PUNCUTATION MARKS

(Interactive English- Intermediate Second Year)

END PUNCTUATION MARKS - EXERCISES

I. Use appropriate end punctuation marks (full stop/ question mark/ exclamation mark) in the following sentences. (Page No 94):

1. Will you show me the book
✅ Will you show me the book? (Question mark used for an interrogative sentence.)

2. How intelligent you are
✅ How intelligent you are! (Exclamation mark used for an exclamatory sentence.)

3. You like English, don’t you
✅ You like English, don’t you? (Question tag ends with a question mark.)

4. Stop the bus for me
✅ Stop the bus for me. (Imperative sentence – ends with a full stop.)

5. It is raining now
✅ It is raining now. (Simple declarative sentence – ends with a full stop.)

6. What an idea
✅ What an idea! (Exclamatory sentence – ends with an exclamation mark.)

7. Was the meal nourishing
✅ Was the meal nourishing? (Question – ends with a question mark.)

8. Hold me I am going to faint
✅ Hold me. I am going to faint. (“Hold me” is an imperative sentence (a command), so it ends with a full stop; “I am going to faint” is a declarative sentence and also ends with a full stop.)

9. The dam burst Run for your lives
✅ The dam burst! Run for your lives! (Both sentences are urgent exclamations, so exclamation marks (!) are appropriate.)

10. Watch out a car is coming.
✅ Watch out! A car is coming. (“Watch out” is a warning, so ends in Exclamation Mark, “A car is coming” is a statement (declarative sentence), so it ends with a full stop.)

II. Read the following paragraph and use appropriate end punctuation marks (full stop/ question mark/exclamation mark) where necessary. (page no.95)

Once upon a time, there lived a duck and a kangaroo They were friends One day the duck asked the Kangaroo, “Dear friend, how do you jump” The kangaroo replied, “Ah, it is very easy Do you love it” The duck said, “Oh, is it I love to jump like you, then The kangaroo said, “Sit on my back I will take you round the world”

Answer:

Once upon a time, there lived a duck and a kangaroo. They were friends.

One day, the duck asked the kangaroo, “Dear friend, how do you jump?”

The kangaroo replied, “Ah, it is very easy! Do you love it?”

The duck said, “Oh, is it? I would love to jump like you then.”

The kangaroo said, “Sit on my back. I will take you round the world.”

INTERNAL PUNCTUATION MARKS - EXERCISES

I. Use appropriate internal punctuation marks (semicolon / colon /comma/ quotation marks / ellipses) in the following sentences. (Page No. 98)

1. The monsoon failed this year too and the country is in the grip of a famine.

✅The monsoon failed this year too, and the country is in the grip of a famine.
(Comma used before "and" to separate two independent clauses.)

2. I wasn’t just annoyed I was absolutely furious

✅I wasn’t just annoyed; I was absolutely furious.
(Semicolon separates two closely related independent clauses.)

3. Sumit said, Where are you going?

✅Sumit said, “Where are you going?”
(A comma is used after said; Quotation marks used for direct speech; question mark placed inside the quote.)

4. She worked hard she failed.

✅She worked hard; she failed.
(Semicolon used to connect related independent clauses without a conjunction.)

5. August 15 1947. It was the day on which we won independence.

✅August 15, 1947. It was the day on which we won independence.
(Comma used in the date.)

6. The man said I wasn’t wounded.

✅The man said, “I wasn’t wounded.”
(A comma is used after said; Quotation marks for direct speech; comma before the quoted sentence.)

7. He was not stupid just passive.

✅He was not stupid, just passive.
(Comma separates the contrasting or clarifying phrase.)

8. The grand tour usually included Paris France Vienna Austria and Rome Italy

✅The grand tour usually included: Paris, France; Vienna, Austria; and Rome, Italy.

(Colon is used to introduce list; Semicolons used in a complex list that already contain commas.)

II. Read the following paragraph and use appropriate internal punctuation marks (semicolon/ colon/ comma/ quotation marks/ ellipses) wherever necessary. (Page no. 99)

A teacher showed three toys to a student and asked Can you find out the differences after keen observation the student said the first toy has holes in the ears the second one has holes in the ear and the mouth and the third toy has only one hole that is in one ear. The teacher was amazed and asked what do they represent.

Answer:

A teacher showed three toys to a student and asked, “Can you find out the differences?”

After keen observation, the student said, “The first toy has holes in the ears; the second one has holes in the ear and the mouth; and the third toy has only one hole — that is, in one ear.”

The teacher was amazed and asked, “What do they represent?”

WORD PUNCTUATION MARKS – EXERCISES

1. Use appropriate word punctuation marks (apostrophe / hyphen / capitals) in the following sentences. (Page No. 101)

1. this is my cousins car

✅ This is my cousin’s car. (‘This’ is capitalized at the beginning of the sentence; ‘Cousin’s’ needs an apostrophe to show possession)

2. gandhiji led the nonviolent movement

✅ Gandhiji led the Non–Violent Movement. ("Gandhiji" should be capitalized – it is a proper noun. "Non-violent" requires a hyphen as it is a compound adjective.)

3. there are forty six boys in the class

✅ There are forty–six boys in the class. ("Forty-six" needs a hyphen when writing compound numbers from 21 to 99).

4. these are my father in laws clothes

✅ These are my father–in–law‘s clothes. ("Father-in-law" is a compound noun and needs hyphens. "father-in-law’s" takes an apostrophe + s to show ownership.)

5. we have semi skilled workers

✅ We have semi–skilled workers. (Capitalize "We" at the start of the sentence. "Semi-skilled" is a compound adjective before a noun and needs a hyphen.)

6. i am a member of the officers club

✅ I am a member of the officer‘s club. (Pronoun "I" is always capitalized. "Officer’s" has an apostrophe to show possession).

7. he wants an up to date account

✅ He wants an up–to–date account. ( "Up-to-date" is a compound adjective before the noun "account," and needs hyphens. Capitalize "He" at the beginning.)

8. they prefer sugar free sweet

✅ They prefer sugar–free sweet. ("Sugar-free" is a compound adjective describing the noun "sweet," so it requires a hyphen. Sentence must begin with "They" capitalized.)

II. Read the following paragraph and use appropriate word punctuation marks (apostrophe/ hyphen/ capitals) wherever necessary. (Page no 101)

there was an old owl. every day he used to see some incidents happening around him. yesterday he saw a boy helping his mother in law today he saw him shouting at her the boys father in law was kind and gentle. the boy shouted at his father in law too. the owls curiosity grew more and more to know about the boy.

Answer:

There was an old owl. Every day, he used to see some incidents happening around him. Yesterday, he saw a boy helping his mother–in–law. Today, he saw him shouting at her. The boy’s father–in–law was kind and gentle. The boy shouted at his father–in–law too. The owl’s curiosity grew more and more to know about the boy.

PUNCTUATION MARKS- EXERCISES

I. Punctuate the following letter.

24-7/A

bank street

hyderabad

27 October 2015

the editor

box no 128

the hindu

hyderabad

dear sir

with reference to your advertisement in todays newspaper for the post of an incharge of ads section i would like to apply for it before that let me be known of the details of the interview like date time and venue.

yours faithfully

manisharma

Answer:

24-7/A
Bank Street
Hyderabad

27 October 2015

To
The Editor
Box No. 128
The Hindu
Hyderabad

Dear Sir

With reference to your advertisement in today’s newspaper for the post of an In-charge of the Ads Section, I would like to apply for it. Before that, let me be informed of the details of the interview, such as the date, time, and venue.

Yours faithfully
Manisharma

Note:

In BLOCK FORMAT formal letters (British Style), the following points are to be noted.

Element	Use Punctuation?	Example
Sender's Address	❌ No	14 MG Road Chennai
Receiver's Address	❌ No	The Manager ABC Ltd Mumbai
Date	❌ No comma	27 July 2025
Salutation	❌ No comma	Dear Sir
Subscription	❌ No comma	Yours faithfully

II. Punctuate the following dialogue (Page No. 102)

Iasya : hi kavya how are you

kavya : fine what about you not seen for a week

Iasya : ive been to my grandmas village for vacation

kavya : oh how did you like it there

Iasya : fabulous what a pleasant life it was green cool breeze everywhere

kavya : you are right but we are living in towns nothing but concrete jungles

Iasya : but why dont we start planting saplings

Kavya : good idea we should we start it soon

Iasya : ok lets meet here tomorrow again

kavya : ok bye see you

Answer:

Lasya   :           Hi Kavya! How are you?
Kavya :           Fine. What about you? Not seen you for a week.
Lasya   :           I’ve been to my grandma’s village for vacation.
Kavya :           Oh! How did you like it there?
Lasya   :           Fabulous! What a pleasant life! It was green cool breeze everywhere.
Kavya :           You are right. But we are living in towns — nothing but concrete.
Lasya   :           But why don’t we start planting saplings?
Kavya :           Good idea! We should start it soon.
Lasya   :           Ok. Let’s meet here tomorrow again.
Kavya :           Ok. Bye! See you.

III. Punctuate the following paragraph (Page No. 102)

two weeks ago i was amused when a friend who couldnt bear to sleep alone, woke me up close to midnight at the hotel into which we had checked in, can we hire a double room im totally spooked, she said

Answer:

Two weeks ago, I was amused when a friend, who couldn’t bear to sleep alone, woke me up close to midnight at the hotel into which we had checked in. “Can we hire a double room? I’m totally spooked,” she said.

EXERCISES (FROM THE PRESCRIBED PROSE LESSONS)

Rewrite the following sentence/sentences using punctuation marks, where necessary. (Page No. 102, 103, 104)

1. aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men by the simple device of asking mrs aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted

Answer:

Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men by the simple device of asking Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted.

2. if someone maintains that two and two are five or that iceland is on the equator you feel pity rather than anger unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction

Answer:

If someone maintains that two and two are five or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction.

3. When i was young I lived much outside my own country in france germany italy and the united states

Answer:

When I was young, I lived much outside my own country in France, Germany, Italy, and the United States.

4. mahatma gandhi deplores railways and steam boats and machinery he would like to undo the whole of the Industrial Revolution you may never have an opportunity of actually meeting anyone who holds this opinion because in western countries most people take advantage of modern techniques for granted

Answer:

Mahatma Gandhi deplores railways and steamboats, and machinery; he would like to undo the whole of the Industrial Revolution. You may never have an opportunity of actually meeting anyone who holds this opinion because, in Western countries, most people take advantage of modern techniques for granted.

5. be very wary of opinions that flatter your self esteem both men and women, nine times out of ten are firmly convinced of the superior excellence of their own sex

Answer:

Be very wary of opinions that flatter your self–esteem. Both men and women, nine times out of ten, are firmly convinced of the superior excellence of their own sex.

6. from the earliest days there had been many notable women in india poets scholars capable administrators and leaders of religious movements

Answer:

From the earliest days there had been many notable women in India–poets, scholars, capable administrators and leaders of religious movements.

7. women all over india came forward defying all social taboos sacrificing physical comforts and denying the validity of all restrictions which had been enforced against them to take up every kind of work connected with national movement

Answer:

Women all over India came forward, defying all social taboos, sacrificing physical comforts, and denying the validity of all restrictions which had been enforced against them, to take up every kind of work connected with national movement.

8. It was a matter of surprise to the outside world that independent india should have appointed women to the highest posts so freely as members of the cabinet as governors of provinces as ambassadors and as leaders of delegations to international conferences for in an oriental country such as india women are presumed to be held in subjection and therefore all this seemed to be unnatural.

Answer:

It was a matter of surprise to the outside world that independent India should have appointed women to the highest posts so freely, as members of the Cabinet, as Governors of Provinces, as Ambassadors, and as leaders of delegations to international conferences, for in an oriental country such as India, women are presumed to be held in subjection and therefore all this seemed to be unnatural.

9. originally he seems to have been uncertain of the response or at least of the kind of work that women could do in the national movement for though he was a passionate believer in the equality of women he seems to have been doubtful whether the women of india.

Answer:

Originally, he seems to have been uncertain of the response, or at least of the kind of work that women could do in the national movement, for though he was a passionate believer in the equality of women, he seems to have been doubtful whether the women of India.

10. what the gandhian movement did was to release women from the social bondages that custom had imposed and conservatism had upheld

Answer:

What the Gandhian movement did was to release women from the social bondages that customs had imposed and conservatism had upheld.

11. after the citys rain fed potholes the transition to smooth roads within the campus of the thiagarajar college of engineering is more than a treat the man behind the tar topped tracks is known as Madurai’s Plastic Road Man.

Answer:

After the city‘s rain–fed potholes, the transition to smooth roads within the campus of the Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE) is more than a treat. The man behind the tar–topped tracks is known as Madurai‘s Plastic Road Man.

12. the day we met Dr vasudevan he was waving a special gazette notification of the ministry of environment & forests dated 4th February 2011 directing all municipal authorities across the country to encourage use of plastic waste by adopting suitable technology such as in road construction…

Answer:

The day we met Dr. Vasudevan, he was waving a special gazette notification of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, dated 4th February, 2011, directing all municipal authorities across the country to “encourage the use of plastic waste by adopting suitable technology such as in road construction…”

13. dr kalams words proved prophetic with full support from the college correspondent Dr.vasudevan laid the first 60 feet long plastic road within the campus

Answer:

Dr. Kalam‘s words proved prophetic. With full support from the College Correspondent- Dr.Vasudevan laid the first 60 feet long plastic road within the campus.