ACT PREP- COMMAS & SEMICOLONS & the APOSTROPHE
Directions: Revise the following sentences by adding commas (please circle them also) where they are needed. If a sentence is correct, write "correct" at the end of the sentence.
1. Richard caught the ball ran for five yards and scored a touchdown.
2. Judy who works for the local school district is asking her boss for a raise.
3. I didn't realize however that the main character was already dead.
4. I want to buy a shirt and a pair of shoes.
5. Because we have a test tomorrow I'm not going to the party.
6. I want to become a doctor so I have to take a lot of science classes.
7. The man who is running down the street usually wears an orange sweatshirt.
8. Did you notice the smart attractive man sitting in the corner?
9. Her father a pediatric surgeon has to work long hours.
10. William Thomas Jr. is a good friend of mine.
11. James Spader who plays a lawyer on television won an Emmy Award in 2007.
12. My neighbor's dog knocks over my garbage cans walks in my flowerbed and barks at my cats.
13. If you plant a Willow tree in that location the tree will probably do well.
14. The milk was sour because it had sat at room temperature for an entire day.
15. You'll be at the game today won't you?
16. People are signing the petition and we expect to submit it to the President next Thursday.
17. Jennifer prefers her hamburgers cooked rare not medium.
18. To get the cheapest airline ticket you need to check the website early.
19. Two common types rocks igneous and sedimentary are found in this region of the country.
20. Someone sitting near the front door handed Jane the package.
Semicolon Directions - Revise the following sentences by adding semicolons where they are needed. You may need to change a comma to a semicolon. If a sentence is correct, write "correct" at the end of the sentence.
21. The score was tied the game went into overtime.
22. Professor Brown has left the laboratory, however, you may still be able to reach her through email.
23. We didn't attend the play, besides, we had heard that all the good seats were taken.
24. We stayed in Baltimore, Maryland, Omaha, Nebraska, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
25. The keys to the lower door were not, however, in their usual place.
26. The three performers included Jasper, a trained squirrel, Belzar, a tightrope walker, and Petunia, a magician.
27. Ingrid, a shortstop, made the team, but Joe, her cousin, did not make the cut.
28. Read the article out loud, then answer all ten questions on the quiz.
29. Martin had paid his dues; therefore, we allowed him to vote in the election.
30. The World Series had begun, however, we were still stuck in traffic.
Apostrophe Directions: Change each underlined noun to the correct possessive form. Type your answer in the text box. If a sentence is correct, write "correct" at the end of the sentence.
31. The girlfriend of her brother drives a trailer truck.
Her ______________________ girlfriend drives a trailer truck.
32. We heard the voices of the children clearly in the lounge.
We heard the _________________ voices clearly in the lounge.
33. The husbands of the sisters have lunch together every Monday.
The _________________ husbands have lunch together every Monday.
34. The report, supported by the accounts of two witnesses, proves he did not commit the crime.
The report, supported by two _______________ accounts, proves he did not commit the crime.
35. The flavor of the bread was improved when he put butter on it.
The _______________ flavor was improved when he put butter on it.
36. The guess of anybody is as good as mine.
_________ guess is as good as mine.
37. I spent all my Thanksgivings at the house belonging to my grandmother.
I spent all my Thanksgivings at my _______________ house.
38. The votes of four members changed the outcome of the election.
Four _________________ votes changed the outcome of the election.
39. The wipers on your car need to be replaced.
Your ________________ wipers need to be replaced.
40. The cat played with the toy belonging to it.
The cat played with _________ toy.
Comma Use - KEY
1. Richard caught the ball, ran for five yards, and scored a touchdown.
2. Judy, who works for the local school district, is asking her boss for a raise.
3. I didn't realize, however, that the main character was already dead.
4. Correct. I want to buy a shirt and a pair of shoes.
5. Because we have a test tomorrow, I'm not going to the party.
6. I want to become a doctor, so I have to take a lot of science classes.
7. Correct. The man who is running down the street usually wears an orange sweatshirt.
8. Did you notice the smart, attractive man sitting in the corner?
9. Her father, a pediatric surgeon, has to work long hours.
10. William Thomas, Jr., is a good friend of mine.
11. James Spader, who plays a lawyer on television, won an Emmy Award in 2007.
12. My neighbor's dog knocks over my garbage cans, walks in my flowerbed, and barks at my cats.
13. If you plant a Willow tree in that location, the tree will probably do well.
14. Correct - no commas needed: The milk was sour because it had sat at room temperature for an entire day.
15. You'll be at the game today, won't you?
16. People are signing the petition, and we expect to submit it to the President next Thursday.
17. Jennifer prefers her hamburgers cooked rare, not medium.
18. To get the cheapest airline ticket, you need to check the website early.
19. Two common types rocks, igneous and sedimentary, are found in this region of the country.
20 .Correct - no commas needed: Someone sitting near the front door handed Jane the package.
Semi-Colons
21. The score was tied; the game went into overtime.
2 2. Professor Brown has left the laboratory; however, you may still be able to reach her
through email.
23. We didn't attend the play; besides, we had heard that all the good seats were taken.
24. We stayed in Baltimore, Maryland; Omaha, Nebraska; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
25. This sentence is correct. The keys to the lower door were not, however, in their usual place.
26. The three performers included Jasper, a trained squirrel; Belzar, a tightrope walker; and
Petunia, a magician.
27. Ingrid, a shortstop, made the team; but Joe, her cousin, did not make the cut.
28. Read the article out loud; then answer all ten questions on the quiz.
29. This sentence is correct. Martin had paid his dues; therefore, we allowed him to vote in the election.
30. The World Series had begun; however, we were still stuck in traffic.
Apostrophe Use
31. The correct answer is brother's. Her brother's girlfriend drives a trailer truck.
32. The correct answer is children's. We heard the children's voices clearly in the lounge.
33. The correct answer is sisters'. The sisters' husbands have lunch together every Monday.
34. The correct answer is witnesses'. The report, supported by two witnesses' accounts, proves he did not commit the
crime.
35. The correct answer is bread's. The bread's flavor was improved when he put butter on it.
36. The correct answer is anybody's. Anybody's guess is as good as mine.
37. The correct answer is grandmother's. I spent all my Thanksgivings at my grandmother's house.
38. The correct answer is members'. Four members' votes changed the outcome of the election.
39. The correct answer is car's. Your car's wipers need to be replaced.
40. The correct answer is its. The cat played with its toy.
http://www.towson.edu/ows/exerciseapos.htm Copyright © 2003 Margaret L. Benner.. All rights reserved.