Punctuation – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are texting your best friend about what you are doing right now. Read the chat messages below and choose the correct option (A, B, or C) with the right punctuation to complete each message.
1 Hey! ______ watching a cool movie on TV right now.
(A) I’m
(B) Im
(C) I am’
2 I am so tired, so I ______ want to go out tonight.
(A) dont
(B) don’t
(C) do’nt
3 Besides, ______ raining really heavily outside.
(A) its
(B) it’
(C) it’s
4 I ______ even find my umbrella anyway.
(A) can’t
(B) cant
(C) ca’nt
5 My friends just texted. ______ coming over to my place instead.
(A) Their
(B) They’re
(C) Theyre
6 ______ you going to order some pizza for us?
(A) Aren’t
(B) Arent
(C) Are’nt
7 I really need food. ______ been a very long day at work.
(A) Its
(B) It’s
(C) Its’
8 My sister ______ want to share her snacks with us.
(A) does’nt
(B) dont
(C) doesn’t
9 ______ just order a large pepperoni pizza!
(A) Let’s
(B) Lets
(C) Let
10 I ______ eaten anything since this morning.
(A) havent
(B) have’nt
(C) haven’t
11 Tell Tom to hurry up. ______ the pizza delivery guy here yet?
(A) Isnt
(B) Isn’t
(C) Is’nt
12 ______ the best movie I have seen this year!
(A) Thats
(B) That
(C) That’s
13 We ______ going to sleep early tonight!
(A) aren’t
(B) arent
(C) are’nt
14 The delivery guy ______ arrived yet, and I am starving.
(A) has’nt
(B) hasn’t
(C) hasent
15 You ______ worry, the food will be here soon.
(A) shouldnt
(B) should’nt
(C) shouldn’t
16 ______ going to be a perfect lazy weekend.
(A) It’s
(B) Its
(C) It
17 ______ call me, just send a text message.
(A) Dont
(B) Don’t
(C) Do’nt
18 I ______ wait to eat this delicious food!
(A) cant
(B) can
(C) can’t
19 Wow, ______ already 10 PM! Time flies.
(A) it’s
(B) its
(C) it
20 ______ chat more tomorrow, my battery is at 1%!
(A) Well
(B) Wel’l
(C) We’ll
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A)
Explanation: “I’m” is the correct contraction for “I am”. The apostrophe (‘) replaces the letter “a”. (B) “Im” is a common texting mistake without punctuation. (C) is a grammar error.
2 (B)
Explanation: “don’t” is the correct contraction for “do not”. The apostrophe replaces the “o” in “not”. (A) is a common mistake. (C) “do’nt” places the apostrophe in the wrong position.
3 (C)
Explanation: “it’s” is the correct contraction for “it is”. (A) “its” is a possessive pronoun (meaning belonging to it), which is a huge common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
4 (A)
Explanation: “can’t” is the correct contraction for “cannot”. (B) is a common mistake. (C) places the apostrophe incorrectly.
5 (B)
Explanation: “They’re” is the correct contraction for “They are”. (A) “Their” is a possessive adjective (meaning belonging to them), which is a very common trap. (C) is a spelling error.
6 (A)
Explanation: “Aren’t” is the correct contraction for “Are not”. (B) is a common mistake missing the punctuation. (C) places the apostrophe before the “n”, which is structurally incorrect.
7 (B)
Explanation: “It’s” is the correct contraction here for “It has” (It has been…). (A) “Its” is a common trap. (C) is a grammar error.
8 (C)
Explanation: “doesn’t” is the correct contraction for “does not”. (A) places the apostrophe incorrectly. (B) “dont” is missing the apostrophe and uses the wrong verb form for “sister” (she).
9 (A)
Explanation: “Let’s” is the correct contraction for “Let us”. (B) “Lets” is a verb meaning “allows” (e.g., He lets me go), which makes no sense here. (C) is a grammar error.
10 (C)
Explanation: “haven’t” is the correct contraction for “have not”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) places the apostrophe in the wrong spot.
11 (B)
Explanation: “Isn’t” is the correct contraction for “Is not”. (A) is a common mistake. (C) is a structural error.
12 (C)
Explanation: “That’s” is the correct contraction for “That is”. (A) is a common texting mistake. (B) is grammatically incorrect because the sentence would lack a verb.
13 (A)
Explanation: “aren’t” is the correct contraction for “are not”. (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a structural error.
14 (B)
Explanation: “hasn’t” is the correct contraction for “has not”. (A) has the apostrophe in the wrong place. (C) is a spelling error.
15 (C)
Explanation: “shouldn’t” is the correct contraction for “should not”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) places the apostrophe before the “n”.
16 (A)
Explanation: “It’s” is the correct contraction for “It is”. (B) is a common meaning trap (possessive). (C) lacks the verb “is”.
17 (B)
Explanation: “Don’t” is the correct contraction for “Do not”. (A) is missing the apostrophe. (C) has the apostrophe in the wrong place.
18 (C)
Explanation: “can’t” is the correct contraction for “cannot”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) “can” completely changes the meaning to the opposite of what the speaker intends (they are impatient).
19 (A)
Explanation: “it’s” is the correct contraction for “it is”. (B) is the possessive form, a common trap. (C) lacks the verb.
20 (C)
Explanation: “We’ll” is the correct contraction for “We will”. The apostrophe replaces “wi”. (A) “Well” is a completely different word. (B) is a structural error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The Golden Rule of Contractions: In informal English (like texting), we use an apostrophe ( ‘ ) to push two words together and make them shorter. The apostrophe ALWAYS takes the place of the missing letters.
- do not -> don’t (The apostrophe replaces the ‘o’)
- I am -> I’m (The apostrophe replaces the ‘a’)
- we will -> we’ll (The apostrophe replaces ‘wi’)
- The “N’T” Rule: When combining a verb with “not”, the apostrophe always goes between the n and the t.
- Correct: doesn’t, haven’t, aren’t.
- Incorrect: does’nt, have’nt, are’nt.
- Beware of the BIGGEST Traps: Many native speakers and learners confuse contractions with completely different words that sound exactly the same (Homophones).
- It’s vs. Its: “It’s” = It is / It has. “Its” = belongs to it (The dog wagged its tail).
- They’re vs. Their: “They’re” = They are. “Their” = belongs to them (Their house is big).
- Let’s vs. Lets: “Let’s” = Let us (Let’s go!). “Lets” = allows (My mom lets me play).