High School Punctuation Quiz: Dashes & Parentheses with Answers

📚 Quick Study Guide

• ✏️ Dashes (—): Used to indicate a sudden break or interruption in thought, or to set off parenthetical elements.
• 🔑 Types of Dashes:
  • Em dash (—): Longer, used for stronger breaks.
  • En dash (–): Shorter, used for ranges (e.g., pages 10–20).
• 💡 Parentheses ( ): Used to add extra information or an aside. Less disruptive than dashes.
• 🖋️ Commas vs. Dashes vs. Parentheses: All can set off information, but commas are the weakest interruption, dashes are stronger, and parentheses are the least disruptive.
• ✍️ Using Dashes: My plan—if I can pull it off—is to travel the world.
• 🧮 Using Parentheses: Please read Chapter 3 (pages 45-70) for homework.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following sentences uses a dash correctly?
   1. A. I wanted to go to the store--but it was closed.
   2. B. I wanted to go to the store—but it was closed.
   3. C. I wanted to go to the store - but it was closed.
   4. D. I wanted—to go to the store but it was closed.
2. Which sentence correctly uses parentheses?
   1. A. My dog (a golden retriever is very playful).
   2. B. My dog, (a golden retriever), is very playful.
   3. C. My dog (a golden retriever) is very playful.
   4. D. My dog - a golden retriever - is very playful.
3. Choose the sentence that uses a dash to indicate an abrupt change in thought.
   1. A. She was about to leave—or so she thought—when the phone rang.
   2. B. She was about to leave (or so she thought) when the phone rang.
   3. C. She was about to leave, or so she thought, when the phone rang.
   4. D. She was about to leave or so she thought when—the phone rang.
4. Which of these uses parentheses to add non-essential information?
   1. A. The capital of France (is a major tourist destination).
   2. B. The capital of France—is a major tourist destination.
   3. C. The capital of France, is a major tourist destination.
   4. D. The capital of France is (a major tourist destination).
5. Which sentence correctly uses an em dash to set off an appositive phrase?
   1. A. My brother - a talented musician - will be performing tonight.
   2. B. My brother, a talented musician, will be performing tonight.
   3. C. My brother—a talented musician—will be performing tonight.
   4. D. My brother (a talented musician) will be performing tonight.
6. Identify the correct use of dashes to set off an interjection.
   1. A. The movie - wow - was incredible.
   2. B. The movie (wow) was incredible.
   3. C. The movie—wow—was incredible.
   4. D. The movie, wow, was incredible.
7. Which of the following is the best use of parentheses?
   1. A. He finally answered (after a long pause).
   2. B. He finally answered—after a long pause.
   3. C. He finally answered, after a long pause.
   4. D. He - finally answered after a long pause.