Punctuation Worksheet

We use punctuation marks to make our writing easier to understand. There are several punctuation marks in English.

The comma

The comma is used to separate similar items in a list. Note that no comma is placed before and or or in a list.

• Ram, Shyam, Hari and Mira are my friends. (We use the comma to separate the first three items in the list. No comma is used before and.)
• Pigeons, crows, sparrows and robins are all birds.
• Is the dress black, blue or grey?
• The apples were sweet, red and juicy.

A comma is used to separate two or more adjectives which modify the same noun.

• It was an expensive, ill-planned, wasteful project.
• I met a tall, dark, handsome boy.

A comma is placed after words such as yes, no and oh when they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

• Yes, I have read the terms and conditions.
• No, I am not coming.

The basic rules of capitalization and punctuation are given below.

1. A sentence always begins with a capital letter.

2. A statement ends with a full stop and a question ends with a question mark.

3. A sentence expressing excitement or a strong feeling ends with an exclamation mark.

4. The exclamation mark is also used after an interjection. Common examples of interjections are: alas, hurrah, bravo, ouch, oops etc.

Hurrah! We have won.

5. The pronoun I is always written with a capital letter.

6. A proper noun (e.g. Mary, John, Maya, India) always begins with a capital letter.

Punctuation Worksheet

Punctuate the following sentences. Also capitalize words that require capitalization. An example is given below.

Question: she has three brothers two sisters and eight cousins
Solution: She has three brothers, two sisters and eight cousins.

Worksheet

1. mary keeps four dogs three cats and six rabbits in her backyard
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. ram shyam raju and veena are going to the park

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. the magician took a fluffy white rabbit out of his hat

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. yes I would like to apply for that job

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. no that is not what I meant

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. when are you going to pay me back

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. what are you doing there

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. my favourite colors are yellow green and blue

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. make ache cake take and break are rhyming words

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

10. she is my best friend

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

11. how cold it is

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12. I am expecting john to phone at 6 o clock

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

13. what a beautiful flower

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

14. alice come here please

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

15. what a pleasant surprise

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Solution

1. Mary keeps four dogs, three cats and six rabbits in her backyard.

2. Ram, Shyam, Raju and Veena are going to the park.

3. The magician took a fluffy, white rabbit out of his hat.

4. Yes, I would like to apply for that job.

5. No, that is not what I meant.

6. When are you going to pay me back?

7. What are you doing there?

8. My favourite colours are yellow, green and blue.

9. Make, ache, cake, take and break are rhyming words.

10. She is my best friend.

11. How cold it is!

12. I am expecting John to phone at 6 o’clock.

13. What a beautiful flower!

14. Alice, come here please.

15. What a pleasant surprise!