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Punctuation Rules: Complete Guide for Competitive Exams

By Home Academy

Punctuation is the system of symbols used in writing to separate sentences, clarify meaning, and indicate pauses. Proper punctuation ensures clarity, avoids ambiguity, and is essential for scoring high in English sections of competitive exams.

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1. Full Stop (.)

Rule: Used at the end of declarative sentences, abbreviations, and indirect questions.
Examples:

She goes to school every day.

Dr. Sharma is our principal.
I wonder where he lives.

Common Mistakes:

Using full stop after exclamatory sentences:❌ “What a beautiful view.” (Should be “What a beautiful view!”)

Omitting after abbreviations in formal writing like “e.g” instead of “e.g.”

Practice: Insert full stops:

1. He is a doctor

2. I live in Delhi

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2. Comma (,)

Rule: Indicates a short pause, separates items in a list, or clauses.
Examples:

I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

My friend, who is a teacher, lives in Mumbai.
Yes, I will help you.

Common Mistakes:

Omitting commas in complex sentences:❌

 “If you study hard you will pass.”

Using unnecessary commas: ❌

 “She, is very intelligent.”

Practice: Add commas:

1. I like tea coffee and juice

2. My brother who is older than me lives abroad

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3. Question Mark (?)

Rule: Used at the end of interrogative sentences.
Examples:

Where are you going?

Have you completed your homework?

Common Mistakes:

Using a period instead of a question mark: ❌ “What is your name.”

Using question mark in indirect questions: ❌ “I wonder where is she?” (Correct: “I wonder where she is.”)

Practice: Add question marks:

1. How are you feeling today

2. Did she call you

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4. Exclamation Mark (!)

Rule: Expresses strong emotion or command.
Examples:

What a wonderful day!

Stop right there!

Common Mistakes:

Overuse in formal writing.

Using with indirect speech: ❌ “He said that he is happy!” (Correct: “He said that he is happy.”)

Practice: Add exclamation marks:

1. Hurray we won the match

2. Watch out

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5. Colon (:)

Rule: Introduces a list, explanation, or quotation.
Examples:

He bought three items: pen, notebook, and eraser.

Remember the old saying: “Honesty is the best policy.”

Common Mistakes:

• Using colon after verbs unnecessarily: ❌ “He bought: apples and bananas.”

Practice: Add colon:

1. She needs the following items pencil eraser sharpener

2. He gave me advice always tell the truth

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6. Semicolon (;)

Rule: Connects closely related independent clauses or separates complex list items.
Examples:

I have a meeting tomorrow; I cannot attend the party.

On the trip, we visited Delhi, India; Jaipur, India; and Agra, India.

Common Mistakes:

Confusing with colon or comma.

Using semicolon between dependent and independent clause.

Practice: Add semicolon:

1. I wanted to go to the market it was raining heavily

2. We visited Paris France London England and Rome Italy

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7. Apostrophe (’)

Rule: Shows possession or forms contractions.
Examples:

This is Ramesh’s book.

I can’t attend the class today.

Common Mistakes:

Using apostrophe for plurals: ❌ “Apple’s are fresh.”

Confusing its vs. it’s:

its → possessive: The dog wagged its tail.
it’s → contraction: It’s raining outside.

Practice: Correct the sentences:

1. The dogs tail is wagging

2. She said its a beautiful day

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8. Quotation Marks (“ ”)

Rule: Indicate direct speech, quotations, or titles of short works.
Examples:

She said, “I am learning English.”

Have you read the poem “The Road Not Taken”?

Common Mistakes:

Punctuation outside quotes in American vs. British usage.

Using quotes for indirect speech: ❌ He said that “he is tired.”

Practice: Add quotation marks:

1. She told me I am going home

2. Have you read the short story The Monkey’s Paw

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9. Parentheses ( )

Rule: Add extra information or clarification.
Examples:

He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think).

The meeting is scheduled for Monday (10 AM).

Common Mistakes:

• Using parentheses instead of commas or dashes unnecessarily.

Practice: Add parentheses:

1. The capital of India New Delhi is very beautiful

2. She won the award Best Student of the Year

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10. Hyphen (-) and Dash (–)

Rule:

Hyphen (-): Joins words to form compound words: well-known, mother-in-law.

Dash (–): Indicates a break or pause: I need three things – pen, notebook, and eraser.

Common Mistakes:

Using hyphen instead of dash in a sentence.

Overusing hyphens in non-compound words.

Practice: Correct the sentence:

1. She is a well known singer

2. I need to buy milk eggs and bread

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Punctuation Practice Exercise – SSC CGL Pattern

1. Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:
A. I enjoy reading books, watching movies and traveling.
B. I enjoy reading books watching movies, and traveling.
C. I enjoy reading books, watching movies, and traveling.
D. I enjoy reading books watching movies and traveling

2. Choose the correct sentence:
A. She said "I am going to the market."
B. She said, "I am going to the market."
C. She said I am going to the market.
D. She said "I am going to the market"

3. Identify the sentence with correct punctuation:
A. What a beautiful painting.
B. What a beautiful painting!
C. What a beautiful painting?
D. What a beautiful painting,

4. Fill in the blank with the correct punctuation:
I have three hobbies ___ reading, swimming and dancing
A. .
B. ,
C. :
D. ;

5. Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:
A. Its a sunny day outside.
B. It's a sunny day outside.
C. Its' a sunny day outside.
D. Its, a sunny day outside.

6. Select the correct sentence:
A. My brother who lives in Delhi, is coming tomorrow.
B. My brother, who lives in Delhi is coming tomorrow.
C. My brother, who lives in Delhi, is coming tomorrow.
D. My brother who lives in Delhi is coming tomorrow.

7. Choose the sentence with correct apostrophe usage:
A. The cats toy is under the table.
B. The cat's toy is under the table.
C. The cats' toy is under the table.
D. The cats toy's under the table.

8. Select the correct punctuation:
He bought apples oranges and bananas
A. He bought apples oranges and bananas.
B. He bought apples, oranges and bananas.
C. He bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
D. He bought apples; oranges and bananas

9. Identify the correctly punctuated sentence:
A. I wonder where is she going.
B. I wonder where she is going?
C. I wonder where she is going.
D. I wonder, where she is going.

10. Choose the correct sentence:
A. She finally replied (after thinking for a long time).
B. She finally replied after thinking for a long time).
C. She finally replied (after thinking for a long time.
D. She finally replied after thinking for a long time.

11. Choose the sentence with correct colon usage:
A. He bought: apples, oranges and bananas.
B. He bought apples, oranges and bananas:
C. He bought three fruits: apples, oranges and bananas.
D. He bought apples: oranges, and bananas.

12. Select the sentence with correct semicolon usage:
A. I have a meeting tomorrow; I cannot attend the party.
B. I have a meeting tomorrow: I cannot attend the party.
C. I have a meeting tomorrow, I cannot attend the party.
D. I have a meeting tomorrow. I cannot attend the party

13. Choose the correct punctuation for dialogue:
A. "Hurry up said Ramesh"
B. "Hurry up!" said Ramesh.
C. Hurry up! said Ramesh.
D. "Hurry up", said Ramesh

14. Identify the correctly punctuated sentence:
A. She is a well known singer.
B. She is a well-known singer.
C. She is a well, known singer.
D. She is a well – known singer.

15. Choose the correct sentence:
A. The teacher asked, "Who has completed the assignment"?
B. The teacher asked, "Who has completed the assignment?"
C. The teacher asked "Who has completed the assignment?"
D. The teacher asked, "Who has completed the assignment".

Answer key with explanations 

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1. C – I enjoy reading books, watching movies, and traveling.
Explanation: In a list of three or more items, a comma is required between each item, and the final comma before "and" (Oxford comma) is optional but preferred in formal writing.

2. B – She said, "I am going to the market."
Explanation: A comma is required before opening quotation marks when introducing direct speech.

3. B – What a beautiful painting!
Explanation: Exclamation marks are used to express strong emotion or surprise.

4. C – I have three hobbies: reading, swimming and dancing.
Explanation: A colon introduces a list or explanation.

5. B – It's a sunny day outside.
Explanation: "It's" is a contraction for "it is." "Its" without apostrophe indicates possession.

6. C – My brother, who lives in Delhi, is coming tomorrow.
Explanation: Non-restrictive clauses (extra information) must be enclosed in commas.

7. B – The cat's toy is under the table.
Explanation: Apostrophe shows possession; the toy belongs to the cat.

8. C – He bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
Explanation: Commas separate items in a list; final comma before "and" (Oxford comma) is correct.

9. C – I wonder where she is going.
Explanation: Indirect questions do not use a question mark.

10. A – She finally replied (after thinking for a long time).
Explanation: Parentheses enclose additional information.

11. C – He bought three fruits: apples, oranges and bananas.
Explanation: Colon introduces a list after a complete sentence.

12. A – I have a meeting tomorrow; I cannot attend the party.
Explanation: Semicolon links two closely related independent clauses.

13. B – "Hurry up!" said Ramesh.
Explanation: Exclamation mark ends the direct speech; comma is unnecessary before the closing quotation.

14. B – She is a well-known singer.
Explanation: Hyphen is used in compound adjectives before a noun.

15. B – The teacher asked, "Who has completed the assignment?"
Explanation: Question mark goes inside the quotation marks in direct speech.

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