Punctuation – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are texting your local friend to ask for advice about what to do in their city. Choose the correct punctuation (A, B, or C) to complete the sentences. Pay close attention to whether the sentence is a direct question or a statement.
1 “Do you know a good place to ______”
(A) stay?
(B) stay.
(C) stay,
2 “Is the central market open on ______”
(A) Sundays.
(B) Sundays?
(C) Sundays!
3 “Can I use my credit card in the ______”
(A) taxi,
(B) taxi.
(C) taxi?
4 “Are there any famous landmarks near your ______”
(A) house?
(B) house.
(C) house
5 “Should we bring a heavy ______”
(A) jacket!
(B) jacket?
(C) jacket.
6 “Where is the best spot to take photos of the ______”
(A) city.
(B) city,
(C) city?
7 “What time does the evening walking tour ______”
(A) start?
(B) start.
(C) start
8 “How much does a ticket to the art museum ______”
(A) cost!
(B) cost?
(C) cost.
9 “We want to try local street food, but is it ______”
(A) safe.
(B) safe,
(C) safe?
10 “Which subway line goes to the old town ______”
(A) square?
(B) square.
(C) square!
11 “How long does the ferry ride to the island ______”
(A) take.
(B) take?
(C) take,
12 “Why are so many restaurants closed in the ______”
(A) afternoon.
(B) afternoon!
(C) afternoon?
13 “Who can I ask for directions if I get ______”
(A) lost?
(B) lost.
(C) lost
14 “The weather is really nice today, isn’t ______”
(A) it.
(B) it?
(C) it!
15 “Could you tell me how to get to the train ______”
(A) station.
(B) station!
(C) station?
16 “I would like to know if you are free to guide us ______”
(A) tomorrow.
(B) tomorrow?
(C) tomorrow,
17 “Do you know what time the festival ______”
(A) begins.
(B) begins?
(C) begins!
18 “I was wondering if we should book the tickets in ______”
(A) advance?
(B) advance,
(C) advance.
19 “Would you mind showing me the way on the ______”
(A) map?
(B) map.
(C) map!
20 “Please let me know which hotel you ______”
(A) recommend?
(B) recommend.
(C) recommend!
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A)
Explanation: This is a direct Yes/No question starting with the auxiliary verb “Do”. It must end with a question mark. (B) is a common mistake (forgetting it’s a question), and (C) incorrectly ends a sentence with a comma.
2 (B)
Explanation: The sentence starts with the “to be” verb “Is”, making it a direct question. It needs a question mark. (A) uses a full stop, and (C) uses an exclamation mark, both of which are incorrect for a simple inquiry.
3 (C)
Explanation: “Can I…” is a direct request/question. The question mark in (C) is correct. (B) uses a full stop (common error), and (A) uses a comma, which is grammatically impossible at the end of a sentence.
4 (A)
Explanation: Starting with “Are there…”, this is a direct question requiring a question mark. (B) is a punctuation error, and (C) is missing punctuation completely.
5 (B)
Explanation: “Should we…” is a direct question asking for advice. It must have a question mark. (A) uses an exclamation mark, which changes the tone incorrectly, and (C) uses a full stop.
6 (C)
Explanation: This is a “Wh-” question starting with “Where”. It must end with a question mark. (A) is a very common mistake for learners who forget to punctuate Wh- questions properly. (B) is a basic structural error.
7 (A)
Explanation: “What time…” is a direct question. (A) provides the necessary question mark. (B) uses a full stop, and (C) lacks any punctuation.
8 (B)
Explanation: “How much…” is a direct question about price. It needs a question mark. (A) is too dramatic (exclamation), and (C) is a full stop.
9 (C)
Explanation: The second clause “…is it safe” has subject-verb inversion (verb before subject), making it a direct question. It requires a question mark. (A) incorrectly treats it as a statement.
10 (A)
Explanation: “Which subway line…” is a direct question. A question mark is required. (B) and (C) use the wrong punctuation marks for asking for information.
11 (B)
Explanation: “How long…” asks about duration. It is a direct question requiring a question mark. (A) uses a full stop, which is incorrect. (C) uses a comma.
12 (C)
Explanation: This is a direct “Why” question. It needs a question mark. (A) and (B) fail to identify the sentence as a question.
13 (A)
Explanation: “Who can I ask…” is a direct question. The question mark in (A) is grammatically correct. (B) is the common full-stop mistake, and (C) has no punctuation.
14 (B)
Explanation: “…isn’t it” is a question tag. Question tags turn a statement into a question to confirm information, so they must end with a question mark. (A) and (C) are incorrect.
15 (C)
Explanation: “Could you tell me…” is a polite direct question. Even though it contains an embedded question (“how to get…”), the main clause is a question, so it needs a question mark. (A) is a common mistake for learners who confuse this with a statement.
16 (A)
Explanation: TRAP! “I would like to know…” is a declarative statement, not a question. Even though you are asking for information, the grammar structure is a statement. Therefore, it MUST end with a full stop (A). (B) is a very common mistake.
17 (B)
Explanation: “Do you know…” is the main clause and it is a direct question. Therefore, the whole sentence ends with a question mark. (A) incorrectly uses a full stop.
18 (C)
Explanation: TRAP! “I was wondering…” is a statement expressing your thoughts. It does not have subject-verb inversion (like “Was I wondering…”). Therefore, it ends with a full stop. (A) is a strong distractor because the meaning is inquisitive, but the grammar is declarative.
19 (A)
Explanation: “Would you mind…” is a polite, direct request structured as a question. It must take a question mark. (B) is a common error for learners who treat polite requests as statements.
20 (B)
Explanation: TRAP! “Please let me know…” is an imperative sentence (a command/request), not a question. There is no question word or auxiliary verb at the beginning. It must end with a full stop. (A) is the most common mistake learners make when asking for recommendations this way.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Direct Questions: Always use a question mark (?) when the sentence starts with a Question Word (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How, Which) or an Auxiliary Verb (Do, Is, Are, Can, Will, Should).
- Question Tags: Sentences ending with tags like “, isn’t it?” or “, do you?” must end with a question mark because you are asking for confirmation.
- Polite Requests: Phrases like “Could you…?” or “Would you mind…?” are grammatically structured as questions and need a question mark.
- The “Statement” Trap (Indirect Questions): Be careful with sentences that ask for information but are grammatically built as statements or imperatives.
- I wonder if it will rain. -> Ends with a full stop (.)
- Please tell me where the station is. -> Ends with a full stop (.)
- I would like to know the price. -> Ends with a full stop (.)