Grade 3 · English Language Arts · Unit 8 of 12
Punctuation Power
Commas, apostrophes and quotes
What your child practises
Choosing end marks, using commas in lists and dates, writing contractions and possessives with apostrophes, and putting quotation marks around speech.
New Brunswick Curriculum skill descriptor: Representations: Sentence Structure · capitals, periods, commas and quotation marks
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly?
- “Let's play tag,” said Maya.
- “Let's play” tag, said Maya.
- “Let's play tag, said Maya.”
- Let's play tag, “said Maya.”
“Let's play tag,” said Maya.
Hint: Quotation marks go around only the exact words someone says, like a speech bubble. Maya's exact words are: Let's play tag.
Question 2
Which end mark belongs in the box?
We have art class on Tuesday
- .
- ?
- !
.
Hint: Is the sentence calmly telling something? Telling sentences end with a period (.).
Question 3
What is the contraction for “have not”?
- haven't
- have'nt
- havent
haven't
Hint: A contraction squeezes two words together. An apostrophe (') takes the place of the missing letters: have not → haven't.
Question 4
Which sentence uses commas correctly?
- Ana's favourite colours are blue orange, and yellow.
- Ana's favourite colours are blue, orange, and yellow.
- Ana's favourite colours are blue, orange, and, yellow.
Ana's favourite colours are blue, orange, and yellow.
Hint: Put commas between the items in a list: blue, orange, and yellow. No comma before the list starts or after “and.”
Question 5
Which date is written correctly?
- December 25, 2024
- December 25 2024
- december 25, 2024
December 25, 2024
Hint: Start the month with a capital letter, and put a comma between the day and the year.
Question 6
What is the contraction for “was not”?
- was'nt
- wasnt
- wasn't
wasn't
Hint: A contraction squeezes two words together. An apostrophe (') takes the place of the missing letters: was not → wasn't.