RPR Written Study Guide Questions Punctuation With
Complete Solutions
(Ed and Tom's, Ed's and Tom's) boat is in the dry dock. Correct
Answers Ed and Tom's (one boat; joint ownership)
(Gordons', Gordon's) transcript was filed late. Correct Answers
Gordon's (one Gordon)
(Janet and Carol's, Janet's and Carol's) report was finished after
hours of collaboration. Correct Answers Janet and Carol's
(With joint ownership, make only the last noun possessive.
There is one report)
(Mr. Nelson's, Mr. Nelsons') book was published last year.
Correct Answers Mr. Nelson's (one Mr. Nelson)
(Roland and Sandy's, roland's and Sandy's) attendance records
are quite different. Correct Answers Roland's and Sandy's
(Each has his own attendance record.)
(Tom and Jim's, Tom's and Jim's) apartments faced the
courtyard. Correct Answers Tom's and Jim's (two apartments)
A few of that (client's, clients') bill were misplaced. Correct
Answers client's (one client)
A. "Do you know whether the transcript is due," she asked, "on
the 15th of the month?"
,B. "Do you know whether the transcript is due," she asked, "On
the 15th of the month?" Correct Answers A. The sentence was
interrupted, and it continues with a smaller letter.
A. "Where were you that morning," he said?
B. "Where were you that morning?" he said.
C. "Where were you that morning?" he said? Correct Answers
B.
A. (Recess.)
B. (Recess). Correct Answers A. When the parentheses
surround material that is not a separate thought from the
sentence, place the period outside the parentheses. When the
parenthetical material is the complete thought, the period goes
inside the parentheses.
A. A few years ago many children and young adults perferred
sneakers with velcro rather than shoelaces.
B. A few years ago many children and young adults perferred
sneakers with Velcro rather than shoelaces. Correct Answers B.
Velcro is a brand name and should be capitalized.
A. All parties whose names begin with A through M report now.
B. All parites, whose names being with A through M, report
now. Correct Answers A. Sometimes words that are usually
parenthetical may be direct modifiers. Then they would not be
set off with a pair of commas.
A. Bill said he didn't want to leave - he thought it was too hot -
beofre early evening.
,B. Bill said he didn't want to leave, he though it was too hot,
before early evening. Correct Answers A. Use dashes to set off
a complete sentence inserted inside another one.
A. Bradley said that he -- she would be ready to -- all packed
and ready to -- waiting by the time that the train arrived.
A. Bradley said that he, she would be ready to -- all packed and
ready to, waiitng by the time that the train arrived. Correct
Answers A. Use a dash to indicate broken sentence structure.
A. Did he actually ask, "How long will you be gone?"
B. Did he actually ask, "How long will you be gone"?
C. did he actually ask, "How long will you be gone?"? Correct
Answers A.
A. Did he say, "The defendant said to me, 'I am going to shoot.'"
B. Did he say, "The defendant said to me, 'I am going to shoot'"?
C. Did he say, The defendant said to me, 'I am going to shoot?"
Correct Answers B.
A. Did the witness reply, "I am the one who sold the car"?
B. Did the witness reply, "I am the one who sold the car?"
C. Did the witness reply, "I am the one who sold the car."?
Correct Answers A.
A. Did you bring the office supplies, pens, pencils, Scotch tape
and paper clips this morning?
B Did you bring the office supplies -- pens, pencils, Scotach
tape and paper clips -- this morning? Correct Answers B. Use
dashes to surround compound appositives which have internal
commas. These could be nouns, pronouns, or adjectives.
, A. Did you ever ask him, "Did you really take the knife?"
B. Did you ever ask him, "Did you really take the knife"?
C. Did you ever ask him, "Did you really take the knife?"?
Correct Answers A.
A. Did you say to him, "I am leaving this minute"?
B. Did you say to him, "I am leaving this minute?"
C. Did you say to him, "I am leaving this minute."? Correct
Answers A.
A. Did you use "intentionally"? Did you say, "I shot him
intentionally?"
B. Did you use "intentionally?" Did you say, "I shot him
intentionally"?
C. Did you use "intentionally"? Did you say, "I shot him
intentionally"? Correct Answers C.
A. Each congressman is a Republican.
B. Each congressman is a republican. Correct Answers The
reference is to the Republican Party.
A. Greg has lived in Salem, Mass., Akron, Ohio, Sheridan, Wyo,
and Fort Wayne, Ind.
B. Greg has lived in Salem, Mass.; Akron, Ohio; Sheridan,
Wyo.; and Fort Wayne, Ind. Correct Answers B. Use a
semicolon to set off items in a series when commas are used
within the items.
A. Have you finished Escape to Paradise?
Complete Solutions
(Ed and Tom's, Ed's and Tom's) boat is in the dry dock. Correct
Answers Ed and Tom's (one boat; joint ownership)
(Gordons', Gordon's) transcript was filed late. Correct Answers
Gordon's (one Gordon)
(Janet and Carol's, Janet's and Carol's) report was finished after
hours of collaboration. Correct Answers Janet and Carol's
(With joint ownership, make only the last noun possessive.
There is one report)
(Mr. Nelson's, Mr. Nelsons') book was published last year.
Correct Answers Mr. Nelson's (one Mr. Nelson)
(Roland and Sandy's, roland's and Sandy's) attendance records
are quite different. Correct Answers Roland's and Sandy's
(Each has his own attendance record.)
(Tom and Jim's, Tom's and Jim's) apartments faced the
courtyard. Correct Answers Tom's and Jim's (two apartments)
A few of that (client's, clients') bill were misplaced. Correct
Answers client's (one client)
A. "Do you know whether the transcript is due," she asked, "on
the 15th of the month?"
,B. "Do you know whether the transcript is due," she asked, "On
the 15th of the month?" Correct Answers A. The sentence was
interrupted, and it continues with a smaller letter.
A. "Where were you that morning," he said?
B. "Where were you that morning?" he said.
C. "Where were you that morning?" he said? Correct Answers
B.
A. (Recess.)
B. (Recess). Correct Answers A. When the parentheses
surround material that is not a separate thought from the
sentence, place the period outside the parentheses. When the
parenthetical material is the complete thought, the period goes
inside the parentheses.
A. A few years ago many children and young adults perferred
sneakers with velcro rather than shoelaces.
B. A few years ago many children and young adults perferred
sneakers with Velcro rather than shoelaces. Correct Answers B.
Velcro is a brand name and should be capitalized.
A. All parties whose names begin with A through M report now.
B. All parites, whose names being with A through M, report
now. Correct Answers A. Sometimes words that are usually
parenthetical may be direct modifiers. Then they would not be
set off with a pair of commas.
A. Bill said he didn't want to leave - he thought it was too hot -
beofre early evening.
,B. Bill said he didn't want to leave, he though it was too hot,
before early evening. Correct Answers A. Use dashes to set off
a complete sentence inserted inside another one.
A. Bradley said that he -- she would be ready to -- all packed
and ready to -- waiting by the time that the train arrived.
A. Bradley said that he, she would be ready to -- all packed and
ready to, waiitng by the time that the train arrived. Correct
Answers A. Use a dash to indicate broken sentence structure.
A. Did he actually ask, "How long will you be gone?"
B. Did he actually ask, "How long will you be gone"?
C. did he actually ask, "How long will you be gone?"? Correct
Answers A.
A. Did he say, "The defendant said to me, 'I am going to shoot.'"
B. Did he say, "The defendant said to me, 'I am going to shoot'"?
C. Did he say, The defendant said to me, 'I am going to shoot?"
Correct Answers B.
A. Did the witness reply, "I am the one who sold the car"?
B. Did the witness reply, "I am the one who sold the car?"
C. Did the witness reply, "I am the one who sold the car."?
Correct Answers A.
A. Did you bring the office supplies, pens, pencils, Scotch tape
and paper clips this morning?
B Did you bring the office supplies -- pens, pencils, Scotach
tape and paper clips -- this morning? Correct Answers B. Use
dashes to surround compound appositives which have internal
commas. These could be nouns, pronouns, or adjectives.
, A. Did you ever ask him, "Did you really take the knife?"
B. Did you ever ask him, "Did you really take the knife"?
C. Did you ever ask him, "Did you really take the knife?"?
Correct Answers A.
A. Did you say to him, "I am leaving this minute"?
B. Did you say to him, "I am leaving this minute?"
C. Did you say to him, "I am leaving this minute."? Correct
Answers A.
A. Did you use "intentionally"? Did you say, "I shot him
intentionally?"
B. Did you use "intentionally?" Did you say, "I shot him
intentionally"?
C. Did you use "intentionally"? Did you say, "I shot him
intentionally"? Correct Answers C.
A. Each congressman is a Republican.
B. Each congressman is a republican. Correct Answers The
reference is to the Republican Party.
A. Greg has lived in Salem, Mass., Akron, Ohio, Sheridan, Wyo,
and Fort Wayne, Ind.
B. Greg has lived in Salem, Mass.; Akron, Ohio; Sheridan,
Wyo.; and Fort Wayne, Ind. Correct Answers B. Use a
semicolon to set off items in a series when commas are used
within the items.
A. Have you finished Escape to Paradise?
