Colons, Semicolons, and Apostrophes

Used correctly? There are many things I bring while traveling: a book, my laptop, some homework, an I-pod, and my sketchbook.

Yep

Use the correct present tense form of the verb to keep: Even though Jose has seen the film at least twenty times, Star Wars always __________ him on the edge of his seat.

keeps

True or false? A semicolon can join two dependent clauses

FALSE - can join two, independent clauses

Used correctly? I struggle with writing, however; I have greatly improved this year.

Nope - semicolon should be placed before "however"

True or false: A colon can follow a dependent clause.

False - needs to be an independent clause

Used correctly? I like: pizza, burgers, and burritos.

No - no colon necessary...and I like is a sentence fragment by itself and you can not place a colon after a fragment

True or false? A semicolon signals a pause that is more than a comma but less than a period

True

whose or who's? __________ going to bait Jerry's hook and gut his fish if you invite your squeamish brother to come fishing with us?

Who's

Used correctly? He struggled to twist off the jar's cap; the lid was slippery with grease from the olive oil which had dripped onto it.

Yeppers

Annoying music escaped from Kinya's ear buds. a) Kinya's contains a correct apostrophe. b) No apostrophe is necessary.

a

No matter what tool Kyle tried, he could'nt remove the rusty screws from the door frame. a) Change could'nt to couldn't. b) Change screws to screw's. c) Change door to door's. d) No change is necessary.

a

Rebecca borrowed Elijahs baseball cap since she would have no chance of catching fly balls with the sun right in her eyes. a) Change Elijahs to Elijah's. b) Change fly balls to fly ball's. c) Change eyes to eye's. d) No change is necessary.

a

Outside, the sun makes Boris's red hair glow with copper tone's. a) Change makes to make's. b) Change Boris's to Borises. c) Change tone's to tones. d) No change is necessary.

c

True of false? A semicolon can join two independent clauses that are not related.

FALSE - they have to be related...but they do have to be independent as well

Use the correct present tense form of the verb to annoy: Each of my brothers __________ me with his bad habits, like nose-picking at the dinner table and spitting on the sidewalk.

annoys

Missing apostrophes, overabundant commas, and abused semicolons make Deons essay a mess. a) Change apostrophes to apostrophe's. b) Change semicolons to semicolon's. c) Change Deons to Deon's. d) No change is necessary.

c

Used correctly? Dad is going bald; on the weekend he likes to ride his bike.

No - sentences are unrelated. This would work: Dad is going bald; his hair is thinning on top.

Used correctly? The ingredients included: sugar, flour, vanilla, chocolate, butter, and eggs.

No - you can not use a colon after a sentence fragment - no colon necessary for this sentence

True or false? A colon signals to the reader that a list will begin.

True

True or false? A semicolon can join two, independent clauses

True

True or false? A semicolon joins two related, independent clauses.

True

Used correctly? The manhunt was conducted through Albany, New York; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Olympia, Washington.

Yep - the semicolon here provides clarity between the city and state for each location

Is the colon used correctly? There are a number of complaints that I have against the tenant: she tore the plaster in the living room, her dog stained the carpet in every room, and she has not paid her rent in three months.

Yep <-- and don't make the mistake of capitalizing what immediately follows the colon - in this case "She tore" <-- don't do that!

Buy your own pens! You cannot borrow ours. a) Ours does not need an apostrophe. b) Ours should have an apostrophe between the r and s: our's. c) Ours should have an apostrophe after the s: ours'.

a

Even on the belts last hole, the baggy jeans keep sliding off Roger's hips, making the poor boy waddle like a penguin. a) Change belts to belt's. b) Change jeans to jean's. c) Change Roger's to Rogers. d) No change is necessary.

a

Louies moustache has long waxed whiskers that curl down like walrus tusks. a) Change Louies to Louie's. b) Change whiskers to whisker's. c) Change tusks to tusk's. d) No change is necessary.

a

Ask Henry for help. His brain possess's all kinds of strange trivia. a) Possess's contains a correct apostrophe. b) You must spell the word like this: possesses.

b

The alarm clocks buzz startled Shane awake. a) Clocks does not need an apostrophe. b) Clocks should have an apostrophe between the k and s: clock's.

b

We notice that Phyllis always wash's her hands, so if we try an hors d'oeuvre, we want one of hers. a) Change Phyllis to Phyllis's. b) Change wash's to washes. c) Change hers to her's. d) No change is necessary.

b

Nick slammed the oven door shut when he discovered Mom's burning pie's inside. a) Change oven to oven's. b) Change Mom's to Moms. c) Change pie's to pies. d) No change is necessary.

c

The lawn mower's roar woke Stephen from a sound sleep. He cursed his neighbor's dedication to yard maintenance and dove under the blanket's. a) Change mower's to mowers. b) Change neighbor's to neighbors. c) Change blanket's to blankets. d) No change is necessary.

c

To avoid muddy dog prints on Mom's clean floor, we left the puppy's in the backyard. a) Change prints to prints'. b) Change Mom's to Moms. c) Change puppy's to puppies. d) No change is necessary.

c

Waves crashed on the beach, and clouds darkened the sky. The days rough conditions convinced us to stay out of the water. a) Change Waves to Wave's. b) Change clouds to cloud's. c) Change days to day's. d) No change is necessary.

c

Sam and Sara always have extra supplies, so if you forgot to bring a pencil, ask to borrow one of theirs. a) Change always to alway's. b) Change supplies to supply's. c) Change theirs to theirs'. d) No change is necessary.

d

Strands of hair whipped Jessica's face as the cold wind blew through the bare trees. a) Change Strands to Strand's. b) Change Jessica's to Jessicas. c) Change trees to tree's. d) No change is necessary.

d

Use the correct present tense form of the verb to disapprove: Not only the Zorteks from Saturn but also the Martian ambassador __________ of the unfriendly greeting from the United Nations.

disapproves

who or whom? Kerry Ann, __________ hates spiders, wears bug-stomping boots wherever she goes.

who

who or whom? In desperation, Belinda sought help from Professor White, __________ she knew preferred playing solitaire on his computer to assisting students during office hours.

who

who or whom? Professor Borglum glared at Reggie, __________ spent the entire class drawing space aliens in the margins of the lecture outline.

who

whose or who's? In the computer lab sits Veronica, __________ furiously typing as she attempts to meet Dr. William's nonnegotiable deadline for the research paper.

who's

who or whom? Into the dark apartment walked David, __________ we nearly killed with surprise when everyone shouted "Happy Birthday" and jumped from behind the furniture.

whom

who or whom? The doctor explained that Rex, __________ we had rushed to the veterinary clinic, would not die after eating eight bananas that he stole off the kitchen counter.

whom

whose or who's? If you want to identify that ugly bug in your hair, ask Claudia, __________ collection of beetles covers every inch of her bedroom walls.

whose

whose or who's? The biggest entertainment at the picnic was Louis, __________ ability to eat an entire hotdog in one mouthful amazed everyone who watched him demonstrate this feat fifteen times.

whose

Used correctly? I packed three things: clothes for tomorrow, a toothbrush, and a pillow.

yep <-- and notice how "I packed three things" is a complete sentence by itself