GED RLA - S02.1.3v2
Writing and Language > Grammar and Usage > Punctuation
Important Instructions
Please read and answer 171 Questions carefully within
TIME LIMIT 180 min.
Before Start Taking the test, let's go through each rule with examples.
1. Capitalization Rules
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Usage:
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The First Word in a Sentence:
- Example: The cat is on the roof.
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Proper Nouns:
- Example: We visited Paris last summer. (Names of people, places, and specific things)
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Titles:
- Example: She read The Great Gatsby. (Capitalize major words in titles)
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Days of the Week, Months, and Holidays:
- Example: We will meet on Monday in October. (But not seasons like spring or fall)
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The Pronoun “I”:
- Example: He and I went to the store.
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Abbreviations and Acronyms:
- Example: She works at NASA.
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Important Words in Direct Quotes:
- Example: He said, “This is Important.” (Capitalize the first word of a direct quote)
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The First Word After a Colon (sometimes):
- Example: There’s one thing I love most: Pizza.
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2. End Punctuation Marks
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Period (.)
- Usage: Marks the end of a declarative sentence or statement.
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Example:
- I am going to the store.
- Note: Also used in abbreviations (e.g., Dr., etc., U.S.).
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Question Mark (?)
- Usage: Indicates a direct question.
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Example:
- Are you coming to the party?
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Exclamation Point (!)
- Usage: Expresses strong emotion or emphasis.
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Example:
- Wow, that’s amazing!
3. Commas and Connectors
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Comma (,)
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Usage: Separates elements in a list, connects
clauses, or sets off non-essential information.
- If the elements of manner, place, and time are incorrectly placed, commas can be used to re-arrange and separate them properly, ensuring the sentence reads logically. The correct order is usually manner, place, and time.
- Commas can indeed be used to adjust the placement of manner, place, and time elements, making the sentence grammatically correct even if the order changes. -
Examples:
- I bought apples, oranges, and bananas. (List)
- She went to the store, and he stayed home. (Connecting clauses)
- My friend, who lives in New York, is visiting next week. (Non-essential information)
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She spoke softly, in the library, during the meeting. (Correct)
If the elements are closely connected and flow naturally, the commas may be omitted:
She spoke softly in the library during the meeting. (Correct) -
During the meeting in the library she spoke softly. (Incorrect)
During the meeting in the library, she spoke softly. (Correct natural and logical order)
During the meeting, she spoke softly in the library. (Incorrect, awkward logical order)
During the meeting in the library, softly, she spoke. (Correct natural and logical order)
During the meeting, in the library, she spoke softly. (Correct, Power of Comma)
During the meeting, she spoke softly, in the library. (Correct, Power of Comma)
You will be suprised by the Power of Comma as you can swap any element in that sentense.Softly, she spoke, in the library, during the meeting.
Softly, in the library, she spoke, during the meeting.
Softly, during the meeting, in the library, she spoke.
Soflty, in the library, during the meeting, she spoke.
Softly, during the meeting, she spoke, in the library.
In the library, soflty, during the meeting, she spoke.
In the library, during the meeting, softlty, she spoke.
In the library, she spoke, softly, during the meeting.
In the library, she spoke, during the meeting, softly.
In the library, during the meeting, softly, she spoke.
In the library, during the meeting, she spoke, softly.
And so on ....
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Usage: Separates elements in a list, connects
clauses, or sets off non-essential information.
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Semicolon (;)
- Usage: Connects closely related independent clauses or separates complex list items.
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Examples:
- I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight. (Independent clauses)
- The meeting included Sarah, the manager; Tom, the accountant; and Jessica, the designer. (Complex list)
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Colon (:)
- Usage: Introduces a list, explanation, or elaboration.
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Examples:
- You need three things: a pen, paper, and a ruler. (List)
- He had one goal: to win the race. (Elaboration)
4. Quotation and Speech Marks
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Quotation Marks (“ ” / ‘ ’)
- Usage: Encloses direct speech, quotations, or titles of short works (e.g., poems, short stories).
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Examples:
- She said, “I’ll be there at 5 o’clock.” (Direct speech)
- He quoted Shakespeare: “To be, or not to be.” (Quotation)
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Apostrophe (’)
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Usage:
- Possession: Indicates ownership or belonging.
- Contractions: Combines words by omitting certain letters.
- Showing Place or Family: Refers to someone’s place (e.g., a person’s home) or a collective family name.
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Examples:
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Possession:
- Sarah’s book is on the table. (The book belongs to Sarah)
- The dog’s collar is red. (The collar belongs to the dog)
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Contractions:
- Don’t forget your keys! (Short for "Do not")
- I’m going to the park. (Short for "I am")
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Showing Place or Family:
- We are going to John’s for dinner. (Refers to John’s house)
- The Smiths’ garden is beautiful. (Belongs to the Smith family)
- The Williamses’ car is parked outside. (Possession by a family with a name ending in "s")
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Possession:
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Usage:
5. Parentheses and Brackets
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Parentheses ( () )
- Usage: Encloses additional or non-essential information.
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Examples:
- The concert (which starts at 8 PM) will be outdoors.
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Square Brackets [ ]
- Usage: Adds clarifications or corrections within quoted text.
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Examples:
- “He [the president] announced the new policy today.”
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Curly Braces { }
- Usage: Typically used in programming or mathematical expressions.
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Example:
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In JavaScript:
function myFunction() { // code here }
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In JavaScript:
6. Dashes and Hyphens
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Hyphen (-)
- Usage: Joins compound words or separates syllables.
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Examples:
- Well-known author (Compound word)
- Pre-school education (Compound word)
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En Dash (–)
- Usage: Shows a range or connection.
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Examples:
- The event runs from 5–8 PM. (Range)
- The London–Paris flight was delayed. (Connection)
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Em Dash (—)
- Usage: Creates a strong break in a sentence.
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Examples:
- She was about to leave—but then she heard a noise. (Break in thought)
7. Ellipses
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Ellipsis (…)
- Usage: Indicates omitted text or a trailing off in thought or speech.
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Examples:
- The quote was shortened to: “In the beginning … there was light.”
- I was thinking about something … but I forgot what it was.
8. Slash
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Slash (/)
- Usage: Indicates alternatives, fractions, or dates.
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Examples:
- You can take the bus/train to get there. (Alternatives)
- The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sugar. (Fraction)
- The deadline is 12/31/2024. (Date)
9. Specialized Punctuation
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Interrobang (‽)
- Usage: Expresses disbelief or excitement in the form of a question.
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Examples:
- You did what‽
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Bullet Points (•)
- Usage: Used for itemized or listed information.
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Examples:
- • Apples
- • Oranges
- • Bananas
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Asterisk (*)
- Usage: Indicates a footnote or emphasis.
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Examples:
- This sentence has a note attached.*
- *See the footnote for more details.
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Pipe (|)
- Usage: Used in programming or to separate alternatives.
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Example:
- In coding:
x = 1 | 2
- In coding:
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