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Grammar & Punctuation

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Instructions: Test your command of English grammar and punctuation with these tricky questions!

  1. 1.

    Which sentence uses the correct form of 'their/there/they're'?

    A
    There going to the store.
    B
    Theyre going to the store.
    C
    Their going to the store.
    D
    They're going to the store.
  2. 2.

    What is the correct way to make the word 'fox' possessive?

    A
    foxes
    B
    foxs
    C
    fox's
    D
    foxs'
  3. 3.

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    A
    Let's eat Grandma!
    B
    Lets eat Grandma!
    C
    Let's eat, Grandma!
    D
    Lets eat, Grandma!
  4. 4.

    What is the plural of 'crisis'?

    A
    Crises
    B
    Crisies
    C
    Crisis's
    D
    Crisises
  5. 5.

    Which word correctly completes the sentence: 'The book had a strong ___ on readers'?

    A
    effect
    B
    effact
    C
    affect
    D
    afect
  6. 6.

    When should a semicolon be used?

    A
    Before a quotation
    B
    Before a list
    C
    After a greeting
    D
    To join two independent clauses
  7. 7.

    Which sentence correctly uses 'who' vs. 'whom'?

    A
    Whom is calling?
    B
    Who did you give the book to?
    C
    Who's did you pick?
    D
    Whom did you give the book to?
  8. 8.

    What is wrong with this sentence: 'The dog wagged it's tail happily'?

    A
    'happily' is misspelled
    B
    'it's' should be 'its'
    C
    Nothing is wrong
    D
    'dog' should be capitalized
  9. 9.

    Which sentence uses the correct comparative form?

    A
    She is tallest than her sister.
    B
    She is taller than her sister.
    C
    She is most tall than her sister.
    D
    She is more taller than her sister.
  10. 10.

    Where does the period go when a sentence ends with a quotation?

    A
    No period is needed
    B
    Before the closing quotation mark
    C
    Either place is correct
    D
    After the closing quotation mark
  11. 11.

    Which is correct: 'fewer' or 'less' in '10 ___ items'?

    A
    10 lesser items
    B
    10 less items
    C
    Either is correct
    D
    10 fewer items
  12. 12.

    What type of sentence is 'Wow, that was amazing!'?

    A
    Imperative
    B
    Exclamatory
    C
    Interrogative
    D
    Declarative
  13. 13.

    What is a dangling modifier?

    A
    A modifier at the end of a sentence
    B
    A modifier with a hyphen
    C
    A modifier that doesn't clearly refer to any word
    D
    A modifier in parentheses
  14. 14.

    Which sentence correctly uses a colon?

    A
    I need three things: eggs, milk, and bread.
    B
    I: need eggs, milk, and bread.
    C
    I need: eggs, milk, and bread.
    D
    I need three: things eggs milk and bread.
  15. 15.

    What is the Oxford comma?

    A
    A comma after 'Oxford'
    B
    A British-only punctuation mark
    C
    A comma used in formal letters
    D
    A comma before 'and' in a list of three or more
  16. 16.

    Which is the correct past tense of 'lie' (to recline)?

    A
    Lied
    B
    Lay
    C
    Laid
    D
    Layed
  17. 17.

    What is the correct possessive form of 'children'?

    A
    Childrens
    B
    Childrens'
    C
    Children'
    D
    Children's
  18. 18.

    Which word is an example of a conjunction?

    A
    Beautiful
    B
    However
    C
    Quickly
    D
    Because
  19. 19.

    What is the subjunctive mood used for?

    A
    Asking questions
    B
    Giving commands
    C
    Describing past events
    D
    Expressing wishes, demands, or hypothetical situations
  20. 20.

    Which sentence avoids the split infinitive?

    A
    To be bold going where no one has gone before.
    B
    To boldly go where no one has gone before.
    C
    To go boldly where no one has gone before.
    D
    To go bold where no one has gone before.

Answer Key

Question 1
D. They're going to the store.

'They're' is a contraction of 'they are.' 'Their' shows possession, and 'there' indicates a place.

Question 2
C. fox's

For singular nouns, add an apostrophe followed by 's' to show possession: the fox's tail.

Question 3
C. Let's eat, Grandma!

A comma before a name in direct address is essential — it's the difference between an invitation to dinner and something far worse!

Question 4
A. Crises

'Crisis' comes from Greek. Words ending in '-is' typically form their plural by changing to '-es': crisis → crises, thesis → theses.

Question 5
A. effect

'Effect' is typically a noun meaning result or impact. 'Affect' is typically a verb meaning to influence.

Question 6
D. To join two independent clauses

A semicolon connects two independent clauses that are closely related: 'I love reading; my sister prefers painting.'

Question 7
D. Whom did you give the book to?

'Whom' is used as an object. Try replacing with he/him: 'You gave the book to him' = whom. 'He is calling' = who.

Question 8
B. 'it's' should be 'its'

'Its' (no apostrophe) shows possession. 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has.' The dog wagged its tail.

Question 9
B. She is taller than her sister.

Short adjectives use '-er' for comparisons (taller, faster). 'More' is used with longer adjectives (more beautiful). Never combine both.

Question 10
B. Before the closing quotation mark

In American English, periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark: She said, 'Hello.'

Question 11
D. 10 fewer items

'Fewer' is used with countable nouns (fewer books, fewer people). 'Less' is used with uncountable nouns (less water, less time).

Question 12
B. Exclamatory

Exclamatory sentences express strong emotion and end with an exclamation mark. Declarative sentences state facts, interrogative sentences ask questions.

Question 13
C. A modifier that doesn't clearly refer to any word

A dangling modifier doesn't logically modify anything in the sentence. Example: 'Walking to school, the flowers were beautiful' — the flowers weren't walking!

Question 14
A. I need three things: eggs, milk, and bread.

A colon follows a complete sentence and introduces a list, explanation, or elaboration. The text before the colon must be a complete thought.

Question 15
D. A comma before 'and' in a list of three or more

The Oxford (or serial) comma is placed before 'and' or 'or' in a list: 'red, white, and blue.' It prevents ambiguity.

Question 16
B. Lay

The past tense of 'lie' (to recline) is 'lay.' Confusingly, 'lay' (to place) has the past tense 'laid.' 'Lied' is the past tense of 'lie' (to fib).

Question 17
D. Children's

For irregular plurals that don't end in 's' (children, women, men), add apostrophe + s: children's, women's.

Question 18
D. Because

'Because' is a subordinating conjunction that connects a dependent clause to an independent clause. 'However' is a conjunctive adverb.

Question 19
D. Expressing wishes, demands, or hypothetical situations

The subjunctive expresses wishes, demands, or hypothetical situations: 'If I were rich' (not 'was'), 'I suggest he be careful' (not 'is').

Question 20
C. To go boldly where no one has gone before.

A split infinitive places an adverb between 'to' and the verb. While widely accepted now, 'to go boldly' avoids splitting 'to go.'

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