The Comma Quiz: Now That You Know All About Commas!

For the last few months, commas have been the main topic on this blog. We all have trouble with commas, which have about 962 rules! Well, it is time for the quiz, but don’t worry. No one but YOU is going to correct it. And it won’t be very difficult. Think of it as one of those Facebook quizzes we all love!

Here are the rules: Add commas where they belong in the following sentences.     Sometimes punctuation will be missing, but it won’t be a comma, so be careful. For example:

How are you doing

It’s not a comma, but a question mark, so you don’t need to do anything. Just add commas where they are needed. Some of the sentences may be correct as they are, but I am not telling! When you are finished, scroll down for the answers. Here we go . . .

1. Clean your room right away Cassie!
2. I need to look at the May 12, 1960 issue of Time magazine.
3. My neighbor across the street is away for three months.
4. Dear President Obama (beginning of a letter to the President)
5. The book that is on the coffee table is full of beautiful photos of wildflowers.
6. “The weather is rainy today” she said, “and it will be rainy again tomorrow.”
7. By the way Joe, we are out of coffee.
8. In California it doesn’t generally snow.
9. I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas but later moved to Kentucky.
10. I went to the movies then  I came home and watched television for seven hours.
11. She told me she was coming to visit but never showed up.
12. We are going to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
13. While we were eating mosquitos kept biting us.
14. I can’t go with you because I have to be at the game.
15. She was small but could take good care of herself.
16. I went to Harvard and graduated in 1980.
17. Her address is 10 Montrose St. Lynwood, New Jersey 23456
18. Although it is raining we are going to the football game.
19. I agree with you completely in your opposition to the new rules.
20. Wherever he is going I will follow him.

Now scroll down of the answers:

keep going . . .

keep going . . .

keep going . . .

a little more . . .

just a little more . . .

keep going . . .

okay, one more time . . .

Answers:

1. Clean your room right away, Cassie! (comma before Cassie; direct address)
2. I need to look at the May 12, 1960, issue of Time magazine. (comma after the year — even here)
3. My neighbor across the street is away for three months. (okay as is. You probably need across the street)
4. Dear President Obama: (beginning of a letter to the President) (no comma; it should be a colon)
5. The book that is on the coffee table is full of beautiful photos of wildflowers. (okay as is; you need the clause)
6. “The weather is rainy today,” she said, “and it will be rainy again tomorrow.” (comma after today)
7. By the way, Joe, we are out of coffee. (add another comma after by the way phrase.)
8. In California it doesn’t generally snow. (okay as is; acceptable to put a comma after California, but not needed)
9. I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but later moved to Kentucky. (comma after Arkansas)
10. I went to the movies then I came home and watched television for seven hours. (NO COMMA. You need a semicolon or a period after movies, unless you added a conjunction like and; then you can use a comma)
11. She told me she was coming to visit, but never showed up. (opposing statements; comma after visit)
12. We are going to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. (okay as is; you can add Oxford comma after Spain.)
13. While we were eating, mosquitos kept biting us. (comma after eating for clarity)
14. I can’t go with you because I have to be at the game. (okay as is; no comma before because.)
15. She was small, but could take good care of herself. (comma after small; opposing statements)
16. I went to Harvard and graduated in 1980. (correct as is; no comma; not a compound sentence)
17. Her address is 10 Montrose St., Lynwood, New Jersey 23456 (comma after St.)
18. Although it is raining, we are going to the football game. (comma after rain; introductory clause)
19. I agree with you, completely, in your opposition to the new rules. (optional commas around completely for emphasis, but not necessary)
20. Wherever he is going, I will follow him. (comma to clarify unusual word order)

Aw, I think that was too easy! Anyway . . .

If you want something to do in the rain, come on down to Gaia’s Garden on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa from two to four Saturday afternoon (January 23) for Redwood Writers Open Mic. I will be a featured speaker, along with Abby Bogomolny. I will be reading from Fifty Shades of Grammar. 

If you haven’t done so yet, please check out my new website!