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Punctuation Fundamentals Worksheet

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Punctuation Fundamentals Worksheet

Choose the best answer, correct the punctuation, and explain your thinking where asked. Use New Zealand spelling.

Know your punctuation

1.Which mark usually closes a statement that is not asking a question or expressing strong emotion?

Comma (,)
Full stop (.)
Question mark (?)
Apostrophe (’)

2.In the sentence “At the pool, Tane warmed up before his race”, what is the comma doing?

Separating an introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence
Showing that a word has been left out
Marking the end of a direct question
Joining two complete sentences

3.Which sentence needs a question mark at the end?

Mei joined the relay team
Ruben asked where the starting blocks were
When does the next race begin
The swimmers waited beside the pool

4.Match each punctuation mark to its most typical job.

Full stop (.)
Question mark (?)
Comma (,)
Apostrophe (’)
Quotation marks (“ ”)

Mark the exact words someone said
Shows possession or a contraction
Separates items in a list
Ends a statement
Ends a direct question

Edit and explain

5.Rewrite this question with the punctuation it needs: Which lane is the relay team in

6.Add the missing punctuation to make this list clear: The carnival includes freestyle backstroke breaststroke and relay races

7.Rewrite this sentence as a possessive to show that Ruben owns the goggles: These are the goggles of Ruben.

8.Correct the punctuation in this short carnival report. Rewrite the whole paragraph: On Friday our school held its swimming carnival The first race began at nine oclock Did you see Meis team win the relay

9.Explain how the comma changes the meaning in these two sentences: “Let’s cheer, team!” and “Let’s cheer team!”

Use punctuation in context

10.In your own words, explain how punctuation helps a reader understand a piece of writing.

11.Write three original sentences about a swimming carnival: one statement ending in a full stop, one direct question ending in a question mark, and one sentence with a correctly punctuated list. Underline or label each sentence’s required feature.

12.Create a pair of short sentences in which adding or removing a punctuation mark changes the meaning. Write both versions and briefly explain the difference.