Commas, Hyphens, Dashes, Apostrophes, and Passive Voice

To make these possessive, I must add... a. the girl__ shoe c. Tim__ role d. children__ laughter

's

How many commas are missing? The people he knew now were all much more comfortable when he did not work.

0: The people he knew now were all much more comfortable when he did not work.

How many commas are missing? Africa was where he had been happiest in the good time of his life so he had come out here to start again. They had made this safari with the minimum of comfort.

1: Africa was where he had been happiest in the good time of his life, so he had come out here to start again. They had made this safari with the minimum of comfort.

How many commas are missing? After he no longer meant what he said his lies were more successful with women than when he had told them the truth.

1: After he no longer meant what he said, his lies were more successful with women than when he had told them the truth.

How many commas are missing? It was not her fault that when he went to her he was already over.

1: It was not her fault that when he went to her, he was already over.

How many hyphens do I need to actually spell out 129

1: one hundred twenty-nine

How many commas are missing? She was always thoughtful about anything she knew about had read or that she had ever heard.

2: She was always thoughtful about anything she knew about, had read, or that she had ever heard.

How many commas are missing? It was not so much that he lied but that there was no truth to tell. He had had his life and it was over and then he went on living it again with different people and more money.

3: It was not so much that he lied, but that there was no truth to tell. He had had his life, and it was over, and then he went on living it again with different people and more money.

How many commas are missing? She had gone to kill a piece of meat and knowing how he liked to watch the game she had gone well away so she would not disturb this little pocket of the plain that he could see.

3: She had gone to kill a piece of meat, and knowing how he liked to watch the game, she had gone well away, so she would not disturb this little pocket of the plain that he could see.

How many commas are missing? There was no hardship but there was no luxury and he had thought that he could get back into training that way. That in some way he could work the fat off his soul the way a fighter went into the mountains to work and train in order to burn it out of his body.

3: There was no hardship, but there was no luxury, and he had thought that he could get back into training that way. That in some way, he could work the fat off his soul the way a fighter went into the mountains to work and train in order to burn it out of his body.

How many commas are missing? You kept from thinking and it was all marvelous. You were equipped with good insides so that you did not go to pieces that way the way most of them had and you made an attitude that you cared nothing for the work you used to do now that you could no longer do it.

4: You kept from thinking, and it was all marvelous. You were equipped with good insides, so you did not go to pieces that way, the way most of them had, and you made an attitude that you cared nothing for the work you used to do now that you could no longer do it.

How many commas are missing? In yourself you said that you would write about these people about the very rich that you were really not of them but a spy in their country that you would leave it and write of it and for once it would be written by some one who knew what he was writing of.

7 (or 8 if you put one after once): In yourself, you said that you would write about these people, about the very rich, that you were really not of them, but a spy in their country, that you would leave it, and write of it, and for once it would be written by some one who knew what he was writing of.

Should I use a dash or a hyphen in this sentence? "How many times have I asked you not to" Jason suddenly stopped talking and looked out the window.

A dash! We use dashes to show interruptions

Active or Passive? I ate a piece of chocolate cake.

Active

Active or Passive? I washed my car three weeks ago.

Active

Active or Passive? I will introduce you to my boss this week.

Active

Active or Passive? The librarian read the book to the students.

Active

Which one of these is incorrect? a. class of '98 b. fashion in the 90's

B: it should be '90s

Which one is incorrect? a. the child's skates b. womens' voices d. people's opinions e. the criteria's common theme

B: it should be women's

Which is incorrect? a. the dogs' leashes b. the birds' migrations c. the buyers's guarantees d. the critic's review

C: It's a plural that ends in s, so just add ' to make it possessive

Which one is incorrect? a. a witness's testimony b. some diseases' courses c. a race's sponsors d. many prize's were handed out

D: many prizes were handed out (it should have been plural, not possessive)

Which of these is incorrect? a. the boy's (the boy is) b. Harry's (Harry has) c. we'd (we would) d. was'nt (was not)

D: the apostrophe goes where the letter was taken out, not where the words were conjoined

Should I use dashes or hyphens in this sentence? This test it's ninety percent of my class grade could make me fail my senior year.

Dashes! There is an interrupting idea in the middle of the sentence.

Should I use hyphens or dashes in this sentence? My agreement with Fiona she teaches me French and I teach her German is clear.

Dashes! There is an interrupting idea in the middle of the sentence.

Why should one use apostrophes here? a. "Singin' in the Rain," the popular song and movie. b. "Snap 'em up" was his response

One or more letters have been removed

Active or Passive? His hair was cut by a professional.

Passive

Active or Passive? It would have been fixed on the weekend.

Passive

Active or Passive? The money was stolen.

Passive

Active or Passive? The movie is being made in Hollywood.

Passive

Active or Passive? The national anthem is being sung by Jason this time.

Passive

Active or Passive? They are paid on Fridays.

Passive

What are these called? a. my, mine b. your, yours c. his, his d. her, hers, its e. our, our f. their, theirs g. one's

Possessive Pronouns

Why should one use apostrophes with these words? a. they're b. she'd rather not

They are contractions

Which is correct? a. The engine will eventually break down. b. The engine will eventually break-down. c. The engine will eventually breakdown.

a. Phrases that have verb, noun, and adjective forms should appear as separate words when used as verbs and as one word when used as nouns or adjectives.

Which is correct? a. The well-known actress accepted her award. b. The well known actress accepted her award.

a. When adverbs not ending in -ly are used as compound words in front of a noun, hyphenate. When the combination of words is used after the noun, do not hyphenate. (Ex: That actress is well known.)

Which is correct? a. Jennifer received a lovely, fragrant bouquet on Valentine's Day. b. Jennifer received a lovely-fragrant bouquet on Valentine's Day.

a. lovely and fragrant (in this sentence) are coordinate adjectives--I can use "and" between them. They are not compound adjectives--the kind that work together.

Which is correct? a. friendly-looking man b. friendly little girl c. brightly-lit room

a. this is the only compound adjective. b. is an example of coordinate adjectives. c. has an -ly adverb ("brightly") describing "lit" (no hyphen necessary)

Which is correct? a. That Superfund site will require specialized clean up procedures. b. That Superfund site will require specialized clean-up procedures. c. That Superfund site will require specialized cleanup procedures.

c. Phrases that have verb, noun, and adjective forms should appear as separate words when used as verbs and as one word when used as nouns or adjectives.

Which is correct? a. We suffered a break down in communications b. We suffered a break-down in communications. c. We suffered a breakdown in communications.

c. Phrases that have verb, noun, and adjective forms should appear as separate words when used as verbs and as one word when used as nouns or adjectives.

Are these plural or possessive? a. cross your t's b. three 8's c. two P.H.D.'s d. they used &'s instead of and's

plural