All questions of Punctuations for Class 7 Exam

Correct answer is option 'C': He maintained his self-imposed silence.

Explanation:
Punctuation is the use of specific marks or symbols to clarify the meaning of written language. It helps in indicating pauses, breaks, and intonation in the text. Proper punctuation is essential for clear and effective communication.

Let's analyze each option to determine which one is correctly punctuated:

a) His self-esteem was very low.
- This sentence is correctly punctuated. It uses a hyphen (-) to connect the prefix "self" with the root word "esteem" to form a compound word.

b) I hate self-assembly furniture.
- This sentence is correctly punctuated. It uses a hyphen (-) to connect the prefix "self" with the root word "assembly" to form a compound word.

c) He maintained his self-imposed silence.
- This sentence is correctly punctuated. It uses a hyphen (-) to connect the prefix "self" with the root word "imposed" to form a compound word. The hyphen also helps clarify that "self-imposed" is describing the type of silence.

d) It was clearly a case of self-defence.
- This sentence is incorrectly punctuated. It uses a hyphen (-) to connect the prefix "self" with the root word "defence," but the British English spelling of "defence" should use a different punctuation mark, namely a "s" instead of a "c". The correct spelling in British English is "self-defence."

Therefore, the option/sentence that is correctly punctuated is option 'C': He maintained his self-imposed silence.

Correctly Punctuated Sentence Explanation:

Explanation:
The correctly punctuated sentence in this set is option 'D': My teacher used to say this: Always work hard but not too hard.

Reasoning:
- The sentence correctly uses a colon after the introductory phrase "My teacher used to say this" to introduce the quotation "Always work hard but not too hard."
- Colons are used to introduce explanations, lists, or quotations in a sentence. In this case, the colon is used before the quotation to signal that the teacher's advice is coming up.

Therefore, option 'D' is the correctly punctuated sentence in this context.

Explanation:
The correct sentence is option A: "I can see only one thing: the old lighthouse."

Reason:
The correct sentence is punctuated correctly because it follows the rules of punctuation for introducing a list or emphasis.

Explanation of the Punctuation:
The sentence includes a colon (:) after the phrase "one thing." The colon is used to introduce a list or emphasize the information that follows. In this case, the list or emphasized information is "the old lighthouse."

Rules for Using a Colon:
1. Use a colon after a complete independent clause to introduce a list, explanation, or emphasis.
2. Do not use a colon after a verb or preposition.
3. Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it begins a complete independent clause.

Example:
- I have three favorite colors: blue, green, and purple.
- There is one thing we all need: love.

In the given sentence, the colon is used correctly because it is placed after the complete independent clause "I can see only one thing." It is then followed by the emphasized information "the old lighthouse." The use of a colon in this sentence helps to introduce and emphasize the information that follows.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it is the only sentence that is correctly punctuated according to the given rules.

To determine the correct option, we need to identify the pair(s) of clauses that can be connected with a semicolon. Let's analyze each option:
A: "I hate rice pudding dairy products don't agree with me."
- This option contains two independent clauses, but they are not related in meaning. Therefore, they cannot be connected with a semicolon.
B: "Spain is lovely hot weather and friendly people."
- This option contains a dependent clause ("Spain is lovely") and two noun phrases ("hot weather" and "friendly people"). These elements are not independent clauses, so they cannot be connected with a semicolon.
C: "Spain lovely beaches, endless blue sea and great weather."
- This option contains a dependent clause ("Spain lovely beaches") and two noun phrases ("endless blue sea" and "great weather"). Again, these elements are not independent clauses, so they cannot be connected with a semicolon.
D: "Spain is a lovely country the beaches are endless and the weather is always good."
- This option contains two independent clauses: "Spain is a lovely country" and "the beaches are endless and the weather is always good." These clauses are related in meaning and can be connected with a semicolon.
Therefore, the correct option is D.

Understanding Semi-Colons
A semi-colon (;) is used to connect two independent clauses that are closely related in thought. Each clause must be able to stand alone as a complete sentence.
Analysis of the Options
Let's examine each option to determine which contains pairs of clauses that can be connected with a semi-colon:
a) Paris is a beautiful city; wide streets and sunshine.
- This option fails because "wide streets and sunshine" is not an independent clause; it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
b) Havana is a lovely city; rice pudding is one of my favourite foods.
- This option works in terms of structure, but the ideas are not closely related. The use of a semi-colon usually requires a thematic connection between the two clauses.
c) I would love to go to France; Paris is a lovely city.
- This option is structurally correct but again lacks a strong thematic connection. While Paris is in France, the relationship is not compelling enough for a semi-colon.
d) I would love to go to Greece; I love ancient history.
- This option is correct. Both clauses are independent and related. The first clause expresses a desire to visit Greece, and the second explains the reason for that desire, providing a clear thematic connection.
Conclusion
Thus, option D is the best choice as it includes two independent clauses that can be effectively connected with a semi-colon due to their relevance to each other.

The correct option that contains the pair(s) of clauses that can be connected with a semi-colon is option D: Tim is emigrating to New Zealand; he longs for a better life.
Explanation:
To determine the pair(s) of clauses that can be connected with a semi-colon, we need to look for two independent clauses (complete thoughts) that are closely related and can be connected with a semi-colon.
Let's analyze each option:
A: Tim is emigrating to New Zealand; he is fed up with life in the UK. - This option contains two independent clauses that are closely related and can be connected with a semi-colon. However, the pronoun "he" in the second clause lacks clarity as it is not explicitly referring to Tim.
B: Tim is emigrating to New Zealand; he loves the outdoor life. - This option also contains two independent clauses that are closely related and can be connected with a semi-colon. The pronoun "he" in the second clause clearly refers to Tim.
C: Tim is emigrating to New Zealand, a beautiful country. - This option contains a dependent clause ("a beautiful country") and an independent clause ("Tim is emigrating to New Zealand"). They cannot be connected with a semi-colon.
D: Tim is emigrating to New Zealand; he longs for a better life. - This option contains two independent clauses that are closely related and can be connected with a semi-colon. The pronoun "he" in the second clause clearly refers to Tim.
Therefore, option D is the correct option as it contains the pair of clauses that can be connected with a semi-colon.

The correct punctuated sentence is:
I can't see Tim's car; there must have been an accident.
Explanation:
- In sentence A, there is a comma missing before the conjunction "therefore". It should be "I can't see Tim's car, there must have been an accident."
- In sentence B, the word "cant" is missing an apostrophe. It should be "can't".
- In sentence C, there is no punctuation between "car" and "there". It should be "I can't see Tim's car; there must have been an accident."
- Sentence D is the correctly punctuated sentence with a comma before the conjunction "therefore".
Therefore, the correct answer is option D:
I can't see Tim's car; there must have been an accident.

Understanding the Correct Sentence
The correct sentence is option "C": "In the bag were the following: scissors, a hairbrush and her address book." Here’s why this option is correctly punctuated:
Proper Use of Colons
- A colon is used to introduce a list or explanation.
- In option C, "the following" clearly indicates that a list will follow, making the use of the colon appropriate.
List Clarity
- The items in the list are clearly enumerated: “scissors, a hairbrush and her address book.”
- The sentence structure is clear, which aids in understanding the contents of the bag.
Comparison with Other Options
- Option A: "In the bag were: scissors, a hairbrush and her address book."
- The colon is incorrectly placed after "were," which disrupts the flow of the sentence.
- Option B: "In the bag there were: scissors, a hairbrush and her address book."
- Similar to option A, the colon is misplaced after "were," leading to confusion.
- Option D: "None of these" is incorrect because option C is indeed a properly punctuated sentence.
Conclusion
- Option C is the correct choice due to its proper structure and punctuation, making it clear and easy to read.
- Understanding the rules of punctuation helps in crafting clear and effective sentences.

Explanation:

Correct Punctuation:
- The correct sentence is: "Spain is a beautiful country: the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean."
- The colon is the appropriate punctuation mark to use in this sentence because it introduces a list of items that further describe the subject.

Incorrect Options:
- Option A: The semicolon should not be used to separate the two clauses in this sentence. A colon is more appropriate for introducing a list.
- Option C: The comma is not strong enough to separate the two independent clauses in this sentence. It creates a comma splice.
- Option D: While the semicolon is a stronger punctuation mark than the comma, it is not the best choice for separating the two clauses in this sentence. A colon would be more appropriate.

Explanation:

Correct Punctuation:
- The correct punctuation in the sentence is the colon (:), which is used to introduce a list of items.

Incorrect Punctuation:
- Option (b) uses a semicolon (;) incorrectly to separate the list items.
- Option (c) uses a colon (:) correctly but does not capitalize the initial letters of the names following the colon.
- Option (d) uses a comma (,) incorrectly to separate the list items.

Correct Answer:
- Option (a) is the correctly punctuated sentence as it uses a colon (:) to introduce the list of places where the children's books were left and capitalizes the initial letters of the names following the colon.

Correctly punctuated sentence:
After stealing Tim's car, the thief lost his way and ended up in the chief constable's garage.

Explanation:

1. Punctuation rules:
Punctuation is used to clarify the meaning and structure of sentences. In this case, we need to follow the following punctuation rules:
- Use a comma (,) before and after a nonrestrictive phrase.
- Use an apostrophe ('s) to indicate possession.
- Use an apostrophe ('s) after a singular noun to indicate possession.
- Use an apostrophe after a plural noun ending in -s to indicate possession.

2. Analysis of the given sentence options:
a) After stealing Tims car, the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constables garage.
- This sentence is missing the comma (,) after "car" and "Tims" should have an apostrophe ('s) to indicate possession. It also lacks the apostrophe ('s) after "constables."

b) After stealing Tims car the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constables garage.
- This sentence is missing the comma (,) after "car" and "Tims" should have an apostrophe ('s) to indicate possession. It also lacks the apostrophe ('s) after "constables."

c) After stealing Tim's car, the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constable's garage.
- This sentence correctly uses a comma (,) after "car," "Tim's" indicates possession with an apostrophe ('s), and "chief constable's" indicates possession with an apostrophe ('s).

d) After stealing Tim's car, the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constables garage.
- This sentence is missing the apostrophe ('s) after "chief constables" to indicate possession.

3. Correct answer:
The correct answer is option C:
After stealing Tim's car, the thief lost his way and ended up in the chief constable's garage.

Explanation:
The correct answer is option C: "You have only one choice. Leave now while you can." This sentence is correctly punctuated because it follows the rules of punctuation. Here's why:
- Option A: "You have only one choice: leave now while you can." This sentence is correctly punctuated. The colon (:) is used to introduce a list or an explanation.
- Option B: "You have only one choice leave now while you can." This sentence is incorrectly punctuated because it lacks any punctuation between the words "choice" and "leave." A punctuation mark such as a colon or a period is needed to separate the two statements.
- Option C: "You have only one choice. Leave now while you can." This sentence is correctly punctuated. It uses a period to indicate the end of the first statement and begins the second statement with a capital letter.
- Option D: "None of these." This option is not a complete sentence and does not provide a correct answer.
In conclusion, option C is the correct answer because it uses the correct punctuation to separate the two statements and follows the rules of punctuation.

Understanding Correct Punctuation
When listing items in a sentence, punctuation plays a crucial role in clarity and readability. Let's analyze the options provided:
Option A: Incorrect Punctuation
- Sentence: These are my favourite countries; Spain Hungary India and Greece.
- Issue: A semicolon is used, but it should separate complete clauses or be replaced with a colon for a list.
Option B: Correct Punctuation
- Sentence: These are my favourite countries: Spain, Hungary, India and Greece.
- Correct Usage: A colon introduces the list, and commas separate the items. This is the standard way to list multiple items clearly.
Option C: Incorrect Punctuation
- Sentence: These are my favourite countries: Spain Hungary India and Greece.
- Issue: While the colon is appropriate, the items should be separated by commas for clarity.
Option D: None of These
- This option is incorrect because option B is indeed punctuated correctly.
Why Option B is the Best Choice
- Clarity: The colon signals that a list follows.
- Separation: Commas between the items prevent confusion and ensure each country is distinctly recognized.
In summary, option B is the only correct sentence because it follows the rules of punctuation for listing items properly, making it clear and easy to read.

To find the pair(s) of clauses that can be connected with a semi-colon, we need to identify the clauses that are independent and can stand alone as separate sentences. The correct option is:
B: Understanding grammar is very important; clear communication is an essential skill.
Explanation:
- In option A, "Understanding grammar is very important despite its complexity" is a complete sentence, but there is no independent clause to connect it with.
- In option C, "Understanding grammar is very important most high level jobs require good writing skills" is a complete sentence, but there is no independent clause to connect it with.
- In option D, "Understanding grammar is very important although it is not always the most fascinating subject on the planet" is a complete sentence, but there is no independent clause to connect it with.
Therefore, option B is the correct choice as it contains two independent clauses that can be connected with a semi-colon.

Explanation:

Connecting clauses with a semi-colon:
- A semi-colon is used to connect two closely related independent clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences.

Analysis of the options:
- Option a) "The stock exchange fell sharply investor confidence is very low." This option does not contain two independent clauses that can stand alone, so it does not require a semi-colon.
- Option b) "The stock exchange fell sharply many investors decided to sell their shares." This option contains two independent clauses ("The stock exchange fell sharply" and "many investors decided to sell their shares") that can stand alone, so they can be connected with a semi-colon.
- Option c) "The stock exchange fell sharply a difficult day for everybody." This option does not contain two independent clauses that can stand alone, so it does not require a semi-colon.
- Option d) "The stock exchange fell sharply I would wait before selling your shares." This option contains two independent clauses ("The stock exchange fell sharply" and "I would wait before selling your shares") that can stand alone, so they can be connected with a semi-colon.
Therefore, the correct option is b) "The stock exchange fell sharply many investors decided to sell their shares."

Explanation:

Punctuated Sentence:
- Option B is the correctly punctuated sentence.
- The sentence reads: "The potion contained fruit, biscuits and glue."
- The items in the list are separated by commas without any extra punctuation marks.

Incorrect Options:
- Option A: The colon after "contained" is unnecessary and incorrect for introducing a list.
- Option C: The colon after "potion" is not needed and doesn't introduce the list correctly.

Conclusion:
The correctly punctuated sentence is option B, which effectively lists the items in the potion without unnecessary punctuation marks.

The correct sentence among the options is C: "Steve always went to watch football; he loved the atmosphere at the games."
Explanation:
- Option A: "Steve always went to watch football: he loved the atmosphere at the games." This sentence uses a colon (:) to connect two independent clauses. However, a colon is used to introduce a list or explanation, not to connect two independent clauses. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
- Option B: "Steve always went to watch football, he loved the atmosphere at the games." This sentence uses a comma (,) to connect two independent clauses. However, a comma alone is not sufficient to connect two independent clauses. A coordinating conjunction (such as "and," "but," or "so") or a semicolon is needed. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
- Option C: "Steve always went to watch football; he loved the atmosphere at the games." This sentence uses a semicolon (;) to connect two independent clauses. A semicolon is appropriate in this case because it can be used to connect two related independent clauses without the need for a coordinating conjunction. Therefore, this option is correct.
- Option D: "None of these." This option is not a complete sentence and does not provide a correctly punctuated sentence.
In summary, option C is the correct sentence as it uses a semicolon to connect the two independent clauses properly.

The correctly punctuated sentence is option D:
Explanation:
- Option A:
- Incorrect. The apostrophe is missing in "Steve's" before "mothers."
- Option B:
- Incorrect. The apostrophe is missing in "Steve's" before "mother's."
- Option C:
- Incorrect. The apostrophe is incorrectly placed after "mothers" and "sisters."
- Option D:
- Correct. The sentence is punctuated correctly with the use of apostrophes to indicate possession.
In option D, the apostrophe is used correctly to show possession:
- "Steve's" indicates that the house belongs to Steve.
- "mother's" indicates that the house belongs to Steve's mother.
- "sister's" indicates that the flat belongs to Steve's sister.
Hence, option D is the correct choice.

The correct option/sentence is C:
- In this sentence, the possessive form of "Bristol" is correctly indicated by using an apostrophe and an "s" ('s).
- The possessive form of "country" is also correctly indicated by using an apostrophe and an "s" ('s).
Explanation:
- Option A () is incorrect because it fails to indicate the possessive form of both "Bristol" and "country."
- Option B () is incorrect because it fails to indicate the possessive form of "Bristol."
- Option D () is incorrect because it incorrectly uses apostrophes after "Bristols" and "countrys," which is unnecessary and incorrect.
Therefore, option C is the correct answer as it correctly indicates the possessive form of both "Bristol" and "country."

The correct answer is option 'D': My parents' flat is in one of the city's finest areas.

Explanation:

Punctuation is an important aspect of writing as it helps convey meaning and clarify the structure of sentences. In this question, we are required to choose the correctly punctuated option.

Let's analyze each option:

a) My parents flat is in one of the citys finest areas.
In this option, there are two punctuation errors:
- The apostrophe is missing in "parents" to indicate possession.
- The apostrophe is missing in "citys" to indicate possession.

b) My parents flat is in one of the citys finest areas.
This option also has the same punctuation errors as option 'a'.

c) My parents flat is in one of the citys finest areas.
This option also has the same punctuation errors as options 'a' and 'b'.

d) My parents' flat is in one of the city's finest areas.
This option is correctly punctuated. Here's why:
- The apostrophe is used after 'parents' to indicate possession (parents').
- The apostrophe is used after 'city' to indicate possession (city's).

The correct sentence should be: My parents' flat is in one of the city's finest areas.

By using the apostrophe to indicate possession, we show that the flat belongs to the parents and that the finest areas belong to the city.

Remember, when indicating possession for singular nouns, we add an apostrophe followed by an 's' (e.g., the student's book). When indicating possession for plural nouns ending in 's', we add an apostrophe after the 's' (e.g., the students' books). And when indicating possession for plural nouns not ending in 's', we add an apostrophe followed by an 's' (e.g., the children's toys).

In this sentence, "parents" is a plural noun, so we add an apostrophe after the 's' (parents'). "City" is a singular noun, so we add an apostrophe followed by an 's' (city's).

The correct sentence with proper punctuation is option D: "We were stuck in the huge hold-up on the M5."
Explanation:
- Option A: "'Hands up!! This is a hold-up.'": This sentence is incorrect because it uses double quotation marks instead of single quotation marks for the dialogue and it also includes unnecessary punctuation.
- Option B: "He decided to hold-up the bank.": This sentence is incorrect because it does not include the necessary punctuation to separate the words "hold" and "up". It should be written as "hold up" with a space between the two words.
- Option C: "Could you hold-up the picture for me.": This sentence is incorrect for the same reason as option B. It should be written as "hold up" with a space between the two words.
- Option D: "We were stuck in the huge hold-up on the M5.": This sentence is correctly punctuated. It uses a hyphen to connect the words "hold" and "up" to form the compound noun "hold-up". The sentence also includes the necessary punctuation at the end.
Therefore, option D is the correct sentence with proper punctuation.

To find the correct contracted form of the given expression, we need to determine the appropriate contraction for the phrase "She is."
The contracted form of "She is" is "She's."
Therefore, the correct option is:
D: She is — She’s

The correct contracted form of the given expression is:
D: Who is — Who’s
Explanation:
- To find the correct contracted form, we need to look at the expression "Who is" and find the contraction that represents it.
- The contraction for "Who is" is "Who's."
- The contracted form combines the subject pronoun "who" and the verb "is" into a single word.
- Therefore, the correct contracted form of "Who is" is "Who's."
In summary, the correct contracted form of the given expression is "Who's."

The correct contracted form of the given expression is "I am — I'm". Let's break down each option and explain why the correct answer is option A:
A: I am — I'm
- The contraction "I'm" is the correct contraction for "I am". The apostrophe represents the missing letter "a" in "am".
B: I have — I'm
- This is not the correct contraction for "I have". The correct contraction for "I have" is "I've", not "I'm".
C: I will — I've
- This is not the correct contraction for "I will". The correct contraction for "I will" is "I'll", not "I've".
D: I would — I'll
- This is not the correct contraction for "I would". The correct contraction for "I would" is "I'd", not "I'll".
Therefore, the correct contracted form of the given expression is "I am — I'm", which is option A.