comma because a conjunction is already present.
Put the comma directly before “but.”
5. Edit the sentence “The company moved from Austin Texas to Portland Oregon.” Which set of comma locations is correct?
Add commas after “Austin,” “Texas,” and “Portland.”
Add commas after “Austin” and “Portland” only.
Add a comma after “Texas” only.
Add commas after “Texas” and “Oregon” only.
6. Consider the sentence: “After the storm ended the crew inspected the roof.” Where should a comma be added?
Place the comma immediately after “storm.”
Place the comma immediately after “ended.”
Place the comma immediately after “crew.”
Leave the sentence without a comma.
7. In “Elena said ‘The meeting begins at nine,’” where should a comma introduce the direct quotation?
Put the comma after “Elena.”
Put the comma after “meeting.”
Do not use a comma before the quotation.
Put the comma after “said.”
8. Under the standard rule for joining two independent clauses, how should “The sky darkened and the hikers turned back” be edited?
Insert a comma after “sky.”
Insert a comma after “and.”
Insert a comma immediately before “and.”
Add no comma because the clauses are short.
9. The reason is essential in “We postponed the picnic because the field was flooded.” What comma treatment is appropriate?
Place a comma after “postponed.”
Use no comma before the essential “because” clause.
Place a comma immediately before “because.”
Place a comma immediately after “because.”
10. The sentence begins “On July 14 2022 the committee approved the plan.” Which comma placement correctly punctuates the full date?
Insert a comma only after “14.”
Insert commas after “July” and “2022.”
Insert a comma only after “2022.”
Insert commas after “14” and “2022.”
11. You are speaking directly to Nina in the sentence “Nina please bring the blue folder.” Where should the comma go?
Place it after “please.”
Place it after “bring.”
Place it after “Nina.”
Do not add a comma.
12. Both “long” and “exhausting” independently describe the rehearsal in “It was a long exhausting rehearsal.” What edit is needed?
Insert a comma between “long” and “exhausting.”
Insert a comma between “exhausting” and “rehearsal.”
Insert a comma between “was” and “a.”
Keep the adjectives together without punctuation.
13. A style guide requires a serial comma in “She packed notebooks pencils and folders.” Which commas should be inserted?
Add a comma after “notebooks” only.
Add a comma after “pencils” only.
Add commas after “notebooks” and “pencils.”
Add commas after “packed” and “notebooks.”
14. In “The route is however shorter than the highway,” the word “however” interrupts the main statement. How should it be punctuated?
Use one comma before “however” only.
Place a comma before and after “however.”
Use one comma after “however” only.
Leave “however” unpunctuated.
15. A writer has one brother, so “who lives in Denver” supplies extra rather than identifying information. How should the clause be punctuated?
Add a comma before “who” but not after “Denver.”
Enclose “who lives in Denver” in a pair of commas.
Add a comma after “Denver” but not before “who.”
Use no commas around the clause.
16. In “Our guide an experienced climber checked every rope,” the phrase “an experienced climber” renames the already identified guide. How should it be punctuated?
Set off the renaming phrase with a comma at each end.
Add one comma after “guide” and none after “climber.”
Add one comma after “climber” and none after “guide.”
Leave the renaming phrase without commas.