Punctuation

Version 01
Punctuation
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Open School BC content and may neither be resold or distributed in whole or in part without
permission from Open School BC, nor be transferred to other e-learning platforms or services
without prior written permission from Open School BC.
Acknowledgments
Project Manager Monique Brewer

Writers: Shannon Mitchell, Leanne Baugh, Julie Kelly
Copy Editor: Monica Morris, Kate Restson
Teacher Reviewers: Helen Eng—School District 45, West Vancouver
Lloy Falconer—School District 63, South Island Distance Education
Production Technicians: Beverly Carstensen, Brian Glover, Christine Ramkeesoon
Graphics Coordinator: Janet Bartz
Illustrators: Max Licht, Cal Jones
Instructional Design: Carol Orom
This e-text book was originally part of the Writing On the Run! workbook that included four
sections. These sections have been reproduced into four discrete e-textbooks.
Print History
Reprinted, March 2016

Corrected, July 2008
New, November 2007
Table of Contents
Punctuation..................................................... 3
Punctuation Checkup ................................................ 5
Apostrophe .............................................................. 7
Quiz Yourself: Apostrophe .....................................10
Challenge Yourself: Apostrophe ............................. 12
Capitalization.......................................................... 13
Quiz Yourself: Capitalization .................................. 17
Challenge Yourself: Capitalization ..........................18
Colon ...................................................................... 19
Quiz Yourself: Colon ............................................. 21
Challenge Yourself: Colon ..................................... 22
Comma ................................................................... 23
Quiz Yourself: Comma ............................................ 26
Challenge Yourself: Comma .................................... 29
Hyphen ................................................................... 31
Quiz Yourself: Hyphen .......................................... 33
Challenge Yourself: Hyphen .................................. 35
Parentheses, Dash, and Ellipsis .................................... 37
Quiz Yourself: Parentheses, Dash, and Ellipsis .......... 40
Challenge Yourself: Parentheses, Dash, and Ellipsis ... 42
Quotation Marks ......................................................... 45
Quiz Yourself: Quotation Marks ............................. 49
Challenge Yourself: Quotation Marks ..................... 50
Semicolon ............................................................... 51
Quiz Yourself: Semicolon ...................................... 53
Challenge Yourself: Semicolon .............................. 54
Putting It Together .................................................... 55
Answer Key ........................................................ 57
PUNCTUATION 1
2 PUNCTUATION
Punctuation
When should you use a colon instead of a semicolon?

Where do you place a comma in a coordinate
conjunction? When do you use a dash or an ellipsis?
This resource will show you the basics about proper
punctuation.
PUNCTUATION 3
4 PUNCTUATION
Punctuation Checkup
Instructions
The text on the following page contains many errors pertaining to punctuation.
Punctuation errors include mistakes in the use of the apostrophe, capitalization,
colon, comma, hyphen, parentheses, dash, ellipsis, quotation marks, and
semicolon.
Read through the text titled “Cultural Exchange Programs” and underline any word
containing an error or any piece of punctuation that is incorrect. If punctuation is
missing or incorrect, underline the word preceeding it.
Once you have completed the Punctuation Checkup, compare your answers to
the key on page 243. If you find all the errors of a particular type, then place a
checkmark in “Topic Mastered.” If you miss an error of a particular type, then place
a checkmark in “Topic to Review.” You may then use this chart to guide what
topics you need to review in this section.
Error Type Topic Mastered Topic to Review

1. apostrophe
2. capitalization
3. colon
4. comma
5. hyphen
6. parentheses, dash and ellipsis
7. quotation marks
8. semicolon
PUNCTUATION 5
Checkup
Cultural Exchange Programs

Thousands of High School students around the world take part in cultural exchange
programs. These students spend a few months, or even a full year living and going to
school in another country. Some of the most popular countries Canadian exchange
students go to are France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Cultural exchange students have a
real-life-study of another countrys’ culture, traditions, language, and history. For example,
students learn that there is more to France than french fries.
Many students’ (who go to live in another country on an exchange program) have

never before lived away from home. Homesickness is a very natural experience at the
beginning. However: after students get settled in with their host family, acclimatized to
the culture, and enrolled in school, the homesickness’ usually goes away quickly.
Teenagers’ who participate in cultural exchange programs can benefit on many levels.
Academically: exchange students are often challenged. They are expected to take a full
slate of courses at school that is more often than not taught in -- a foreign language.
Exchange students must be patient with themselves as they learn a new language. they
also must be, flexible and adaptable to new circumstances. A student who recently
returned from an exchange stated, “This experience has changed my life forever.
In terms of personal development -- an exchange program can be an invaluable

experience. Students can grow on many levels; cultural exchange programs offer young
people the opportunity to mature both personally and intellectually. The life experience
gained from exchange programs has helped many students by Boosting self-confidence,
encouraging independence, and developing leadership skills.
Students who embark upon a cultural exchange often come back home with exciting
stories of learning, living, and experiencing-another-culture. One student commented;
“Going on a student exchange to Holland opened up my world.
6 PUNCTUATION
Apostrophe
The apostrophe has three main purposes: to replace missing

letters, to form contractions, or to show possession.
Use the apostrophe to take the place of a letter or letters omitted from
contractions .
has not hasn’t

it is it’s
cannot can’t
Use the apostrophe to take the place of a letter or number that has been
omitted .
He yelled, “I’m takin’ the ball and goin’ home.”
Do you remember the summer of ’99 when we went tubing down the Fraser
River?
Use the apostrophe to show possession or ownership .
Singular nouns usually take an apostrophe and s.
my grandmother’s house
The student’s book
If a singular noun ends with an s or z sound, you may just

add an apostrophe or an apostrophe and s. Choose the
one that sounds better to your ear.
Thomas’ book or Thomas’s book

In both cases the book belongs to Thomas.
PUNCTUATION 7
Plural nouns take only an apostrophe if the word ends in s.
my grandparents’ house
(The house belongs to both my grandparents.)
If a plural noun does not end in s, add an apostrophe and s.
the team’s bus (The bus belongs to the team.)
Shared possessives (possession is shared by more than one noun) take an apostrophe
and s on the last noun only, unless the nouns do not share equally.
Ted and Fred’s restaurant

(The restaurant belongs to Ted and Fred.)
Compound noun possessives take an apostrophe on the last word in the

compound noun.
my brother-in-law’s boat
the high school’s gym
8 PUNCTUATION
Misuses of Apostrophes
Do not use the apostrophe to form plurals .
When you mean more than one, simply add an s.
The cats lived in the old barn.

(No apostrophe is needed because there is no ownership.)
There are thirty-eight thousand teachers in B.C.

(No apostrophe is needed because there is no ownership.)
Watch out for the most common errors of all .

Do not use it’s (it is) when you mean its (possessive pronoun)
Do not use who’s (who is) when you mean whose (possessive pronoun)
Do not use you’re (you are) when you mean your (possessive pronoun)
It’s (it is) a great day to be studying.

The dog wagged its tail when the boy came home.
Who’s (who is) going to the party?

Whose party is it?
You’re a great singer.

Your grammar is improving.
Match the apostrophes with acronyms .

Traditionally, following an acronym with an apostrophe s to pluralize has
been considered grammatically incorrect. However, this usage has become so
commonplace that most consider this usage now correct.
There are five CD’s in the package.

or
There are five CDs in the package.
PUNCTUATION 9
Quiz Yourself:
Apostrophe
For each sentence, circle the word that correctly completes the sentence.
1. What is_________ phone number?

a. Tim’s
b. Tims
2. you hear that the exam was changed to next week?

a. Didn’t
b. Didnt
3. a very bad idea to get into a car if the driver has been drinking.
a. Its
b. It’s
4. having the party tonight?

a. Who’s
b. Whose
5. It drives me crazy when the ______ bark all night long.

a. dog’s
b. dogs
6. Have you made a decision whether ______ going to go to university or go

backpacking in Europe?
a. your
b. you’re
10 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Apostrophe
Continued
7. Did you know that ________ leaving the city for good?
a. their
b. they’re
8. Our ____________ car is a convertible BMW.
a. neighbour’s
b. neighbours
9. The group made ___ decision on what to do for the chemistry project.
a. it’s
b. its
10. Tina and _________ apartment was robbed when they accidentally left the door
unlocked.
a. Emmas
b. Emma’s
PUNCTUATION 1
1
Challenge Yourself:
Apostrophe
Correct each sentence by adding or deleting apostrophes. In some cases you may have to
delete the wrong form of a word and replace it with a new word that contains an apostrophe.
1. Student’s at our high school organized a garage sale to raise money for
a local charity.
2. The idea for a fundraiser was originally Jennifers.
3. However, it didnt take long for others to jump on board.
4. Prem, Jane, and Ellen were in charge of gathering all the item’s to sell.
5. Their all busy studying for their provincial exams, but somehow they found
the time to help out.
6. Sanjays grandparents were moving out of their house into an apartment, so they
donated a lot.
7. All the items were stored in Molly’s parents garage before the sale.
8. Jake had a question: “Whose going to collect the money and deposit it into
the bank?”
9. Jennifer told Jake, “As treasurer, your the money guy.”
10. Its a good thing we were organized as there’s a lot of work in organizing a
garage sale.
11. When we delivered the check to the charity, the executive director said, “Your
the greatest.”
12 PUNCTUATION
Capitalization
Capitalize the first word of a sentence and proper nouns—the names

of people, places, and things. The following are specific examples.
The first word of a sentence and the personal pronoun “I .”
Do you want me to buy you a sandwich when I stop at the deli?
Capitalize the first word in a direct quotation .
See the tutorial titled “Quotations Marks” for more information.
“Sure, I’ll get you a sandwich,” Cam said. “What kind of bread do you want?”
“Wholewheat, please,” I replied.
When Grant overheard his father say, “Let me take the wheel for a while,” he
shuddered.
Capitalize the names of people, their initials, abbreviations, and titles .
Mr. Brown Constable M .R . Davis

Nellie McClung Dr. Raymond Wu
Prime Minister Lester B . Pearson
Capitalize titles that indicate family relationships when these titles are used with
a name or in place of a name .
Family Titles General Relationships

Aunt Gertrude her aunt
Grandfather Stacey our grandfather
Where is Mother? my mother went
PUNCTUATION 1
3
Capitalize official titles when these titles are used with a name .
Official Titles General Titles

Mayor Jones the mayor
Doctor Jack the doctor
Capitalize regional names (cities, provinces, countries, sections within countries,

continents) and abbreviations derived from them .
Kitimat The West Coast Antarctica British Columbia (BC)
Capitalize names of specific bodies of water, rivers, and streams .
Thompson River East Barrier Lake Pacific Ocean
Capitalize common nouns used as part of a place name .
Common Proper
street Oak Street
mountain Rocky Mountains
river Skeena River
theater Queen Elizabeth Theatre
school Rockridge Secondary School
Do not capitalize compass directions, north, south, east, or west, except when
they are an area or section of the country or part of a street address .
When jobs were scarce on the West Side, the family moved east.
If you walk north on North Street, you will find the correct address.
I’m lost—do we travel north or west to reach the hotel?
Capitalize the names of races, languages, nationalities, and the adjectives

derived from them .
First Nations Italian cooking Aboriginal education

Japanese Spanish music
14 PUNCTUATION
Capitalize the name of languages .
Canadians speak English and French .
Capitalize the names of religions, the adjectives derived from them, the
followers of each religion, and their sacred writings .
Muslims Christians
Koran Buddhist temple
Bible Jewish holidays
Capitalize the names of organizations, clubs, historical events and periods of

time, and abbreviations derived from them .
Middle Ages Industrial Revolution War of 1812

Tim Hortons United Nations (UN) Edmonton Oilers
Capitalize the names of months, days of the week, and holidays, but not
seasons .
Monday Thanksgiving Day

December summer
Capitalize titles .
Capitalize important words in titles of movies, books, magazines, plays, newspapers,

poems, TV shows, works of art, pieces of music, and named structures. The first and
last word of a title are always capitalized.
Pride and Prejudice TV Guide The Globe and Mail

The Memorial Arena Mona Lisa The Fellowship of the Rings
O Canada The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Don’t capitalize these small words in titles:

coordinate conjunctions (or, and, but, etc.)
articles (a, an, the)
short prepositions (to, of, at, in, etc.)
PUNCTUATION 1
5
Capitalize letter greetings and closings .
Greetings—Capitalize the first letter in all significant words .

To Whom It May Concern:
Dear Mom,
Closings—Capitalize only the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns .
With love,
Yours truly,
Capitalize school subjects and languages .
Capitalize the name of a school subject when it is the name of a specific course,
but do not capitalize general subject areas.
Specific Course General Subject

Physics 12 science
Social Studies 11 geography
Any general subject areas that are also proper nouns should be
capitalized. For example:
All students take an English class.
16 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Capitalization
Rewrite each sentence, changing the lower case letters to capital letters where appropriate.
1. the trees leaned toward the north after the hurricane.
2. i think main street needs a good bus system.
3. “trust me, I know what i’m doing,” brian said. “your car is not hard to fix.”
4. sara always buys the saturday edition of the vancouver sun newspaper.
5. sam went to see dr. kumar who worked with other doctors at the clinic.
6. the chongs just returned to victoria from their holiday in hong kong.
7. henry said, “will you go with us, or do we have to go to mount washington alone?”
8. I like to watch spanish dancing on tv.
9. I travelled from Horseshoe bay to west Vancouver in a limo.
10. The amber spyglass was my favourite book in middle school.
PUNCTUATION 1
7
Challenge Yourself:
Capitalization
Rewrite each sentence, changing the lower case letters to capital letters where appropriate.
1. The instructions for the car rally sounded simple at first.
2. We were to drive north on harrington street and then head to juniper street towards
the beach.
3. We drove for 8 kilometers but didn’t see the world war II memorial where our next
clue was hidden.
4. We found the war memorial and our next clue at the corner of palisade drive and
belmont avenue.
5. The next leg of the car rally took us all the way out of town on highway 23 to
mitchell lake.
6. We were supposed to find the next clue hidden under a rock in front of the beach
view motel.
7. But when we got to the T-intersection, we weren’t sure whether to turn north or
south.
8. We stopped a pedestrian to ask for directions, but she didn’t speak English.
9. We drove for about 10 minutes before we ran out of gas. There wasn’t an Esso station
in sight.
10. Obviously, our team didn’t win the grand prize - McDonald’s French fries coupon.
18 PUNCTUATION
Colon
2
A colon is a piece of punctuation that has a number of functions.
Use a colon after the greeting in a business letter .
Dear Sir:
To Whom It May Concern:
Use a colon to separate hours and minutes .
They have recess at 10:15.

The plane departs at 14:10.
Use a colon to express a ratio .
The study revealed that cats outnumbered dogs by 3:1.
Use a colon to separate acts from scenes in a play .
Act III: Scene 2 is my favourite part of the play.
Use a colon to set off dialogue for a play or other script .
Principal: Kajra, why were you late this morning?

Kajra: The power went off, so I slept in.
Use a colon o separate a title from a subtitle .
My new book is called Hot Stuff: One Hundred Ways to Make Chili.
PUNCTUATION 1
9
More Complex Usage
Colons can be used after a complete sentence or independent clause to draw
attention to specific information that follows.
Use a colon to introduce items in a long list if the introductory clause can
stand by itself .
I will bring the following: pop, chips, napkins, and plates.
Use a colon to introduce a quotation if the introductory sentence can stand

by itself .
Even the experts seem to agree: “One consistent finding is that more than half
the teenagers studied wish they had more time for sleep.”
Use a colon to introduce an explanation or definition if the introductory clause

can stand by itself .
The second clause may be a sentence fragment .

The dog and cat finally found something in common: enjoying a peaceful sleep in
front of a warm fireplace.
The second clause may be a complete sentence .

The dog and cat finally found something in common: they both enjoy sleeping in
front of a warm fireplace.
Use a colon to introduce contrasting statements .
It was useless to try pleasing him: he criticized everything.
Use a colon to highlight a situation, especially if it seems a bit dramatic .
Running along the cliff, the hiker knew he had only one chance to escape from
the charging beast: jump.
Capitalizing the first word after the colon when a

complete sentence follows is optional.
20 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Colon
Punctuate each sentence by inserting a colon where appropriate.
1. My brother likes oranges my sister hates them.
2. There is only one reason for this problem he never learned to drive properly.
3. My morning routine looks like this wake up, brush my teeth, and run to school.
4. The car has a number of extras sun roof, tinted windows, heated seats, and
wing mirrors.
5. The following creatures are all imaginary vampires, werewolves, zombies, and elves.
6. Her chess advice, I remember, was this “Make sure you plan at least two moves
ahead.”
7. My favourite part of Hamlet was Act III Scene 2.
8. We have set a house rule do your homework before watching television.
9. My final answer still stands “No!”
10. I enjoy reading novels by Jane Austen are among my favourites.
PUNCTUATION 21
Challenge Yourself:
Colon
Correct the following sentences by inserting or deleting a colon where appropriate.
1. Boys who play “action adventure” and “sport” video games outnumber girls by a
ratio of 51.
2. Both of these types of video games share one important factor they contain violence.
3. Dr. Samuel Barton is the author of a new study titled Video Games The Beginning of
Aggression.
4. His study found an increase in the following behaviours verbal attacks and physical
attacks.
5. Dr. Barton states something important “Playing a violent video game fosters
aggressive thoughts.”
22 PUNCTUATION
Comma
A comma is a piece of punctuation that has a variety of uses, but its

purpose is mainly to keep words and ideas clear.
Use a comma to separate items in dates and places .
July 1, 1908 Prince George, British Columbia
Use a comma in the openings of friendly letters and in the closings of all letters .
Dear Grandmother, Yours truly,
Use a comma to separate initials from surnames, and to separate titles from
surnames .
Mitchell, W.O. James Brown, B.Sc.
Use a comma between words or groups of words in a series .
My lunch contained sandwiches, an apple, cake, and one raw carrot.
Use a comma to separate adjectives before a noun .
Trilby bought a shiny, new, red, sports car.

They looked out on the choppy, grey sea.
If the word “and” can be inserted between ideas,

insert a comma.
PUNCTUATION 23
Use a comma before a coordinate conjunction in a compound sentence .
Commas are used to separate independent clauses (clauses that can stand by
themselves) in a compound sentence.
Independent Clause Conjunction Independent Clause

The day felt chilly, but we went to the pool.
The dog licked my hand, and I knew I had to take her home.
Use a comma to set off introductory words and phrases .
Commas are used to set off introductory words or phrases that cannot stand alone as
a sentence.
Introductory Phrase Independent Clause

If I win the lottery, I will move to Fiji.
While waiting for the bus, I fell asleep.
Use a comma to set off words that interrupt the main idea of a sentence .
My boss, for example, donated thousands of dollars to charity last year.

It may not be my place, however, to say this.
Interrupters
by the way however still incidentally
for example furthermore in fact of course
Use a comma to set off appositives .
An appositive is a word or phrase that adds extra information about the noun that
appears before it in a sentence.
Noun Appositive
Leo, my youngest brother, was born on Canada Day.
The town of Kitchener, once known as Berlin, is in Ontario.
24 PUNCTUATION
Use a comma to set off non-essential words and phrases .
Example: My dog, who is five-years old today, can sit, shake a paw, and roll
over on command.
Explanation: The clause “who is five-years old today” is extra information and
not essential to understanding the sentence and is, therefore, placed
between commas.
Example: My car accident, which happened on Main Avenue and Third Street,
involved a cyclist.
Explanation: The clause “which happened on Main Avenue and Third Street” is
also not essential to understanding the sentence.
Example: My friend who rides a motorcycle is always trying to get me to ride

with him.
Explanation: In this case, the clause “who rides a motorcycle” is essential to

understanding the meaning of the sentence; without it, the identity of
the friend would be unclear. Therefore, no commas are placed around
the phrase.
Example: The book that is on the table is mine.
Explanation: In this sentence “that is on the table” is important because it tells

which book is mine. There might be books in other places, but this
sentence is concerned with the book on the table.
Use a comma to set off the name of the person addressed (spoken to) .
I have finished my lesson, Miss Kim.

Close the door, Marion, when you leave the room.
Use a comma in quotations .
“I told you,” said the coach, “to get to bed early the night before a game.”
PUNCTUATION 25
Quiz Yourself:
Comma
Circle the correct answer from the choices given.
1. My father was born on ______________ .
a. Monday, January 18th, 1954.

b. Monday January 18th, 1954.
2. My father was born in _____________ _ .
a. Honolulu Hawaii, U.S.A.

b. Honolulu, Hawaii U.S.A.
c. Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
3. Because her alarm was _________________ she missed her class.
a. broken
b. broken,
c. , broken
4. Today was her sister’s ___________ so she took her out for dinner.
a. birthday
b. birthday,
c. , birthday
5. After class, ___________ I went jogging.

a. but, before lunch
b. but, before lunch
c. but before lunch,
continued on next page
26 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Comma
Continued
6. Students ___________ only harm themselves.
a. who, cheat
b. who cheat,
c. who cheat
7. Apples ___________ grow in my parents’ orchard.
a. , which are my favourite fruit,

b. which are my favourite fruit
8. The candidate promised to _____________________________ and end unemployment.
a. lower taxes protect the environment reduce crime,

b. lower taxes, protect the environment, reduce crime
c. lower taxes, protect the environment, reduce crime,
9. In this case _____________ I don’t think you were to blame.
a. , however
b. , however,
10. Jason said, ___________________ “I never want to see you again.”

a. in a rage,
b. in a rage
c. in, a rage
continued on next page
PUNCTUATION 27
Quiz Yourself:
Comma
Continued
11.Joe’s political career is over.

a. If, the opposition wins,
b. If the opposition wins,
12. A nineteen year old ______________________ is considered an adult.
a. in British Columbia
b. in British Columbia,
c. in, British Columbia
13. Twelve hundred dollars ______________ is too much to pay for that rusted-out truck.
a. I think
b. , I think,
14. When the snow finally stops __________ we’ll shovel the driveway.
a. falling,
b. falling
c. , falling
15. The treasure chest ___________________ some costume jewellery, and five thousand
Canadian Tire dollars.
a. contained three wigs,
b. contained, three wigs,
28 PUNCTUATION
Challenge Yourself:
Comma
Correct the following sentences by either inserting or deleting commas where appropriate.
1. Skateboarding, which my brother is crazy about is a different experience for

different people.
2. For some skaters skateboarding is a sport, where skaters perform tricks or ride
the ramps.
3. For others however the skateboard is used as a mode of transportation.
4. This is a dangerous way to get around town but, many people do it.
5. Some people, take skateboarding very seriously.
6. For example my brother said “For me, skateboarding is like a religion.”
7. Although I’m not an avid skateboarder I understand what he was saying.
8. When I skate my feelings include joy peace excitement and contentment.
9. My friends have taught encouraged pushed and challenged me to be the best

skater I can be.
PUNCTUATION 29
30 PUNCTUATION
Hyphen
Hyphens are used to form compound words or join word groups.
Use a hyphen in some compound words .
I got dizzy just watching the children on the merry-go-round .

My brother-in-law is a police officer.
Not all compound words need hyphens, so check the

dictionary if you’re not sure.
Use a hyphen with some prefixes and some suffixes .
He is an ex-hockey player.
She was very non-specific in her request.
Use a hyphen to link names or other identifiers that belong together .
Lord Baden-Powell established the Boy Scouts.

My background is Chinese-Canadian .
Use a hyphen in compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine .
There are forty-two cars in the parking lot.

My grandmother will be seventy-seven next week.
Use a hyphen fractions, when written out as words .
Two-thirds of the school voted for me as class president.

We still had three-quarters of a tank of gas.
PUNCTUATION 31
Use a hyphen when two or more words are joined to form a single adjective
before the noun .
The fourteen-year-old dog was remarkably healthy.

The mayor presented a common-sense solution.
Use a hyphen with nouns that follow a single letter .
She wore a V-neck sweater to the party.

We went the wrong way, so we had to make a U-turn .
Use a hyphen to make long words clearer, especially ones that contain repeated
letters .
My doctor gave me an anti-inflammatory for my swollen knee.

The rocket is about to re-enter the atmosphere.
Use a hyphen to create special effects .
B-b-ut, that’s not what I meant!
32 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Hyphen
Circle the option that correctly punctuates the sentence provided.
1. He accidentally drove down a one way street.

a. He accidentally drove down a one-way street.
b. He accidentally drove down a one-way-street.
2. The folk festival didn’t start until mid January, so Jeremy had time to practise
his guitar.
a. The folk-festival didn’t start until mid January, so Jeremy had time to practise his
guitar.
b. The folk festival didn’t start until mid-January, so Jeremy had time to practise his
guitar.
3. The trip to Mexico was an all inclusive special, so David and John didn’t have to pay
extra for airfare.
a. The trip to Mexico was an all inclusive special, so David and John didn’t have to
pay extra for air-fare.
b. The trip to Mexico was an all-inclusive special, so David and John didn’t have to
pay extra for airfare.
c. The trips to Mexico was an all-inclusive special, so David and John didn’t have to
pay extra for air-fare.
4. The uniform in the museum was thought to be from the pre Civil War era.
a. The uniform in the museum was thought to be from the pre-Civil War era.
b. The uniform in the museum was thought to be from the pre-Civil-War era.
5. Margaret Atwood is a well known-author in Canada and elsewhere in the world.

a. Margaret Atwood is a well-known author in Canada and elsewhere in the world.
b. Margaret Atwood is a well known author in Canada and elsewhere in the world.
PUNCTUATION 33
Quiz Yourself:
Hyphen
Continued
6. Her sister in law is the manager at the restaurant where I work.

a. Her sister-in-law is the manager at the restaurant where I work.
b. Her sister in-law is the manager at the restaurant where I work.
7. Rock music has been popular from the mid 60s right up to the present.
a. Rock music has been popular from the mid-60s right up to the present.
b. Rock music has been popular from the mid-60s right up-to-the-present.
8. My grandfather turned eighty nine in June.

a. My grandfather turned eighty-nine in June.
b. My grand-father turned eighty-nine in June.
9. Leticia’s ancestory was African American.

a. Leticia’s-ancestory was African American.
b. Leticia’s ancestory was African-American.
10. Li-Ting was trying to find full time work during her summer holidays.
a. Li-Ting was trying to find full-time work during her summer holidays.
b. Li-Ting was trying to find full-time-work during her summer holidays.
34 PUNCTUATION
Challenge Yourself:
Hyphen
In the following sentences, insert hyphens where appropriate. Some sentences may require
more than one hyphen.
1. Charlotte Bronte was a great nineteenth century novelist.
2. His six year old daughter could read very well.
3. Holden was a very well known performer in the theater community.
4. The ocean kayaking trip was a never to be forgotten experience.
5. She had to maintain her self control when speaking with her exhusband.
6. The upholsterer charged one third more to recover my furniture with tweed.
7. The eleventh grade teachers met with the parents.
8. Part time employees at the restaurant will get raises this year.
9. They are all first year students in this high school.
10. Jim Johnson was a fifty five year old extreme snowboarder.
PUNCTUATION 35
36 PUNCTUATION
Parentheses, Dash, and Ellipsis
Parentheses
Parentheses are a form of punctuation to be used around words in a sentence to add
or clarify information. Generally anything placed in parentheses is considered to be
less important than anything outside of it.
Use parentheses to enclose an interrupting word or word group that adds

information, but does not change the meaning of a sentence .
There are two Vancouvers (in British Columbia and in Washington) in the area
sometimes called “Cascadia.”
Our teacher (a good-looking man in his 40s) introduced himself.
Use parentheses to clarify an idea .
My favourite teacher, Ms. Chan (the Ms . Chan who teaches science), lives down
the street from us.
Use parentheses to show equivalent measures or values .
The Weather Network was predicting fifteen

centimetres (six inches) of snow.
Use parentheses to enclose directions and references .
The comma (see Lesson 2) is often misused.
PUNCTUATION 37
Place punctuation inside the parentheses if it belongs to the material in
parentheses .
She made a weak excuse (“My dog ate it .”) for not having finished her project.
Place punctuation outside the parentheses if it belongs to the main sentence .
I thought the party was tonight (Saturday), not last night.
Dash
A dash, more commonly used in informal writing, has several functions.
Use a dash to show a break in thought in a sentence .
The Black Stallion—my all-time favourite book—was for sale at the used
bookstore.
Use a dash to set off information that is dramatic .
Locating fresh water would mean we stood a chance—our only chance at

surviving until our rescuers could find us.
Use a dash in place of the words like that is, namely, in other words .
I’ve decided to do more outdoor activities—riding my bike,

hiking, and roller-blading.
Use a dash to summarize or provide information .
Language arts, social studies, science, and math—all my academic subjects—

seem to have homework.
38 PUNCTUATION
Use a dash to create special effects, interruptions, and sudden stops in speech .
“I – er – uh – can’t remember – where we went,” Ravi cried.
Use a dash to enclose an interrupting word or word group, especially when

such a word group contains a comma . When used in this way, a dash is placed
at the beginning and the end of the word group .
He quickly picked up his toys—ball, bat, glove, and bike—and

hurried home.
E ll i psis
An ellipsis is a series of three dots (separated by a space around each dot) that
indicate the omission of words or information.
Use ellipsis points of three dots to indicate an omission of a word or words

within a sentence .
Small communities such as Granville ..... and Cedar Cottage grew into the
city of Vancouver.
Use ellipsis points of four dots (a period followed by three spaced dots) to
indicate omission of:
• the remainder of the quoted sentence

• the beginning of the next sentence
• one or more sentences
• one or more paragraphs
Once upon a time . . . .
The overuse of the ellipsis, dash, or parentheses can be

distracting to a reader. Use these forms of punctuation
rarely and with care.
PUNCTUATION 39
Quiz Yourself:
Parentheses, Dash,
and Ellipsis
Decide whether the sentence using the ellipsis, parentheses, or dash is correctly punctuated.
Circle the correct answer.
1. The detective (wearing the stereotypical trench coat) took down my statement.
a. properly punctuated
b. improperly punctuated
2. My mother always used to end her stories, “. . . and they lived happily ever after.”
3. The movie we went to last - night the only movie I wanted to see - was sold out.
4. I fell for his line (Trust me), and I now regret it.
5. She said, “. . . Can you tell me what happened to?”

6. You are the friend - the only friend - that answered the phone when I called
for help.
40 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Parentheses, Dash,
and Ellipsis
Continued
7. He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the
question.
8. He packed all his things - clothes, hiking boots, and tent - and set off down the
mountain before the storm hit.
9. My grandfather remembers when he fought in the war. But that was a long
time ago....
10. Please read the (report Attachment A).

PUNCTUATION 41
Challenge Yourself:
Parentheses, Dash,
and Ellipsis
Following the instructions provided, rewrite each sentence using parentheses, a dash,
or an ellipsis.
1. Use a dash to punctuate this sentence .

He wanted only one thing in life money.
2. Use an ellipsis in this sentence .

Bemused, Miles said, “I’m wondering.”
3. Use the dash to punctuate this sentence .

All four of them Bob, Justin, Jason, and Brittany did well in high school.
4. Use an ellipsis to punctuate the end of this sentence .

Ah, those were the good old days.
5. Use parentheses to punctuate this sentence .

We went to Ottawa a very hot place on our trip across Canada.
42 PUNCTUATION
Challenge Yourself:
Parentheses, Dash,
and Ellipsis
Continued

Before arriving at the airport, the old plane an old war jet caught on fire.
7. Use a dash to punctuate this sentence .

There was only one thing I could do to pass the exam study till dawn.

We saw golden eagles have you ever seen one? when we visited Alaska.

We took a trip across Canada a big country. We drove from Vancouver all the way to
Halifax.
10 . Use an ellipsis to punctuate this sentence .

Joe began his story, “When Wilbur heard the knock at the door, he knew he was in
trouble”
PUNCTUATION 43
44 PUNCTUATION
Quotation Marks
Quotation marks are like bookends: they work in pairs. Quotation marks indicate
direct quotations, enclose the exact words of a speaker, and are used in a few other
special situations.
Use quotation marks to enclose the exact words of the speaker .
Quotation marks show the beginning and end of a speaker’s words.
Jasmine said, “Come for dinner tonight .”
“I don’t know why you’re going out,” she said looking out the window. “It
looks like there’s a storm coming .”
“Where’s the canoe?” Joe asked, looking toward the lake. “Did Sean take it out
for a paddle?”
Use quotation marks to acknowledge sources .
When you’re reporting a fact from another source, enclose the exact quoted words in
quotation marks. The quotation marks show that the words are not your own.
According to the movie critic at my favourite website, the new film’s special
effects are “completely mind-boggling .”
In his book, Creatures of the Earth, Dr. Hiram Pfisher claims, “Considering their
size, tortoises are the slowest-moving animals on the planet .”
PUNCTUATION 45
Use quotation marks to identify titles of short works .
Use quotation marks to identify titles of short works, such as short stories, essays,
poems, songs, or book chapters. (For books or complete longer works, use italics or
underline the title.)
They sang “O Canada” before the hockey game.
Amazingly, I once memorized “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert

Service.
I decided to turn out the light and go to sleep when I saw that the next chapter
was “The Monster Returns from the Dead .”
In Lesson 2, you read the poem “The Road Less Travelled .”
Use quotation marks to emphasize a word in a sentence .
Even when I’ve spelled it right, the word “February” always looks wrong.
My cousin drives me crazy because she uses the word “brilliant” all
the time.
Use quotation marks to enclose a technical term, a slang expression, or to define

a word .
In poetry, the term “alliteration” refers to the repetition of beginning letters of

words.
That ring looks like it’s got a lot of “bling .”
Do you know that the term “piano” means “soft”?
=
46 PUNCTUATION
Quotations within Quotations:
If you need to put a quote inside another quotation, use single quotation marks .
“My little sister,” she giggled, “is so silly . She made up new words to ‘Happy
Birthday’ for my brother’s party .”
Janey said, “I distinctly heard Dad reply, ‘No!’ when Bill asked if
he could have the car .”
Rules for Punctuating Quotation Marks
There always needs to be a comma or another form of punctuation between the

quotation and the speaker .
• The punctuation always falls beside the last word in the first part of the
sentence. If the quotation comes first, the comma is placed inside the
quotation.
“We will buy a new computer,” stated Joseph.
• If the speaker comes first, the comma is placed before the quotation begins.
Joseph stated, “We will buy a new computer soon .”
• The quotation always begins with a capital, except if it is broken in half by the
speaker.
“We will buy a computer soon,” Joseph stated, “and then we will get high-
speed Internet .”
For end punctuation, periods always go inside the quotation if it is the last part
of the sentence .
The small girl said sweetly, “Mommy, I love you .”
PUNCTUATION 47
Place question marks and exclamation marks inside if they are part of the
quotation, or outside if they are part of the main sentence .
Example: The nurse approached her bedside and quietly asked, “How are
you feeling today?”
Explanation: The question mark is part of the quotation.
Example: Did the teacher really say, “You don’t have any homework over
Spring Break”?
Explanation: The question mark is part of main sentence, not the quotation.
Every time the speaker changes, start a new paragraph so your reader can
follow the dialogue .
A woman’s voice said, “Hi, Sharanna . This is Ingrid Hallstram .”
“Oh, hi . How are you?” inquired Sharanna.
“I’m fine,” said Ingrid. “Can you baby-sit tonight?”
48 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Quotation Marks
Rewrite each sentence adding quoatation marks. Remember sometimes you will need to
change lower case letters to capital letters when you introduce direct quotations.
1. You will learn about the term symbolism when you do a novel study.
2. Ariel is trying hard in school this semester, her father said.
3. No, the taxi driver said curtly, I cannot get you to the airport in ten minutes.
4. Mr. and Mrs. Brownley stated, we refuse to use the elevator because of mechanical
problems.
5. He likes to talk about hockey, she said, especially when the Stanley Cup playoffs are
on TV.
6. Can you believe, Balbinder asked me, that we still have 85 days of school to attend?
7. The Raven is, I believe, one of Edgar Allan Poe’s best poems.
8. I don’t know, she said. What do you think?
9. When did Winston Churchill say, difficulties mastered are opportunities won?
10. My French teacher exclaimed, your accent sounds authentic!
PUNCTUATION 49
Challenge Yourself:
Quotation Marks
Where appropriate, punctuate the following sentences with quotation marks.
1. Christina couldn’t stop thinking about the poem Dreams by Langston Hughes.
2. Her friend, James, gave her the poem and used words like profound and inspired to
describe it.
3. Christina will never forget the first line of the poem: Hold fast to dreams.
4. Christina, could you tell me the answer? asked her English teacher, Ms. Swanson.
5. Ah, I didn’t hear the question, Christina said.
6. I’m not surprised, said Ms. Swanson, as it looks like you’re a million miles away.
7. Just dreaming, that’s all, Christina replied.
50 PUNCTUATION
Semicolon
A semicolon introduces a longer pause than a comma. It can be tricky to use

correctly, so save it for the following special situations.
Use a semicolon to connect sentences that are closely related .
The semicolon can connect two complete sentences that are closely related and that
are of equal importance. In these examples, the semicolon is a better choice than the
period because the break is not as strong as writing two sentences.
Some people like ketchup with their fries; others prefer vinegar.
It hadn’t rained for sixty days; the farmers were desperate for water.
I am getting cold; I wish that they’d turn up the heat.
Avoid using a semicolon if short joining words, such as

and, but, or or, are used between complete sentences.
Use a semicolon to separate a statement from its explanation .
Be here by three o’clock at the latest; otherwise, we will not wait.
We suffered many indignities; for example, all of our pockets were turned
inside out.
PUNCTUATION 51
Use a semicolon in place of a coordinate conjunction to show cause and effect .
The sun was rising; we had to move.
Use a semicolon to separate items in a series .
Like the comma, the semicolon can be used to separate items in a series if the items
already contain commas. The semicolon helps the reader understand where the
breaks in the list should be.
In one afternoon at the beach, the Kids’

Environmental Clean-Up Crew filled ten bags
with aluminum cans, glass, and garbage; cleaned
the storm drain; and removed graffiti from the
information kiosk.
When we went on holiday, we visited relatives in

Drumheller, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Flin
Flon, Manitoba; and Thunder Bay, Ontario.
It can also be used to separate items in a list, especially if the list is

headed by a colon .
The camp counsellor told us what to pack: toothbrush and toothpaste; an extra
pair of socks; a bottle of water; and some kind of protein snack.
52 PUNCTUATION
Quiz Yourself:
Semicolon
Punctuate each sentence inserting a semicolon where appropriate.
1. Cycling is excellent exercise I cycle everyday.
2. The air was crisp and clear it was a lovely day.
3. Call me tomorrow I will give you my answer then.
4. I missed the early bus however, I still made it to class on time.
5. I’ve travelled as far away as Paris, France Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece.
6. I needed only two cards to win I needed the ten of hearts and the jack of diamonds.
7. I ordered the CD six weeks ago therefore, I expected it to arrive by now.
8. A cougar was spotted on the hiking trail we couldn’t go on.
9. The computer performs millions of operations in a split second however, it still

breaks down.
10. Three objects lay on the desk: a large book a spiral-bound notepad and a vase
containing flowers.
PUNCTUATION 53
Challenge Yourself:
Semicolon
Correct each sentence by either inserting or deleting a semicolon where appropriate.
When necessary, replace the semicolon with correct punctuation.
1. To address the problem of childhood obesity; many schools are prohibiting the
sale of junk food.
2. There are two causes of increased obesity; poor eating habits and a lack of
exercise.
3. Fatty foods would be banned healthy snacks would be in.
4. Canada doesn’t subsidize school meals however, provinces want to get junk food
out of schools.
5. The solution is not just to ban junk food, students must also increase their level of
exercise.
54 PUNCTUATION
Putting It Together
Instructions
The text on the following page contains many errors pertaining to punctuation.
Punctuation errors include mistakes in the use of the apostrophe, capitalization,
colon, comma, hyphen, parentheses, dash, ellipsis, quotation marks, and semicolon.
Read through the text and underline any word containing an error or any piece of
punctuation that is incorrect. If punctuation is missing or incorrect, underline the
word preceeding it.
Once you have completed the Putting It Together quiz, compare your answers to the
key on page 251. If you find all the errors of a particular type, then place a checkmark
in “Topic Mastered.” If you miss an error of a particular type, then place a checkmark
in “Topic to Review.” You may then use this chart to guide what topics you need to
review before moving onto the next section.
Error Type Topic Mastered Topic to Review

1. apostrophe
2. capitalization
3. colon
4. comma
5. hyphen
6. parentheses, dash and ellipsis
7. quotation marks
8. semicolon
PUNCTUATION 55
Putting It Together
Volunteering
Have you thought about working as a volunteer? Many local Charities and organization’s,
such as the salvation army, rely on people who volunteer their time. There are many
reasons to start volunteering; to help others: to beat boredom; to learn a new activity;
and to gain a new perspective on life. It can sometimes be difficult to find a volunteering
opportunity (that is a good fit for you). However, there are many “different possibilities.”
If you keep looking -- you will find a volunteer position that works for you.
If you are interested in helping people who live in poverty, homeless shelters, are always
in need of volunteers’. You might be asked to prepare and serve meals at the shelter:
help in the shelters office, or help organize a fundraising campaign. Food Banks also help
people who struggle with poverty by collecting and distributing food to those in need. In
addition to providing food for homeless shelters food banks also serve people living in the
community.
Are you an animal lover? Many animal-shelters welcome volunteers to help take care of
animals, clean the facilities, and work with the public.
If you are concerned about the environment; there are several organizations that welcome
young people to become involved in Environmental activities. You may be asked to talk
to people about the environment, clean-up rivers or parks, or help build hiking trails,
fortunately, these activities can be very rewarding.
Whatever your interests, you can get much out of volunteering. Scott, a high school
student and homeless shelter volunteer -- sums up his volunteer experience: “You will learn
about yourself, learn about others, and meet many interesting people along the way”.
56 PUNCTUATION
Answer Key
PUNCTUATION
Checkup: Punctuation—Answer Key
This answer key is divided into two parts. In the first part, the errors in the text are underlined
for you. Each error is assigned a number, which corresponds to the error types listed below the
text. The second part of the answer key contains a corrected version of this text.

Thousands of High School (2) students around the world take part in cultural exchange
programs. These students spend a few months, or even a full year (4) living and going to school
in another country. Some of the most popular countries Canadian exchange students go to
are France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Cultural exchange students have a real-life-study (5) of
another countrys’ (1) culture, traditions, language, and history. For example, students learn that
there is more to France than french (2) fries.
Many students’ (1) (who go to live in another country on an exchange program) (6)
(have never before lived away from home. Homesickness is a very natural experience at the
beginning. However: (3) after students get settled in with their host family, acclimatized to the
culture, and enrolled in school, the homesickness’ (1) usually goes away quickly.
Teenagers’ (1) who participate in cultural exchange programs can benefit on many levels.
Academically: (3) exchange students are often challenged. They are expected to take a full slate
of courses at school that is more often than not taught in -- (6) a foreign language. Exchange
students must be patient with themselves as they learn a new language. they (2) also must
be, (4) flexible and adaptable to new circumstances. A student who recently returned from an
exchange stated, “This experience has changed my life forever. (7)
In terms of personal development -- (6) an exchange program can be an invaluable experience.

Students can grow on many levels; cultural exchange programs offer young people the
opportunity to mature both personally and intellectually. The life experience gained from
exchange programs has helped many students by Boosting (2) self-confidence, encouraging
independence, and developing leadership skills.
Students who embark upon a cultural exchange often come back home with exciting stories of
learning, living, and experiencing-another-culture. (5) One student commented; (8) “Going
on a student exchange to Holland opened up my world . (7)
Error Types: (1) apostrophe (5) hyphen

(2) capitalization (6) parentheses, dash, and ellipses
(3) colon (7) quotation marks
(4) comma (8) semicolon
PUNCTUATION 57
Checkup: Punctuation—Corrected Text

Thousands of high school students around the world take part in cultural exchange
programs. These students spend a few months, or even a full year, living and going to school
in another country. Some of the most popular countries Canadian exchange students go to
are France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Cultural exchange students have a real-life study of
another country’s culture, traditions, language, and history. For example, students learn that
there is more to France than French fries.
Many students who go to live in another country on an exchange program have never
before lived away from home. Homesickness is a very natural experience at the beginning.
However, after students get settled in with their host family, acclimatized to the culture, and
enrolled in school, the homesickness usually goes away quickly.
Teenagers who participate in cultural exchange programs can benefit on many levels.
Academically, exchange students are often challenged. They are expected to take a full
slate of courses at school that is more often than not taught in a foreign language. Exchange
students must be patient with themselves as they learn a new language. They also must
be flexible and adaptable to new circumstances. A student who recently returned from an
exchange stated, “This experience has changed my life forever .”
In terms of personal development, an exchange program can be an invaluable experience.

Students can grow on many levels; cultural exchange programs offer young people the
opportunity to mature both personally and intellectually. The life experience gained from
exchange programs has helped many students by boosting self-confidence, encouraging
independence, and developing leadership skills.
Teenagers who embark upon a cultural exchange often come back home with exciting
stories of learning, living, and experiencing another culture. One student commented,
“Going on a student exchange to Holland opened up my world .”
Quiz Yourself: Apostrophe

1. Tim’s 6. you’re
2. Didn’t 7. they’re
3. It’s 8. neighbour’s
4. Who’s 9. its
5. dogs 10. Emma’s
58 PUNCTUATION
Challenge Yourself: Apostrophe
1. Students at our high school organized a garage sale to raise money for a
local charity.
2. The idea for the fundraiser was originally Jennifer’s.
3. However, it didn’t take long for others to jump on board.
4. Prem, Jane, and Ellen were in charge of gathering all the items to sell.
5. They’re all busy studying for their provincial exams, but somehow they found the
time to help out.
6. Sanjay’s grandparents were moving out of their house into an apartment, so
they donated a lot.
7. All the items were stored in Molly’s parents’ garage before the sale.
8. Jake had a question: “Who’s going to collect the money and deposit it into
the bank?”
9. Jennifer told Jake, “As treasurer, you’re the money guy.”
10. It’s a good thing we were organized as there’s a lot of work in organizing a
garage sale.
11. When we delivered the check to the charity, the executive director said, “You’re
the greatest.”
Quiz Yourself: Capitalization

1. The trees leaned toward the north after the hurricane.
2. I think Main Street needs a good bus system.
3. “Trust me, I know what I’m doing,” Brian said. “Your car is not hard to fix.”
4. Sara always buys the Saturday edition of The Vancouver Sun newspaper.
5. Sam went to see Dr. Kumar who worked with other doctors at the clinic.
6. The Chongs just returned to Victoria from their holiday in Hong Kong.
7. Henry said, “Will you go with us, or do we have to go to Mount
Washington alone?”
8. I like to watch Spanish dancing on TV.
9. I travelled from Horseshoe Bay to West Vancouver in a limo.
10. The Amber Spyglass was my favourite book in middle school.
Challenge Yourself: Capitalization
1. The instructions for the car rally sounded simple at first.
2. We were to drive north on Harrington Street and then head to Juniper Street
towards the beach.
3. We drove for 8 kilometers but didn’t see the World War II memorial where our
next clue was hidden.
PUNCTUATION 59
4. We found the war memorial and our next clue at the corner of Palisade Drive
and Belmont Avenue.
5. The next leg of the car rally took us all the way out of town on Highway 23 to
Mitchell Lake.
6. We were supposed to find the next clue hidden under a rock in front of the
Beach View Motel.
7. But when we got to the T-intersection, we weren’t sure whether to turn north
or south.
8. We stopped a pedestrian to ask for directions, but she didn’t speak English.
9. We drove for about 10 minutes before we ran out of gas. There wasn’t an Esso
station in sight.
10. Obviously, our team didn’t win the grand prize - McDonald’s French
fries coupon.
Quiz Yourself: Colon

1. My brother likes oranges: my sister hates them.
2. There is only one reason for this problem: he never learned to drive properly.
3. My morning routine looks like this: wake up, brush my teeth, and run to school.
4. The car has a number of extras: sun roof, tinted windows, heated seats, and
wing mirrors.
5. The following creatures are all imaginary: vampires, werewolves, zombies,
and elves.
6. Her chess advice, I remember, was this: “Make sure you plan at least two
moves ahead.”
7. My favourite part of Hamlet was Act III: Scene 2.
8. We have set a house rule: do your homework before watching television.
9. My final answer still stands: “No!”
10. I enjoy reading: novels by Jane Austen are among my favourites.
60 PUNCTUATION
Challenge Yourself: Colon
1. Boys who play “action adventure” and “sport” video games outnumber girls by
a ratio of 5:1.
2. Both of these types of video games share one important factor: they
contain violence.
3. Dr. Samuel Barton is the author of a new study titled Video Games: The
Beginning of Aggression.
4. His study found an increase in the following behaviours: verbal attacks and
physical attacks.
5. Dr. Barton states something important: “Playing a violent video game fosters
aggressive thoughts.”
Quiz Yourself: Comma

1. Monday, January 18th, 1954. 9. ,however,
2. Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A. 10. in a rage,
3. broken, 11. If the opposition wins,
4. birthday, 12. in British Columbia
5. but before lunch, 13. , I think,
6. who cheat 14. falling,
7. , which are my favourite fruit, 15. contained three wigs,
8. lower taxes, protect the
environment, reduce crime,
Challenge Yourself: Comma

1. Skateboarding, which my brother is crazy about, is a different experience for
different people.
2. For some skaters, skateboarding is a sport where skaters perform tricks or ride
the ramps.
3. For others, however, the skateboard is used as a mode of transportation.
4. This is a dangerous way to get around town, but many people do it.
5. Some people take skateboarding very seriously.
6. For example, my brother said, “For me, skateboarding is like a religion.”
7. Although I’m not an avid skateboarder, I understand what he was saying.
8. When I skate, my feelings include joy, peace, excitement, and contentment.
9. My friends have taught, encouraged, pushed, and challenged me to be the
best skater I can be.
PUNCTUATION 61
Quiz Yourself: Hyphen
1. He accidentally drove down a one-way street.
2. The folk festival didn’t start until mid-January, so Jeremy had time to practise
his guitar.
3. The trip to Mexico was an all-inclusive special, so David and John didn’t have to
payextra for airfare.
4. The uniform in the museum was thought to be from the pre-Civil War era.
5. Margaret Atwood is a well-known author in Canada and elsewhere in the world.
6. Her sister-in-law is the manager at the restaurant where I work.
7. Rock music has been popular from the mid-60s right up to the present.
8. My grandfather turned eighty-nine in June.
9. Leticia’s ancestory was African-American.
10. Li-Ting was trying to find full-time work during her summer holidays.
Challenge Yourself: Hyphen

1. Charlotte Bronte was a great nineteenth-century novelist.
2. His six-year-old daughter could read very well.
3. Holden was a very well-known performer in the theater community.
4. The ocean kayaking trip was a never-to-be-forgotten experience.
5. She had to maintain her self-control when speaking with her ex-husband.
6. The upholsterer charged one-third more to re-cover my furniture with tweed.
7. The eleventh-grade teachers met with the parents.
8. Part-time employees at the restaurant will get raises this year.
9. They are all first-year students in this high school.
10. Jim Johnson was a fifty-five-year-old extreme snowboarder.
Quiz Yourself: Parentheses, Dash, and Ellipsis

1. properly punctuated
3. improperly punctuated
62 PUNCTUATION
Challenge Yourself: Parentheses, Dash, and Ellipsis
1. He wanted only one thing in life -- money.
2. Bemused, Miles said, “I’m wondering .. ”
3. All four of them -- Bob, Justine, Jason, and Brittany -- did well in high school.
4. Ah, those were the good old days....
5. We went to Ottawa (a very hot place) on our trip across Canada.
6. Before arriving at the airport, the old plane (an old war jet) caught on fire.
7. There was only one thing I could do to pass the exam -- study till dawn.
8. We saw golden eagles (Have you ever seen one?) when we visited Alaska.
9. We took a trip across Canada (a big country). We drove from Vancouver all the
way to Halifax.
10. Joe began his story, “When Wilbur heard the knock at the door, he knew he
was in trouble . ”
Quiz Yourself: Quotation Marks

1. You will learn about the term “symbolism” when you do a novel study.
2. “Ariel is trying hard in school this semester,” her father said.
3. “No,” the taxi driver said curtly, “I cannot get you to the airport in ten minutes.”
4. Mr. and Mrs. Brownley stated, “We refuse to use the elevator because of
mechanical problems.”
5. “He likes to talk about hockey,” she said, “especially when the Stanley Cup
playoffs are on TV.”
6. “Can you believe,” Balbinder asked me, “that we still have 85 days of school
to attend?”
7. ”The Raven” is, I believe, one of Edgar Allan Poe’s best poems.
8. “I don’t know,” she said. “What do you think?”
9. When did Winston Churchill say, “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won”?
10. My French teacher exclaimed, “Your accent sounds authentic!”
PUNCTUATION 63
Challenge Yourself: Quotation Marks
1. Christina couldn’t stop thinking about the poem “Dreams” by Langston Hughes.
2. Her friend, James, gave her the poem and used words like “profound” and
“inspired” to describe it.
3. Christina will never forget the first line of the poem: “Hold fast to dreams.”
4. “Christina, could you tell me the answer?” asked her English teacher,
Ms. Swanson.
5. “Ah, I didn’t hear the question,” Christina said.
6. “I’m not surprised,” said Ms. Swanson, “as it looks like you’re a million
miles away.”
7. “Just dreaming, that’s all,” Christina replied.
Quiz Yourself: Semicolon

1. Cycling is excellent exercise; I cycle everyday.
2. The air was crisp and clear; it was a lovely day.
3. Call me tomorrow; I will give you my answer then.
4. I missed the early bus; however, I still made it to class on time.
5. I’ve travelled as far away as Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Athens, Greece.
6. I needed only two cards to win; I needed the ten of hearts and the jack
of diamonds.
7. I ordered the CD six weeks ago; therefore, I expected it to arrive by now.
8. A cougar was spotted on the hiking trail; we couldn’t go on.
9. The computer performs millions of operations in a split second; however, it still
breaks down.
10. Three objects lay on the desk: a large book; a spiral-bound notepad; and a vase
containing flowers.
Challenge Yourself: Semicolon

1. To address the problem of childhood obesity, many schools are prohibiting the
sale of junk food.
2. There are two causes of increased obesity: poor eating habits and a lack
of exercise.
3. Fatty foods would be banned; healthy snacks would be in.
4. Canada doesn’t subsidize school meals; however, provinces want to get junk
food out of schools.
5. The solution is not just to ban junk food; students must also increase their level
of exercise.
64 PUNCTUATION
Putting it Together: Punctuation—Answer Key
This answer key is divided into two parts. In the first part, the errors in the text are underlined
for you. Each error is assigned a number, which corresponds to the error types listed below the
text. The second part of the answer key contains a corrected version of this text.
Volunteering
Have you thought about working as a volunteer? Many local Charities (2) and
organization’s, (1) such as the salvation army, (2) rely on people who volunteer their
time. There are many reasons to start volunteering; (8) to help others: to beat boredom; to
learn a new activity; and to gain a new perspective on life. It can sometimes be difficult to
find a volunteering opportunity (that is a good fit for you). (6) However, there are many
“different possibilities .” (7) If you keep looking -- (6) you will find a volunteer position that
works for you.
If you are interested in helping people who live in poverty, homeless shelters, (4) are always
in need of volunteers’. (1) You might be asked to prepare and serve meals at the shelter: (3)
help in the shelters (1) office, or help organize a fundraising campaign. Food Banks (2) also
help people who struggle with poverty by collecting and distributing food to those in need.
In addition to providing food for homeless shelters (4) food banks also serve people living in
the community.
Are you an animal lover? Many animal-shelters (5) welcome volunteers to help take care of
If you are concerned about the environment; (8) there are several organizations that
welcome young people to become involved in Environmental (2) activities. You may be
asked to talk to people about the environment, clean-up rivers or parks, or help build hiking
trails, (4) fortunately, these activities can be very rewarding.
Whatever your interests, you can get much out of volunteering. Scott, a high school student
and homeless shelter volunteer -- (6) sums up his volunteer experience: “You will learn about
yourself, learn about others, and meet many interesting people along the way”. (7)
Error Types: (1) apostrophe (5) hyphen

(2) capitalization (6) parentheses, dash, and ellipses
(3) colon (7) quotation marks
(4) comma (8) semicolon
PUNCTUATION 65
Putting it Together: Punctuation—Corrected Text
Volunteering
Have you thought about working as a volunteer? Many local charities and
organizations, such as the Salvation Army, rely on people who volunteer their time.
There are many reasons to start volunteering: to help others; to beat boredom; to
learn a new activity; and to gain a new perspective on life. It can sometimes be difficult
to find a volunteering opportunity that is a good fit for you . However, there are many
different possibilities. If you keep looking, you will find a volunteer position that works
for you.
If you are interested in helping people who live in poverty, homeless shelters are always
in need of volunteers. You might be asked to prepare and serve meals at the shelter,
help in the shelter’s office, or help organize a fundraising campaign. Food banks also
help people who struggle with poverty by collecting and distributing food to those in
need. In addition to providing food for homeless shelters, food banks also serve people
living in the community.
Are you an animal lover? Many animal shelters welcome volunteers to help take care of
If you are concerned about the environment, there are several organizations that
welcome young people to become involved in environmental activities. You may be
asked to talk to people about the environment, clean up rivers or parks, or help build
hiking trails; fortunately, these activities can be very rewarding.
Whatever your interests, you can get much out of volunteering. Scott, a high school
student and homeless shelter volunteer, sums up his volunteer experience: “You will
learn about yourself, learn about others, and meet many interesting people along the
way .”
66 PUNCTUATION

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Version 01

Project Manager Monique Brewer

Reprinted, March 2016

When should you use a colon instead of a semicolon?

Error Type Topic Mastered Topic to Review

6. parentheses, dash and ellipsis

Cultural Exchange Programs

Many students’ (who go to live in another country on an exchange program) have

In terms of personal development -- an exchange program can be an invaluable

The apostrophe has three main purposes: to replace missing

has not hasn’t

He yelled, “I’m takin’ the ball and goin’ home.”

Use the apostrophe to show possession or ownership .

Singular nouns usually take an apostrophe and s.

If a singular noun ends with an s or z sound, you may just

Thomas’ book or Thomas’s book

If a plural noun does not end in s, add an apostrophe and s.

the team’s bus (The bus belongs to the team.)

Ted and Fred’s restaurant

Compound noun possessives take an apostrophe on the last word in the

The cats lived in the old barn.

There are thirty-eight thousand teachers in B.C.

Watch out for the most common errors of all .

It’s (it is) a great day to be studying.

Who’s (who is) going to the party?

You’re a great singer.

Match the apostrophes with acronyms .

There are five CD’s in the package.

1. What is_________ phone number?

2. you hear that the exam was changed to next week?

4. having the party tonight?

5. It drives me crazy when the ______ bark all night long.

6. Have you made a decision whether ______ going to go to university or go

8. Our ____________ car is a convertible BMW.

2. The idea for a fundraiser was originally Jennifers.

3. However, it didnt take long for others to jump on board.

9. Jennifer told Jake, “As treasurer, your the money guy.”

Capitalize the first word of a sentence and proper nouns—the names

The first word of a sentence and the personal pronoun “I .”

Do you want me to buy you a sandwich when I stop at the deli?

Capitalize the first word in a direct quotation .

See the tutorial titled “Quotations Marks” for more information.

Capitalize the names of people, their initials, abbreviations, and titles .

Mr. Brown Constable M .R . Davis

Family Titles General Relationships

Official Titles General Titles

Capitalize regional names (cities, provinces, countries, sections within countries,

Kitimat The West Coast Antarctica British Columbia (BC)

Capitalize names of specific bodies of water, rivers, and streams .

Thompson River East Barrier Lake Pacific Ocean

Capitalize common nouns used as part of a place name .

Capitalize the names of races, languages, nationalities, and the adjectives

First Nations Italian cooking Aboriginal education

Canadians speak English and French .

Capitalize the names of organizations, clubs, historical events and periods of

Middle Ages Industrial Revolution War of 1812

Monday Thanksgiving Day

Capitalize important words in titles of movies, books, magazines, plays, newspapers,

Pride and Prejudice TV Guide The Globe and Mail

Don’t capitalize these small words in titles: