Punctuation (Apostrophes & Commas)

Use apostrophes for possession and contractions, and commas in lists and after fronted adverbials.

Name:

Date:

Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
Add the apostrophe: The dog___ bone was buried in the garden. The dog___ bone was buried in the garden.
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2
What does the apostrophe replace in 'don't'? A) the 'o' in 'not' B) the 'n' in 'not' C) the space between words D) nothing
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3
True or false: 'I bought apples, oranges and bananas' uses commas correctly. 'I bought apples, oranges and bananas' uses commas correctly in a list. A) True B) False
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4
Write the contraction of 'I am': ___ going to school. ___ going to school.
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5
Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly? A) The cat's are playing. B) The cats' are playing. C) The cat's toys are everywhere. D) The cat,s toys are everywhere.
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6
True or false: 'Carefully, she opened the old box.' needs a comma after 'Carefully'. 'Carefully, she opened the old box' needs a comma after the fronted adverbial 'Carefully'. A) True B) False
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7
Add the comma: After lunch___ we went to the playground. After lunch___ we went to the playground.
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8
What is the difference between 'the children's books' and 'the childrens' books'? A) They mean the same thing. B) The first is correct, the second is wrong. C) The second is correct, the first is wrong. D) Both are wrong.
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9
True or false: 'Its cold outside' needs an apostrophe in 'its'. 'Its cold outside' needs an apostrophe to make 'it's'. A) True B) False
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10
Which sentence has ALL the punctuation correct? A) Yesterday, I bought apple's, pears and grapes for the childrens' party. B) Yesterday I bought apples, pears and grapes for the children's party. C) Yesterday, I bought apples, pears and grapes for the children's party. D) Yesterday, I bought apples pears and grapes for the childrens party.
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Answer key

Punctuation (Apostrophes & Commas) · for parents and teachers

1
's
The apostrophe + s shows possession: the dog's bone = the bone belonging to the dog.
2
the 'o' in 'not'
don't = do not. The apostrophe replaces the missing 'o' from 'not'.
3
True
Commas separate items in a list. In British English we usually put a comma after each item except before 'and' for the last one.
4
I'm
I'm = I am. The apostrophe replaces the 'a' from 'am'.
5
The cat's toys are everywhere.
'The cat's toys' means the toys belonging to the cat. Apostrophes don't make plurals - 'cats' (no apostrophe) means more than one cat.
6
True
'Carefully' is a fronted adverbial (it tells us how, and it's at the front). Fronted adverbials always need a comma after them.
7
,
'After lunch' is a fronted adverbial (tells us when). A comma must follow it before the main sentence continues.
8
The first is correct, the second is wrong.
'Children' is already plural, so we add apostrophe + s: children's. We don't put the apostrophe after a final 's' because 'children' doesn't end in 's'.
9
True
'It's' = 'it is'. 'It is cold outside' makes sense, so we need the apostrophe. 'Its' (no apostrophe) means 'belonging to it'.
10
Yesterday, I bought apples, pears and grapes for the children's party.
'Yesterday,' (fronted adverbial + comma), 'apples, pears and grapes' (list with commas), 'children's' (possession with irregular plural). All correct!